How to Lubricate the Rubber Part in a Syringe

The inner parts of syringes are lubricated for ease of use.

Syringes are used for dispensing medicines and other fluids through a slender opening that is commonly capped with a hollow needle. A syringe is built to retain fluids and slide open and closed easily. Lubrication helps to make the rubber top on the plunger slippery enough to move effortlessly through the hollow barrel. Syringe manufacturers apply the lubricant to appropriate syringe parts during the mass production process.

Things You'll Need

• Medical grade silicone oil
• Small nozzle mist sprayer

Instructions

1. Pour medical grade silicone oil into a mist sprayer with a small nozzle. Pull the plungers out of all the syringes you wish to lubricate.

2. Place the nozzle over the larger opening of the barrel of a syringe which contacts the rubber stopper on the plunger. Spray the silicone oil into the barrel to lightly coat the inside.

3. Spray oil on the rounded sides of the rubber stopper on top of the plunger. Avoid coating the cone shaped top of the stopper. Syringe manufacturers normally spray the entire plunger, but are attempting to find a way to spray batches of plungers without getting silicone on the tops.

References

• Air-Tite: Latex and Silicone Oil in the Design and Manufacture of Disposable Syringe
• Medical Syringe: Technical Field