If you handle hazardous drugs (HDs) in compounding, oncology support, nuclear pharmacy, or any controlled healthcare workflow, surface control is not optional — it is a risk-management problem. You are controlling potential HD residue on work surfaces and high-touch points, alongside viable/nonviable contamination, chemical residues, and documentation gaps that can undermine investigations and corrective actions.
USP <800> (Hazardous Drugs—Handling in Healthcare Settings) is the compendial framework that drives how facilities control occupational exposure to HDs. While enforcement details vary by state and accreditation pathway, the operational expectation is consistent: define a defensible program for HD handling and environmental control, train to it, document to it, and respond to excursions with evidence.
- Use a defined sequence. “Cleaning and disinfection” is a method, not a label. The order, technique, and compatibility rules drive outcomes.
- Control what comes into the room. Use cleanroom-ready packaging and delivery methods to avoid introducing new particles/bioburden/residue.
- Document like you may need it later. Lot traceability, dates opened, and consistent products simplify investigations and change control.
- Align to your risk zones. PECs, buffer/ante spaces, pass-throughs, carts, and staging shelves need different controls and cadence.
Many facilities struggle because they rely on a single chemistry or a “spray-and-wipe” habit that is not repeatable. Texwipe’s published protocol is useful because it defines a disciplined, operator-ready approach: control the wetting method, wipe in a defined pattern, and repeat at 90° to reduce re-deposit risk.
- Step 1: Remove free liquid/visible soil using a sterile dry wiper (prevents spreading and improves chemistry contact).
- Step 2: Apply TexQ to a wiper (not to air) and wipe using parallel, overlapping strokes (controlled contact; less aerosolization).
- Step 3: Follow with sterile 70% IPA pre-wetted wiper using the same stroke discipline (routine disinfection step; supports consistency).
- Step 4: Repeat the sequence at 90° to the first direction (reduces streaking, re-deposit, and missed micro-areas).
- Fold discipline: quarter-fold; control wipe faces; change faces frequently. Do not “polish” contaminants across a larger area.
- Stroke discipline: parallel, unidirectional, overlapping strokes. Avoid random scrubbing unless your method explicitly validates it.
- Clean-to-dirty patterns: top-to-bottom; back-to-front on work surfaces; treat edges/seams as higher-risk accumulation points.
- Wet contact time: if the surface dries early, the intended disinfection claim may not be achieved in practice. Train for “wet for full dwell time.”
- PEC note: avoid spraying in the hood. Apply chemistry to a sterile wiper to control aerosols and turbulence.
Below are commonly paired items that support the protocol discipline above. The objective is not “more products” — it is fewer variables: repeatable chemistry, repeatable substrates, and documentation-friendly packaging that keeps you audit-ready.
- TexQ TX650 (Sterile RTU trigger spray): EPA-registered quat cleaner/disinfectant; 0.2 μm filtered; gamma irradiated; functional use label for date opened/operator initials (documentation discipline).
- TexQ TX651 (Concentrate): concentrate option to standardize chemistry across a program when your process requires bulk preparation and controlled dilution.
- Program fit: often used as part of a rotation strategy and paired with a sporicidal layer per facility risk and trending.
- Why this matters: pre-wetted formats reduce variability in wetting volume and minimize “consumer bottle” particle/bioburden risk.
- Operator benefit: supports repeatable “wet for full dwell time” technique without over-spraying or aerosolizing in critical zones.
- Use-case: follow-up wipe layer in the protocol; routine ISO/PEC surface disinfection when defined by your facility method.
- When it is needed: routine cadence by zone, after viable excursions, after maintenance intrusions, after leaks/HVAC events, or after procedural breakdowns.
- Technique reminder: pre-clean first; control wet contact time; manage residue with a defined follow-up step when required by the chemistry.
SOSCleanroom has supported controlled environments for decades — from our early optics roots to today’s life-sciences and healthcare customers. For USP <800> users, our job is to reduce uncertainty: keep the right products available, ship fast, and help you standardize what operators use so your program stays consistent.
- Fast shipping from Dallas, Texas to support continuity of supply.
- Excellent customer service for product selection, substitutions, and documentation questions.
- Fair pricing and pragmatic recommendations that match your zone risk (PEC vs. room vs. support areas).
- Multi-award-winning reliability and 40+ years of controlled-environment experience.
- Texwipe TechNote: “The Effectiveness of the TexQ Decontamination Protocol in Cleaning Surfaces Soiled with Hazardous Drugs” (Texwipe PDF; includes protocol description and reported results).
- Texwipe / SOSCleanroom collateral: TexQ quaternary ammonium disinfectant overview (EPA-registered quat; 0.2 μm filtration; gamma irradiation; dye/fragrance free; neutral pH; functional use label; TX650/TX651 product identifiers).
- NIOSH: “NIOSH List of Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, 2024” (DHHS/NIOSH Publication No. 2025-103; CDC/NIOSH).
- USP <800> (Hazardous Drugs—Handling in Healthcare Settings): key implementation and applicability communications (USP/USPNF revision notices and implementation fact sheets; enforcement varies by jurisdiction).
Note: This page provides product-oriented best-practice guidance for customers. Facility requirements can vary by state board, accrediting body, and risk scope. Align final procedures and documentation to your governing requirements and internal quality system.