How to Clean a BP Cuff

Routinely cleaning medical equipment lowers the risk of disease transmission. Although blood pressure cuffs rarely come in contact with bodily fluids, they are still at risk of becoming contaminated. Routine cleaning of blood pressure cuffs is easy and can be completed with minimal effort.

Things You'll Need

• Soft bristle brush
• Soft cloth
• Bleach
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Remove any visible debris from the cuff bladder with a soft bristle brush. Any debris not easily removed by scrubbing with a soft brush may need to be wiped off with a damp cloth.

2. Fill a spray bottle with a solution of one part chlorine bleach to three parts distilled water.

3. Spray a soft cloth with the chlorine bleach solution until damp. Squeeze any excess moisture from the cloth.

4. Wipe the inside of the blood pressure cuff bladder in a horizontal motion with the soft cloth. Then, spray more of the chlorine bleach solution on the cloth so it remains damp, squeeze any excess moisture from the cloth and wipe the outside of the blood pressure cuff bladder in a horizontal motion.

5. Allow the cuff to dry by laying it on a flat surface, or across a chair.

Tips & Warnings

• The bladder inside manual blood pressure cuffs can be removed and placed in the washing machine with laundry detergent for cleaning.

• Clean your blood pressure cuff regularly to prevent skin infections.

References

• "Standards of Practice for Integrated MCH/RH Services"; Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization of Medical Equipment; (Egyptian) Ministry of Health & Population; June 2005
• Virox Technologies Inc.: Patient Care Equipment or Device Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol (Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Resources

• Omron Healthcare: Products--FAQ / Blood Pressure