Cleanroom wipes are manufactured using special lint-free materials that will not break down or leave particles behind during the cleanroom cleaning process or when mopping spills. When working in a cleanroom controlled environment, lint or other loose particles on surfaces or in the air can interfere with the manufacturing of products, the safety of consumers who ingest foods or pharmaceuticals, or in the case of hazardous drug processing, the safety of cleanroom workers. Sterile lint-free wipes assist compounding pharmacies with USP797 compliance.
Many times even when all precautions are taken, cleanroom operators still find particles on floors, walls, equipment, and other surfaces. Often times, these particles are left behind from the cleaning wipes used. It is mandatory to use cleanroom wipes instead of standard cloth or paper wipes to clean any surface in a cleanroom. Depending on the ISO class or cleanliness level of your facility, choosing the right lint-free material for the cleanroom wipes is vital. Our recommendations for choosing the correct cleanroom wipes are based on over 20+ years experience working with, manufacturing, and evaluating cleanroom wipes.
Since manufacturing standards are different from country to country, Cleanroom Connection only sells cleanroom wipes that are 100% made in the USA. We recommend Criti-Clean brand cleanroom wipes due to the fact that all materials are sourced in the USA and the manufacturing processes including converting, cutting, inspection, and packaging are done in the USA in a Class 10 or Class 100 cleanroom. We have other highly recommended cleanroom wipes due to their configurations and quality:
- Hydroflex PurWipe cleanroom wipes
- Kimtech 76490 sterile alcohol wipes
- TrueCare Biomedix 70% IPA presaturated wipes.
Many cleanroom suppliers offer cleanroom wipes made in China or other locales where standards, raw materials, and manufacturing processes are not subject to the same quality control level of the cleanroom wipes made in America.
Non-Woven Cleanroom Wipes
The most popular lint free-wipes for cleanrooms are non-woven cleanroom wipes. These are called non-woven due to the manufacturing process of the materials from which they are made. These types of cleanroom wipers are often called “lint free”, but are best suited for less strict cleanroom applications taking place in ISO6 Class 100 facilities and higher (ISO 6-8).
The most popular non-woven wipes are comprised of polycellulose, which is a blend of polyester and cellulose materials. This combination of materials created an absorbent, paper-like wipe that is compatible with most cleaning chemicals. Non-woven wipes are the most economical cleanroom wipes on the market and used to clean most surfaces except abrasive textures.
These wipes are best suited for smooth surfaces as using non-woven cleanroom wipes to clean rough or abrasive surfaces sheds particles due to their construction.
Laundered Polyester Cleanroom Wipes
If you are working in an ISO5 Class 100 cleanroom, you most often need to use laundered polyester cleanroom wipes. Non-woven wipes are not clean enough for ISO5 applications and often are the source of particles in stricter cleanrooms. Many cleanroom suppliers advise their customers to use non-woven wipes for stricter Class 100 facilities due to their cheaper price, but then problems with particle contamination always arise because they are not using the cleaner polyester wipes. When working in a Class 100 facility, the cleanliness levels require a clean-processed wipe.
Cleanroom Connection only sells “laundered” polyester cleanroom wipes. These wipes have been washed in a cleanroom washing machine using filtered water to remove 100% of loose particles. By laundering the wipes and then drying and packaging inside of a Class 100 cleanroom, they are safe to use in an ISO5 facility.
Polyester cleanroom wipes are safe to use with most solvents and cleaning chemicals. These wipes also are safe to use on abrasive surfaces without worrying about shedding particles. Make sure when you are shopping for polyester wipes you select “ISO 5 Certified and Laundered” polyester wipes, like the wipes from Criti Clean.
Microfiber Cleanroom Wipes
Microfiber cleanroom wipes are used to clean surfaces in many different industries. Pharma manufacturing pharma, medical labs, healthcare facilities, as well as electronics manufacturing cleanrooms are fans of this newer high-tech material because they are extra sensitive on delicate surfaces and highly effective. Their durability, absorbency, and abrasion-resistance are superior to other wipes and their material construction picks up the smallest of particles. We offer both knit microfiber and non-woven microfiber styles in sterile and non-sterile form.
Foam Cleanroom Wipes
Since there are many cleaning applications in a cleanroom, certain wipes are better suited for a particular job. Foam cleanroom wipes are used to quickly absorb and retain large spills. The open-cell construction of the Criti Clean Clean-Foam wipes absorb and hold 30 times the wipe’s weight in liquid. You can the squeeze out the foam wipe over your sink to be reuse it in many applications. Foam cleanroom wipes are also perfect for cleaning areas where a larger amount of cleaning or disinfecting solutions must be applied to a surface. Cleanroom Connection offers foam cleanroom wipes in sizes ranging from 1″x1″ to 18″x18″ as well as custom sizes and thicknesses upon request.
Free Cleanroom Wipe Samples
We offer a hand-picked selection of only the highest quality lint-free wipes. Since our staff has experience using all of the wipes we sell, we can confidently recommend the right wipe for your protocols. We also offer free samples on all our lint-free wipes so you can try before you buy so that you choose the one that works best for your cleanroom staff. We guarantee the best pricing on all our cleanroom wipes.
Give us a call toll-free at 800.616.5319.