Routine cleaning and disinfection?

[Morganlee]

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose. If blood glucose meters are dedicated for single-patient use, do they need routine cleaning and disinfection?
If so, how often?

 

[jack412]

which one do you have?

 

[CollieBoy]

I give my equipment a thorough wiping down with antiseptic wipes at least daily.

edit : please, no smutty remarks!

 

[Spiker]

@FergusCrawford, I have a nurse who comes round to give my equipment a good hard scrub every morning.

 

[Spiker]

Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose. If blood glucose meters are dedicated for single-patient use, do they need routine cleaning and disinfection?
If so, how often?

The parts which contact blood are all single use disposable. So cleaning is only needed for dust buildup etc. Maybe once a year if you get an error message on the meter.

 

[izzzi]

as a guide: however there are many different types of BG meters, clean when you believe necessary

• Remove the test strip holder from the meter.
• Clean the test strip holder with mild soap and water. Do NOT clean with alcohol, glass cleaners, cleansers with ammonia or phenol, or abrasive cleaners. Do not immerse the meter in water.
• Use a slightly moistened cotton swab to remove any dirt or blood from the test strip holder. Also use the slightly moistened cotton swab or a soft dampened cloth to clean the test area. Do not apply full-strength detergent to the test area. Be careful not to scratch the test area.
• Dry test strip holder and test area with soft, dry cloth or tissue that does not contain lint, lotion or perfume.
• Replace the test strip holder.
• MORE IMPORTANT ENSURE THE LANCET DEVICE IS KEPT CLEAN AT ALL TIMES

Might be best to clean your lancet in private @FergusCrawford and @Spiker

 

[Spiker]

Agreed it is the lancing device that is much more important to keep clean than the meter.

My meters (Accu Chek) do not have a removable test strip holder to clean.

 

[noblehead]

Clean both the meter and lancer with antibacterial wipes, don't do it too often mind, probably 6 times a year max.

 

[Hooked]

My tip would be; Don't drop a dollop of gravy on the blood test machine and then attempt to insert test strip.
I managed to do this sitting at the dinner table and, with my bad eyesight, didn't see the splash of gravy on the machine where the strips go in. Needless to say I broke it.

Rightly or wrongly, I clean my finger pricker every few weeks with an alcohol swab. I have never cleaned my current machine, just didn't feel the need.

 

[Engineer88]

cant say I've ever cleaned a bg meter - never thought about it.

 

[Hooked]

cant say I've ever cleaned a bg meter - never thought about it.

I still remember the days when you had to routinely do it, as you had to wipe the blood from the strip and then insert that end into the machine for it to read the result. I'm old.

 

[noblehead]

I still remember the days when you had to routinely do it, as you had to wipe the blood from the strip and then insert that end into the machine for it to read the result. I'm old.

Me too, the meter, if I'm not mistaken was the Reflolux S, took 2 mins to take a bg reading, you had to leave the blood on the strip for 1 min then wipe off and leave for a further min to get a reading.

These strips were good as you could cut them in two, if you just used the colour chart on the strip container you could cut the into three, made a tub of 50 go a long way.

I

 

[Hooked]

Me too, the meter, if I'm not mistaken was the Reflolux S, took 2 mins to take a bg reading, you had to leave the blood on the strip for 1 min then wipe off and leave for a further min to get a reading.

These strips were good as you could cut them in two, if you just used the colour chart on the strip container you could cut the into three, made a tub of 50 go a long way.

I

Yes, that's the one!

 

[noblehead]

Yes, that's the one!

Sure Robert72 (a member on here) still has the meter, although I don't mean he still uses it