Cleaning and sanitising in the pharmaceutical industry should be detailed in a Standard Operating Procedure to ensure consistency of implementation. In addition, it is important that SOPs are sufficiently detailed, as detergents and disinfectants are only partially effective if they are not applied correctly. A Standard Operating Procedure should describe:
The type of detergents and disinfectants to be used (that are compatible).
The frequency of rotation of disinfectants.
A list of suitable cleaning materials.
Cleaning techniques.
Cleaning schedule and frequency.
The procedure for transfer of cleaning agents and disinfectants in and out of cleaned areas (including the procedure for sterilisation of disinfectants).
Dwell times for detergents and disinfectants.
The inclusion of these essential SOPs will ensure that the operative can be consistently applied in a cleaning and sanitising procedure.