Ultrasonic Cleaners, Baskets, Covers and Detergent
Ultrasonic cleaning uses high-frequency sound waves to create and collapse microscopic bubbles in a liquid, and the energy released by that collapse lifts debris off surfaces a brush cannot physically reach. This collection carries Jeio Tech ultrasonic cleaners alongside Mettler Cavitator baskets, tank covers and Cavi-Clean detergent.
The reason this equipment exists ahead of the autoclave rather than instead of it is worth stating clearly. Steam does not penetrate organic soil. An instrument that goes into an autoclave with tissue or blood residue on it comes out with sterilised residue on it, not a sterile instrument, and the residue continues to shield whatever is underneath. Cleaning always precedes sterilization; it is a prerequisite rather than an alternative.
→ Part of PPE & Infection Control. Also see Autoclaves & Steam Sterilizers, Disinfection & Hygiene and Surgical Instruments.
How Cavitation Cleans What a Brush Cannot
Cavitation bubbles form and collapse throughout the liquid, including inside box locks, serrations, hinges and lumens. That is the whole advantage: a brush reaches the outside of an instrument and the parts a hand can guide it into, while cavitation reaches wherever the liquid goes.
Hinged instruments are the clearest case. A haemostat or needle holder has a box lock joint where tissue lodges and where no brush bristle fits at the angle required. Those instruments should be cleaned in the open position so liquid and cavitation reach the joint, which is a small procedural detail that determines whether the cycle achieved anything at that joint.
Ultrasonic cleaners in stock
The Jeio Tech UCP-20 and the Jeio Tech UCS-20, both 230V units for laboratory and clinical instrument cleaning.
Baskets: Why Instruments Must Not Touch the Tank
Instruments placed directly on the tank floor sit in a dead zone where cavitation is uneven, and they damage the tank surface while doing it. Both problems are solved by a basket, which is why baskets are a functional requirement rather than a convenience.
The cleaning problem comes first. Cavitation intensity varies through the tank, and the floor is where the transducers sit. An instrument resting on that surface blocks energy transfer at its contact points and receives inconsistent cleaning across its length. A basket suspends the load in the working volume where cavitation is distributed.
The damage problem is slower but permanent. Repeated cavitation directly against the tank bottom, with metal instruments resting on it, erodes the tank surface over time. Once the tank is pitted, cleaning performance drops and the unit is difficult to decontaminate properly.
Basket options
Mettler Cavitator ultrasonic cleaner baskets in 3 L, 6 L, 10 L and 22 L sizes match the tank they serve. The Mettler 1069 stainless steel cleaning basket for the 20G ultrasonic cleaner is the model-specific option.
Load the basket in a single layer where possible. Instruments stacked on top of each other shield the ones underneath, and the cycle cleans what the liquid and cavitation reach rather than what is in the basket.
Tank Covers
A tank cover does three things at once: it limits aerosol escaping from the tank during the cycle, it reduces evaporation of the cleaning solution, and it holds heat where a heated unit is being used.
The aerosol point is the one that matters for staff safety. An ultrasonic cycle running on instruments carrying blood or tissue generates aerosol above the tank, and an uncovered unit puts that into the room air where staff are working. Covering the tank during operation is straightforward practice that costs nothing once the cover exists.
Options: the Mettler 1070 stainless steel tank cover for the 20G ultrasonic cleaner and the Cavitator stainless steel replacement covers for units whose original cover has been damaged or lost.
Detergent and Solution Management
Ultrasonic cleaning is a chemical process assisted by cavitation, not a purely mechanical one. Plain water cavitates but does not lift protein and lipid soil the way a formulated detergent does.
The Mettler Cavi-Clean ultrasonic cleaning detergent and power boosting additive is formulated for ultrasonic use, which matters because household detergents foam. Foam absorbs ultrasonic energy and suppresses cavitation, so a foaming product effectively switches off the mechanism you paid for.
Degassing
Fresh solution holds dissolved air, and dissolved gas cushions cavitation collapse, which reduces cleaning energy. Running the unit briefly before loading instruments drives that gas out. Many units have a degas function for exactly this; where they do not, running the tank for a short period after filling achieves the same thing. Skipping it means the first cycle after a solution change is the least effective one.
Solution changes
Solution loads with soil as it works, and a saturated solution redeposits contamination onto the next load. Change it according to the manufacturer's guidance and your reprocessing protocol, and change it sooner if it looks visibly soiled rather than waiting for a scheduled interval. A cloudy tank cleaning a set of instruments is transferring rather than removing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why must instruments be cleaned before sterilization?
Because steam does not penetrate organic soil. An instrument entering an autoclave with tissue or blood residue comes out with sterilised residue on it rather than sterile, and the residue continues to shield whatever sits underneath it. Cleaning is a prerequisite for sterilization, not an alternative to it, and no autoclave cycle compensates for inadequate cleaning.
How does ultrasonic cleaning work?
High-frequency sound waves create microscopic bubbles in the liquid that collapse almost immediately, and the energy released lifts debris from surfaces. Because the bubbles form throughout the liquid, cavitation reaches inside box locks, serrations, hinges and lumens where a brush physically cannot go. It cleans wherever the liquid goes rather than only where a hand can guide a brush.
Why can instruments not sit on the tank floor?
Two reasons. Cavitation intensity varies through the tank and the floor is where the transducers sit, so an instrument resting there blocks energy at its contact points and cleans unevenly. Second, repeated cavitation directly against the tank bottom with metal resting on it erodes the tank surface over time, and a pitted tank cleans worse and is hard to decontaminate. A basket solves both.
Should hinged instruments be opened during cleaning?
Yes. A haemostat or needle holder has a box lock joint where tissue lodges and where no brush fits at the required angle. Cleaning in the open position lets liquid and cavitation reach the joint. Cleaning them closed means the joint, which is the part most likely to hold soil, is the part least likely to be cleaned.
Can I use household detergent in an ultrasonic cleaner?
No. Household detergents foam, and foam absorbs ultrasonic energy and suppresses cavitation, so the mechanism the equipment relies on stops working. Detergents formulated for ultrasonic use are low-foaming and designed to lift protein and lipid soil under cavitation. Using the wrong product turns an ultrasonic cleaner into an expensive water bath.
What is degassing and why does it matter?
Fresh solution holds dissolved air, and dissolved gas cushions the collapse of cavitation bubbles, reducing cleaning energy. Running the unit briefly before loading instruments drives that gas out. Many units have a degas function for this. Skipping it means the first cycle after a solution change is the least effective one of the day, which is the opposite of what most people assume.
How often should the cleaning solution be changed?
According to the manufacturer's guidance and your reprocessing protocol, and sooner if it is visibly soiled rather than waiting for a scheduled interval. Solution loads with soil as it works, and a saturated solution redeposits contamination onto the next load. A cloudy tank is transferring contamination rather than removing it.
Why does an ultrasonic cleaner need a tank cover?
It limits aerosol escaping during the cycle, reduces evaporation of the solution, and retains heat in a heated unit. The aerosol point matters most for staff: a cycle running on instruments carrying blood or tissue generates aerosol above the tank, and an uncovered unit releases that into the room where staff are working. Covering during operation costs nothing once the cover exists.
How should the basket be loaded?
In a single layer where possible, with instruments not stacked on top of each other. Stacked instruments shield the ones underneath, and the cycle cleans what liquid and cavitation reach rather than what is nominally in the basket. Overloading is a common reason a cycle produces inconsistent results across a load that looked identical going in.
What basket size do I need?
One matched to the tank. Baskets are available in 3, 6, 10 and 22 L to suit different tank capacities, plus model-specific options such as the stainless basket for the 20G cleaner. A basket that is too small wastes tank volume; one that does not fit properly sits at the wrong depth, which changes where the load sits relative to the cavitation field.
MediDepot Purchasing Advantages
- Price Match Guarantee: found the same model number for less elsewhere? We will match the verified price.
- Equipment Financing: available when reprocessing equipment is bought as a set with an autoclave.
- Extended Warranty: coverage on transducers and control systems beyond the manufacturer term.
- Military Discount: available for qualifying military medical facilities and personnel.
- Request a Quote: tank and basket matching, detergent supply and reprocessing set pricing.
Related Buying Guides
- Clinic Infection Control Supplies Checklist
- How to Choose Disinfectants: Contact Time and Staff Safety
- Physician Office Setup Checklist
- Lab Equipment Supplier Guide