Table I.
Device cleaning and disinfection regimens and number of species cultured from each device
| Device number | Patient number | Device type | Length of time with device (months) | Was the device used every day? | How many times a day is the device used? | How often do you clean your device? | What cleaning instructions were you given? | How do you clean your device? | Length of time to clean device (min) | How often do you sterilize your device? | How do you sterilize your device? | Length of time to sterilize your device (min) | No. of organisms cultured from device |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Aerobika | 12 | Yes | 1 | Once a week | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | No info given | Once a week | Steam | – | 7 |
| 2 | 2 | TheraPep | 12 | Yes | 2 | Once a week | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | No info given | < once a month | Dishwasher | – | 4 |
| 3 | 3 | Aerobika | 7 | Yes | 1 | Never | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Boiling water in the microwave | No info given | Once a week | Sterilizing liquid | – | 3 |
| 4 | 4 | TheraPep | 12 | Yes | 1 | Never | Do not recall | Rinse with water and air dry | 3 | Never | N/A | N/A | 4 |
| 5 | 5 | TheraPep | 4 | Yes | 1 | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 2 | < once a month | Microwave | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 6 | Aerobika | 12 | No | N/A | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 1 | After every use | Microwave | 5 | 3 |
| 7 | 7 | Aerobika | 6 | Yes | 2 | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 45 | Never | N/A | N/A | 5 |
| 8 | 8 | Aerobika | 3 | Yes | 2 | Every second day | Do not recall | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 2 | Never | N/A | N/A | 5 |
| 9 | 9 | Aerobika | 3 | Yes | 1 | < once a month | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 20 | < once a month | Microwave | 5 | 2 |
| 10 | 9 | TheraPep | 48 | Yes | 1 | < once a month | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 20 | < once a month | Microwave | 5 | 2 |
| 11 | 10 | Aerobika | 3 | Yes | 1 | Never | Scrub with toothbrush and soapy water and air dry | Scrub with toothbrush and soapy water and air dry | 2 | Once a day | Boiling water | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | 11 | Aerobika | 3 | No | N/A | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 2 | Never | N/A | N/A | 3 |
| 13 | 11 | Other | 24 | No | N/A | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 2 | Never | N/A | N/A | 3 |
| 14 | 12 | Aerobika | 12 | Yes | 1 | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Boiling water | 5 | After every use | Boiling water | 5 | 2 |
| 15 | 13 | Aerobika | 24 | Yes | 2 | Never | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 15 | Once a week | Sterilizing liquid | 120 | 3 |
| 16 | 14 | Aerobika | 6 | Yes | 2 | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 5 | Once a day | Steam | 5 | 4 |
| 17 | 15 | Aerobika | 6 | Yes | 2 | – | Do not recall | Rinse under tap water | 1 | Once a week | Sterilizing liquid | 20 | 4 |
| 18 | 16 | Aerobika | 3 | Yes | 2 | < once a month | Boiling water and air dry | Boiling water and air dry | 120 | < once a month | Boiling water | 120 | 4 |
| 19 | 17 | Aerobika | 3 | No | N/A | After every use | Wash with soapy water and air dry | Wash with soapy water and air dry | 9 | After every use | Steam | 14 | 4 |
–, no information; N/A, not applicable.