How to prevent biofilm contamination in your cleanroom
Biofilm is one of the most challenging forms of contamination in a cleanroom. As cleanroom professionals, we don’t encounter biofilms very often but when we do, removing them is no easy task. That’s why prevention is always better than cure. In this blog, you’ll learn how biofilms form, how to prevent them, and what to do if your cleanroom becomes contaminated.
How does a biofilm form?
A biofilm forms when a colony of bacteria attaches to a surface in a cleanroom. These bacteria multiply and create what’s called an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), essentially a matrix of biofilm. This EPS layer makes the biofilm resistant to most conventional cleaning and disinfection products, which makes removing it particularly challenging.
As soon as the matrix forms, the microcolonies within the biofilm start to mature, creating a firmly attached biofilm. Over time, it can systematically spread and form new biofilms elsewhere. Because biofilms are invisible to the naked eye, they are often detected too late.
Removing a biofilm involves a thorough, multi-step cleaning process. The most efficient strategy for combating biofilm is therefore prevention.
How to prevent biofilm contamination in your cleanroom
A well-designed cleanroom is the first step. Choose smooth finishes with no unnecessary corners or edges where dirt can accumulate and microorganisms can thrive.
Below are the most important cleaning guidelines for preventing biofilm formation:
- Clean your cleanroom regularly, thoroughly, and completely to prevent microorganisms from forming a biofilm.
- Use the right cleaning agent for daily cleaning. Adjust your cleaning agent based on the type of contamination in your cleanroom, as product residue can encourage microbial buildup.
- Schedule frequent microbiological tests of your cleanroom surfaces.
- Analyze your test results carefully, even if they’re within limits, and perform proper trend analyses.
- Perform root cause analyses for any exceedances or increases in contamination so you can act quickly.
Integrate these measures into your cleanroom risk management system.
What to do if you find a biofilm
Biofilms can develop when cleaning procedures aren’t properly followed. Over the years, experiments have determined the quickest and most efficient way to remove them.
The key takeaway? Thorough cleaning with the right agents is crucial. If you attack the biofilm with just any product, you won’t achieve the desired result. Most disinfectants are too weak to penetrate the biofilm matrix and kill the microorganisms. Even strong disinfectants like bleach aren’t enough. To effectively remove a biofilm, you need a specialized cleaning agent.
The first step is a thorough cleaning with the right agent to break down the extracellular matrix. You can then use a disinfectant to kill the remaining microorganisms. Need help removing biofilm from your cleanroom? Looking to optimize your risk management system?
Get in touch. TRU is your specialized partner for cleanroom cleaning, equipment cleaning, and procedural audits.
You can also take advantage of our free cleaning procedure scan.