Australia's Science Forum

After you have sterilized glasses using your favourite method how are glasses being stored? I made up a 100 or so vinyl pockets for glasses to avoid stratching, however now me thinks it is a waste of time cleaning glasses only to return to contaminated covers. I originally had cotton pockets (which could be washed) but found glasses would slip out easily.Do you find glasses getting scratched if stored together without covers?

I made pockets out of cheapo nylon stretch material, with some help from the Home Ec dept. It prevents those scratches you're talking about, when they're stored all in a box together, and it's a non-verbal reminder to take a little care with the glasses. We have those 10-space shoe hangar things in each classroom, and therefore 3 glasses, in their pockets, go in each space.

I have heard about putting glasses in the dishwasher before but was worried about doing it as whenever I put plastic stuff in ours it comes out with spots on. How do you avoid this?

Reopening this thread from a very long time ago! I'm curious about what other schools are doing about safety glasses in a post-COVID world? Have your practices changed?

When COVID restrictions came in that allowed pracs but with cleaning of equipment between classes, I removed the safety glasses from the labs (that hardly ever got cleaned) and made up class sets in tubs. These have been stored in the prep room, taken by the teacher and returned for cleaning. I have just been putting the glasses through the dishwasher. I tip them loose onto the top shelf, and use the test tube baskets to hold them on the bottom shelf. We are waiting for new guidelines which say we don't have to clean equipment between lessons to go back to our old, evil ways.

Interestingly, I have had a lot more breakages since doing this. When they were stored in the lab, the teacher could see all the glasses as they were returned but it must be a bit easier to just chuck broken ones in the tub without the teacher seeing them. It was suggested the glasses were getting broken in the dishwasher, but I started checking them going into the dishwasher and coming out. None are being broken in the dishwasher. Alot of the glasses that are broken are quite new, so I don't think it has anything to do with wear and tear from washing.

I stopped using the dishwasher for safety glasses last year due to a huge increase in breakages. They would come out of the dishwasher fine, but it appeared it was weakening the arms as they were snapping off as the students were putting them on. I went from 1 or 2 breakages a year to 2 or 3 a lesson! Since going back to washing by hand the breakage level is back to normal.

I can only assume it is the detergent? But I am concerned that it is the newer ones that are "failing". Maybe quality is not as good as the older ones? I'll be persevering with the dishwasher for now, in the anticipation that restrictions are lifted soon.

Wayne wrote: ↑26 Mar 2021, 08:36 I stopped using the dishwasher for safety glasses last year due to a huge increase in breakages. They would come out of the dishwasher fine, but it appeared it was weakening the arms as they were snapping off as the students were putting them on. I went from 1 or 2 breakages a year to 2 or 3 a lesson! Since going back to washing by hand the breakage level is back to normal.

Interesting! I wonder if it is to do with the heat? Would there be a way to use just the rinse cycle but still have them hygienically cleaned?

I've found the screws have started to rust and the arms are breaking at the screw point.

I use Milton Antibacterial solution for the safety glasses. I assume if it strong enough for bubs then it should do the trick for safety glasses. Please tell me if it's inadequate...

Oh so right Loopy, we have always used that.

Loopy wrote: ↑26 Mar 2021, 09:51 I use Milton Antibacterial solution for the safety glasses. I assume if it strong enough for bubs then it should do the trick for safety glasses. Please tell me if it's inadequate...

perfect

In a tub, sprayed with Glen 20. No-one died so it must work.

mtg wrote: ↑29 Mar 2021, 09:11 In a tub, sprayed with Glen 20. No-one died so it must work.

I'm with you! Glen 20 or I put a tub of warm water with dish washing liquid in it in the lab for the kids to put the glasses straight in. I then just tip the water out after about 10 min and leave to dry on a towel on the lab bench.

Love this idea MTg never thought of it, before.