Tag Archives: Swabs

Can I Use a Cotton Swab in a Cleanroom?

no cotton swabs

Faced with the problem of removing small bits of contamination in the cleanroom, you would probably have to invent the swab if it didn’t already exist.  You would soon find that this little “wiper on a stick” would also prove invaluable in cleaning delicate mechanisms, in precision surface cleaning and in removing residues in hard-to-reach [Read More…]

Do You Have Cleanroom Swabs That Are Free of DOP?

Question Do you have cleanroom swabs that are free of DOP? Answer All Berkshire’s Lab-Tip® swabs have no detected DOP. Our suppliers are required to test for this and report the passed test results and provide a COA (Certificate of Analysis) indicating the absence of detectable DOP.  Did You Know?  DOP (dioctyl phthalate) is used to improve [Read More…]

What is the Best Cleaning Validation Swab?

What Is The Best Cleaning Validation Swab? The best cleaning validation swab is the LTP125S, double layer 100% polyester knit sock tip swab. This Lab-Tips® large sampling swab is an excellent choice for sampling surfaces for cleaning validation. Laundered and packaged in an ISO Class 4 (Class 10) cleanroom, it has a unique semi-flexible internal [Read More…]

Can You Autoclave Berkshire’s Cleanroom Swabs?

swabs

Q: Can you autoclave Berkshire’s cleanroom swabs? A: Yes, you can autoclave all our Lab-Tips® cleanroom swabs. We tested using Steam Heat at 126℃ for 30 minutes. The polypropylene handles did become brittle. As always, for sterility validation of the autoclaving you’ll need to validate your particular cycle to ensure the autoclave cycle renders the [Read More…]

What is the Difference Between Open and Closed Cell Swabs?

swabs

Cleanroom Swabs 101 – Closed Cell Vs. Open Cell Polyurethane Foam Sock Tip Swabs 1.  How are sock tip polyurethane foam swabs constructed? Sock tips are made by sandwiching the swab handle between multiple layers of thermoplastic head material. The head material is completely sealed and bonded to the handle with heat and pressure. No contaminating adhesives, silicone, amides, and [Read More…]

Q & A – Swab/Solvent Compatibility

Swab/Solvent Compatibility Chart

Q: Can I use a foam tipped swab with Toluene? Can I use a polyester tipped swab with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)? What about xylene? A: Click here to download Berkshire’s handy Swab/Solvent Compatibility Chart. This one page guide will show you what swab head substrate is compatible with most common manufacturing solvents.   Download the chart