Strategies toward maximum detergent efficiency.

Detergent Z demonstrated the most reliable cleaning and detergent delivery system. After the initial detergent evaluation, the data were compared against all detergents. It was found that acceptably cleaned items ranged from 37% to 85% per evaluation. Labor and material costs could be reduced greatly with the use of detergent Z, which had the best cleaning results. We also observed the advantage of a sensor in the detergent delivery system which can override some less obvious equipment malfunctions. Since detergent Z also exhibited the least amount of residue build-up, a savings in maintenance costs could be expected later on. The vendor of detergent Z showed great interest and concern for our department's needs and quality assurance by offering us numerous technical resources during the evaluation. One year following our detergent studies, detergent Z and its related line of cleaning products are being utilized in our hospital. We found that the four months spent analyzing detergents used in our utensil washers provided an interesting resource project that has been a positive investment in improved operations for the decontamination area. In Central Service alone, 61.7 hours a week were saved by the change in products. Quality of cleaning continues to be high. The practice of a weekly acid bath for the utensil washers has been discontinued; the acid bath will now be given when necessary, and has not been done since detergent Z was put into use six months ago. During the next fiscal year, savings of detergent, utilities and labor are conservatively projected at $30,000.