How do you keep pipettes clean and sanitized?

[Elysium]

This is probably one of my dumbest questions....but I cant figure out how to keep a pipette clean and sanitized.

I can suck enough cleaning liquid inside of it into the tube.....but it never reaches the head of it (I think it is called a "bulb"). I am slightly afraid that some bacterias/even wild yeast/ might end up flourishing there....the bulb is full of vapor in my case. That is the part that worries me.

Has any of you ever had problems with the interior getting infected?
Could you tell me how you clean and sanitize pipettes?

I have one of these simple, plastic pipettes that came with the refractometer. Images is below.

Thanks.

 

[chickens4life]

those plastic ones are meant to be disposable.

I use borosilicate glass pipettes that can be autoclaved, and just run them through my pressure cooker (these are for yeast culturing, for refractometer samples during the boil/cooling it probably doesn't need to be quite so clean any way).

you might be able to find some similar to what you have that are made from a material that can be boiled to sanitize them.

 

[Elysium]

those plastic ones are meant to be disposable.

I use borosilicate glass pipettes that can be autoclaved, and just run them through my pressure cooker (these are for yeast culturing, for refractometer samples during the boil/cooling it probably doesn't need to be quite so clean any way).

you might be able to find some similar to what you have that are made from a material that can be boiled to sanitize them.

I hear you. I am considering the option of buying loads of them from China....but I think they dont come in individual packing, meaning they wont be sanitary pipettes.....so I am not sure it is a good idea.

Do you think it is a good idea just to keep one disposable and clean/sanitize it? I mean only the tip of the pipette will be in contact with the liquid anyway.

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

If you need a sterile pipette it's cheaper to get the borosilicate ones and sterilize them yourself. The disposable ones that come sterile really add up after awhile, but then I used to go through quite a few in my lab days.

 

[dk21]

I just use a stainless 1/8 teaspoon to grab refractometer samples. Much easier to clean and sanitize.

 

[Elysium]

I just use a stainless 1/8 teaspoon to grab refractometer samples. Much easier to clean and sanitize.

I think it is a good idea...but I dont wanna take the lid off. I am considering the option of removing the airlock and get some liquid out with a straw.
Clean/sanitize a straw....put it in the liquid, cover the end of the straw with your thumb and you already have a disposable, DIY pipette.

 

[chickens4life]

the borosilicate ones would be good for steeling samples from a fermenter, because they are long in comparison to the disposable ones, although your idea of using a straw as a disposable pipette seems like a good idea to me.

I would shy away from re using a disposable one more than a couple of times because, not only is it hard to clean/sanitize, after cleaning it is nearly impossible to get dry. That is a recipe for mold or bacteria growth

 

[DRog00]

Buy new ones.. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IQTSE0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Elysium]

Buy new ones.. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IQTSE0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I can only use ebay.....amazon is useless in Spain. Thanks anyway....I look for them on ebay.