MEDIWISH · Cleaning monitoring guide
Match each observation to its purpose
An ultrasonic cleaning-efficacy indicator and a cavitation test answer different questions. A soil-removal indicator shows what happened to an applied test soil during the cleaning process. A cavitation test is designed to respond to ultrasonic activity under its own specified conditions. Their results should be recorded and interpreted separately.
What a test-soil indicator observes
MEDIWISH Universal Strip REF 647913 carries a pink test-soil pattern on a polymer strip. The Rev05 specification identifies use in washer-disinfectors and ultrasonic cleaners with holder 12-5814. REF 647913 and the legacy Essential Wash Clean designation 12345678 identify the same indicator family.
The observation concerns removal of that soil at the indicator’s location, in the selected configuration. A visually cleared strip does not quantify acoustic energy, map the entire ultrasonic field or directly measure residual soil on an instrument. It also does not independently establish the detergent concentration.
What a cavitation check observes
A test designed for ultrasonic activity has a different endpoint. For example, the manufacturer describes SonoCheck as detecting the presence of cavitation energy in an ultrasonic bath. That example explains the method distinction; it does not establish equivalence with a MEDIWISH product or supply instructions for another test.
For a MEDIWISH vial-based method, MZS-5635 provides a qualitative, comparative cavitation response at the test location. Use the MZS-5635 instructions for its own placement, complete cycle and reading window; the result does not by itself establish instrument cleanliness.
| Monitoring question | Product or method | Limits of the result |
|---|---|---|
| Did a defined cavitation test respond? | MZS-5635 cavitation indicator vials | Qualitative response at specified locations under the vial IFU; not a calibrated acoustic measurement or a cleanliness test. |
| Was the applied test soil removed? | Universal 647913 / Essential Wash Clean strips | The strip’s own test soil, holder, location and process-specific criteria. |
| What physical response occurs on a foil target? | Aluminium foil test material | Use a reproducible material, fixture and exposure according to the equipment procedure. Foil effects do not prove instrument cleanliness. |
| Is residual protein detected on a sampled surface? | Protein residue test | The sampled area and that test’s sampling, detection and interpretation limits; not ultrasonic activity or sterility. |
Keep setup details with the result
Use the process-specific instructions for the indicator, the ultrasonic equipment, cleaning chemistry and instruments. The approved procedure must establish preparation, the load arrangement, test positions, cycle conditions, frequency and the response to an unacceptable or invalid result. Settings for one ultrasonic bath or a washer-disinfector cannot be transferred automatically to another.
Record the bath and cycle identifiers, chemistry, actual test REF and lot, holder, position, orientation and observation. Handle the strip so that test soil is not rubbed away before or after the cycle. A loose strip and a strip installed in the specified holder are different test configurations.
For preparation and documentation, follow the ultrasonic cleaner testing guide. The foil-test guide explains the separate physical method and its limitations. Compare available formats in ultrasonic testing products.
Investigate different results without forcing agreement
If two methods give different observations, preserve both records and review their intended purpose, setup and criteria. Do not reinterpret an activity response as a soil-removal pass or dismiss visible soil because a separate cavitation check responded. Follow the facility’s deviation procedure and continue the required instrument inspection and later processing checks. Neither method, by itself, demonstrates sterility.
Review the strip and compatible holder
Review the MEDIWISH Universal Cleaning Indicator Strips 647913 / legacy 12345678 and the compatible 12-5814 holder. Request the current instructions for the intended washer-disinfector or ultrasonic application.
