STX708A Sterile CleanFoam® Circular-Head Cleanroom Swab (100 PPI Polyurethane Foam, Individually Wrapped, Gamma Irradiated SAL 10^-6)

Texwipe STX708A is a sterile circular-head foam cleanroom swab designed for environmental monitoring, diagnostic sampling, and controlled cleaning on curved or irregular surfaces where a rectangular head can skip edges or miss contact on radii. The head is constructed from high-quality 100 PPI polyurethane CleanFoam® and joined to a long, easy-grip polypropylene handle using complete thermal bond construction to eliminate adhesive contamination at the bond line. Each swab is individually wrapped for point-of-use sterility and is gamma irradiated to a 10^-6 Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) in accordance with ANSI/AAMI/ISO 11137. In practical cleanroom use, foam swabs are selected for low-linting performance (no swab is truly ‘lint-free’ in every process condition), solvent pickup/control, and consistent contact on complex geometries—while sterile packaging, lot traceability, and expiration dating help keep sampling workflows defensible and audit-ready.

• SKU: STX708A
• Type: Dry Swab (sterile)
• Swab family: CleanFoam® (Sterile CleanFoam® Series)
• Swab material: Foam
• Head material: 100 PPI polyurethane CleanFoam® foam
• Head width: 19.7 mm (0.776")
• Head thickness: 9.4 mm (0.370")
• Head length: 26.4 mm (1.040")
• Handle material: Polypropylene
• Handle width: 6.6 mm (0.260")
• Handle thickness: 3.2 mm (0.126")
• Handle length: 105.8 mm (4.165")
• Total swab length: 132.2 mm (5.205")
• Head bond: Thermal (complete thermal bond; no adhesive)
• Handle color: Light Green
• Design notes: Rigid head paddle; long, easy-grip handle
• Sterility: Gamma irradiated to 10^-6 SAL (ANSI/AAMI/ISO 11137)
• Traceability: Lot code and expiration date marked on each package and included in barcode for inventory control
• Documentation: Certificates of Irradiation and Compliance attached to each case to confirm irradiation dose met specification
• Packaging: 1 swab/sleeve (individually wrapped); 50 swabs/box; 10 boxes/case (500 sterile swabs/case)
• Controlled introduction: Individually wrapped sleeves; packaged to support point-of-use seal integrity checks and controlled handling
• Sterile shelf life: 3 years from date of manufacture (program/qualification dependent)
• Country of origin: Made in the Philippines; gamma irradiation performed in the U.S. (capture in qualification documentation if required)
• Use environments: Commonly used in ISO-class cleanrooms and controlled environments (final suitability depends on your process, sampling method, and qualification approach)

Texwipe (an ITW company) engineers sterile swabs as controlled process tools: consistent foam pore structure (100 PPI), thermal-bond construction to remove adhesive contamination mechanisms, automated manufacturing for repeatable tolerances, and sterile packaging features designed to preserve point-of-use sterility while enabling practical seal-integrity checks. For sterile foam swab programs, documentation discipline (irradiation and compliance certificates) and package-level traceability support audit readiness in regulated and validation-sensitive environments.

SOSCleanroom (SOS) supports that manufacturing discipline with a close working relationship with Texwipe focused on continuity of supply, documentation-forward order handling (lot traceability support), and practical application guidance—so customers can standardize sterile sampling and cleaning steps without uncontrolled substitutions.

• Gamma irradiated to a Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) of 10^-6 in accordance with ANSI/AAMI/ISO 11137
• Individually wrapped, easy-open sterile sleeves support point-of-use sterility
• Clear packaging supports visual confirmation of seal integrity before introduction into critical zones
• Lot code and expiration date clearly marked on each package and included in barcode for inventory control
• Certificates of Irradiation and Compliance attached to each case confirm irradiation dose met specifications
• 100 PPI polyurethane CleanFoam® circular head supports controlled contact on curved/irregular surfaces
• Complete thermal bond construction eliminates adhesive contamination at the head/handle interface
• Made to exacting and consistent tolerances using high-precision automated processes
• Packaging labeled for global use (useful for multi-site programs)

• Sterile sampling you can defend: Individually wrapped sterile presentation with lot/expiration markings supports chain-of-custody and investigation readiness
• Curved-surface coverage: Circular foam geometry improves contact on radii, joints, and intersecting features where flat faces can miss edges
• Adhesive-free bond line: Thermal bonding reduces a common residue/extractables risk when solvents are used or when pressure is applied at corners
• Controlled solvent handling: Foam readily absorbs compatible solutions and solvents for damp (controlled) wipe passes and localized cleanup
• Reduced method variability: Consistent dimensions and packaging discipline help reduce operator-to-operator drift in sampling and cleaning steps
• Qualification-friendly approach: Typical background contamination values (ions and NVR) are used in many programs as starting baselines for method development (confirm fit to your acceptance criteria)

• Environmental monitoring surface sampling
• Diagnostic sampling and general collection workflows in controlled environments
• Cleaning with compatible solutions and solvents (verify compatibility to your chemistry and SOP)
• Picking up fine powders and localized particulate pickup
• Curved, radiused, or irregular geometries where circular contact improves consistency

• Define the intent (sampling vs. cleaning): Sampling priorities are consistent recovery and controlled contact area; cleaning priorities are controlled removal without redeposition. Align technique and wetting to the objective.
• Open-and-use discipline: Open the sterile sleeve only when ready to sample/clean; avoid staging opened swabs to reduce handling-driven contamination.
• Wetness control: In many precision cleaning steps, damp is the control point. Over-wetting can flood features, spread dissolved residues, and create dry-down marks.
• Stroke discipline: Use one-direction strokes with overlapping passes; avoid circular scrubbing unless a written procedure requires it.
• Face rotation and change-outs: Foam loads quickly. Rotate the head surface aggressively and replace early to prevent streaking or redeposit.
• No shared-reservoir re-dip: Do not re-dip a used swab into a shared solvent reservoir; dispense fresh solution or use controlled single-use aliquots.
• Standards awareness: Align cleanroom classification language and documentation to ISO cleanroom conventions when applicable (ISO: https://www.iso.org/standard/53394.html). For regulated programs, maintain appropriate documentation posture (FDA: https://www.fda.gov; ASTM: https://www.astm.org; IEST: https://www.iest.org).

• Sterile vs. non-sterile (TX708A): Choose STX708A when sterile handling, sterile documentation, and package-level traceability are required; choose a non-sterile equivalent when sterility is not required by the workflow.
• Circular vs. rectangular head: Choose the circular head when radii and curved surfaces drive contact quality; use a rectangular head when edge definition and flat-face coverage are the priority.
• Foam vs. fibrous heads: Foam is commonly selected for low-linting cleaning and controlled solvent handling; fibrous heads can be preferred for certain recovery or abrasion behaviors. Match head material to your method sensitivity and acceptance criteria.
• Thermal bond matters in solvent steps: If your process uses solvents and pressure in corners, adhesive-free thermal bonding reduces a common failure mode (bond-line residue or softening).