Most labs that use non-disposable lab coats also use a laundry service. However, there are certain labs—and certain situations in any lab—when autoclaving your lab coat prior to laundering is a must. 

When Do We Need to Autoclave Our Lab Coats?

There are three situations in which your lab coat should be autoclaved prior to any other cleaning:

1. If it was worn during BSL-1 work and you suspect it got splashed or otherwise contaminated with a biological agent
2. If it was worn during any BSL-2 lab work at all (as an aside: if you’re doing work above BSL-2, you shouldn’t be wearing a lab coat, but rather a back-tied gown—preferably disposable—or positive-pressure protective suit)
3. If it was in contact with a known or suspected contamination or spill from any biological agent, regardless of risk group assessment level or biosafety lab level

That said, you should never autoclave a lab coat that is also contaminated with: 

• volatile flammable chemicals, which in rare cases, might be ignited by an autoclave’s in-chamber heating element
• chemicals likely to degrade silicone, Viton, or other high-temperature rubbers, as these can damage your autoclave’s seals and gaskets over time
• corrosive chemicals, like hydroxides and chlorine, which can damage even corrosion-resistant stainless steel autoclave chambers with repeated exposure
• radioactive materials, since these can accumulate in the valves and pipework (creating hazards when servicing the autoclave at a later date) or be dispersed both into the outside air (via autoclave exhaust) and into wastewater systems (when the chamber drains at the end of cycle)

What’s the Right Autoclave Programme Cycle for Lab Coats?

Provided it doesn’t run counter to the lab coat manufacturer’s advice, the best autoclave program cycle for lab coats is very similar to that used for red-bag waste prior to disposal: 30 minutes at 121ºC with a pre-cycle vacuum stage. 

Lab coats, like waste loads, are porous and benefit from a pre-cycle vacuum stage to eliminate all trapped air and fully saturate the coat with steam. Adding a post-cycle vacuum stage will ensure that the coat comes out fairly dry.

That said, the autoclave program is really just the final step in handling a potentially contaminated lab coat. A complete lab coat protocol requires that you:

1. 1. Check that the lab coat is autoclavable. The manufacturer website will usually answer this question. As a rule, an uncoated cotton lab coat is fine to autoclave. The manufacturers of lab coats with fabric treatments or coatings (such as Teflon) might advise processing their coats at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.
   2. Prepare the load:
      1. A single coat can be loosely folded and placed in autoclave tray
      2. If you regularly need to autoclave several lab coats, collect them as you might biological waste, in an autoclave bag inside a lidded container clearly labeled both “biohazard” and “lab coats only!” (Either choose a clear bag or make sure the bag is well labelled, so it doesn’t get discarded after processing)
      3. Tag the load with an integrator strip (to confirm sterilisation) prior to placing the lab coats in the autoclave
   3. Process the lab coats for 30 minutes at 121ºC with pre- and post-cycle vacuum options selected.

• Now they’re ready to go to the laundry!

Ensure the Safe Sterilisation of Your Lab Coats With Priorclave

Priorclave prides itself on customer support, and is always eager to help labs determine what they need to get more done, in less time, with less waste. Are you ready to discuss your lab’s needs? Please feel free to reach out to Priorclave today—our team of experts looks forward to speaking with you.