TX716 is built for one of the most unforgiving workflows in contamination control: surface sampling for cleaning validation where the analytical result (often HPLC) must stand up to investigation, trending, and audit scrutiny. In that world, technique is everything—but the swab still matters because it can introduce uncontrolled variables (adhesives, inconsistent geometry, background residue, poor release).

This swab’s flat, defined paddle head is designed to keep contact mechanics stable across a templated area, while the hydroentangled, nonwoven polyester structure is intended to capture residues during sampling and then release them into the diluent during extraction—supporting recovery work that is both measurable and defensible.

• Defined-area surface sampling as part of a cleaning validation protocol (commonly paired with HPLC methods).
• Sampling residues from equipment features that are hard to clean and harder to sample consistently: weld seams, gasket landings, clamp ferrules, grooves, tracks, slots, and transitions.
• Solvent-based critical cleaning and residue investigations where controlling swab background (ions/NVR) and construction variables is part of the method strategy.

• Method-friendly construction: Thermal bonding eliminates adhesive variables that can elevate blanks or complicate solvent compatibility.
• Designed for recovery and release: The nonwoven polyester head is engineered to entrap contaminants during sampling while supporting release into the diluent for recovery work.
• Notched break-away handle: Helps move the head into a vial with minimal handling—useful when the sample chain-of-custody and contamination control are under a microscope.
• Published contamination characteristics: Typical ion extractables and typical NVR are characterized to help you assess swab background contribution during method development.
• Low-linting intent: Built for controlled environments, but note: nothing is truly lint-free in every process condition—prove performance with your technique and acceptance criteria.

The TX716 head uses 100% polyester (hydroentangled) nonwoven material in a double-layer construction intended to improve absorbency and contaminant capture while remaining suitable for sensitive surfaces. The head is thermally bonded to a polypropylene handle—specifically to reduce the risk that a bond-line adhesive becomes an uncontrolled source of extractables when solvents are involved.

Authenticity/traceability cues matter in validated programs. The Absorbond® series is supplied with a trademarked light-green handle with “TEXWIPE” embossed on the handle, and the product is lot coded for traceability and quality control.

For cleaning validation, geometry is not a cosmetic choice—it drives contact pressure, stroke consistency, and what “100 cm²” actually means across operators. TX716’s paddle head helps keep the full head flat against the surface so the sampling event is repeatable (and defensible) during recovery and robustness work.

Attribute	TX716 (published)
Head material	Non-woven polyester (hydroentangled), double-layer
Head width	12.7 mm (0.500")
Head thickness	4.2 mm (0.165")
Head length	25.7 mm (1.012")
Handle material	Polypropylene (100% virgin polypropylene stated in manufacturer documentation)
Handle width / thickness	5.2 mm (0.205") / 3.0 mm (0.118")
Handle length	101.8 mm (4.008")
Total swab length	127.5 mm (5.020")
Head bond	Thermal
Design notes	Flat head paddle; notched handle (for vial transfer workflow)
Storage conditions	Ambient: 59°F (15°C) to 86°F (30°C)
Shelf life	5 years from date of manufacture

The values below are manufacturer-reported typical analyses intended to characterize background contribution. Treat these as method-development guidance—not acceptance specifications. In practice, you still run blanks, trend drift, and confirm recovery for your specific residue, surface, solvent/diluent, and extraction conditions.

Ion	TX716 typical value
Calcium	0.01
Chloride	0.16
Fluoride	0.01
Magnesium	0.01
Nitrate	0.01
Phosphate	0.01
Potassium	0.04
Sodium	0.06
Sulfate	0.41

Extractant	TX716 typical value
DI water (DIW)	0.01
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA)	0.03

• Packaging configuration: 20 swabs per bag; 1 inner bag of 20 swabs; 50 bags per case (1,000 swabs per case).
• Bag attributes (series-level): Packaged in a silicone-free and amide-free bag; lot coded for traceability and quality control.
• Sterility: Non-sterile (sterile swabs available upon request per manufacturer series documentation—confirm your exact sterile SKU requirements before locking your SOP).
• Country of origin (manufacturer statement): Made in The Philippines.
• Handle traceability cues: Trademarked light-green handle with “TEXWIPE” embossed; notched break-away handle supports vial transfer with reduced handling.

The fastest way to create false confidence in cleaning validation is to treat swabbing like “wiping.” Sampling is a controlled, repeatable measurement event. Standardize the area, standardize the wetting, standardize the stroke path, and control how the head enters the vial.

• Select the right swab and define the region: Use a template or documented area definition so “100 cm²” is consistent between operators and campaigns.
• Dampen with the specified diluent: Wetting level affects recovery; keep it consistent and document it.
• Swab with an overlapping pattern: Keep the head flat against the surface; avoid “edge scrubbing” unless your SOP requires it for a specific geometry.
• Flip and swab perpendicular: Repeat passes in the perpendicular direction to improve coverage and reduce directional bias.
• Repeat with a second swab at ~45° if required: Use your method’s logic—do not add steps ad hoc during routine execution.
• Swab the perimeter: Edges and transitions are where residues hide; include them consistently if your acceptance strategy expects it.
• Transfer with minimal handling: Snap the head at the notch and allow it to fall into the vial to reduce contamination risk and improve repeatability.

• Over-wetting or inconsistent wetting: Can dilute residue or change release behavior, increasing variability.
• Rolling the head or sampling on the edge: Changes contact mechanics and can reduce comparability between operators.
• Changing stroke path “because it felt better”: The fastest route to weak recoveries and unexplainable trends.
• Touch contamination during vial transfer: Gloves, bench tops, and vial rims can overwhelm low-level results—use the notch workflow and disciplined handling.
• Skipping blank strategy: If you do not run/track swab blanks and diluent blanks, you lose diagnostic power when results drift.

In cleaning validation, “closest competitor” often means “closest alternate that changes the fewest variables.” Within the same cleaning validation family, these are common alternates teams evaluate based on analytical method needs:

• Texwipe TX715 (Alpha® Polyester Knit): Positioned for HPLC analysis using a UV detector analytical method; described as additionally processed to reduce UV background/interference.
• Texwipe TX714K (Low TOC Alpha® Polyester Knit): Used when TOC background contribution control is the driving requirement.
• Texwipe TX761K (Low TOC Alpha® with long handle): A long-handle option when access drives the decision and TOC background is a primary constraint.

Practical selection logic: if your analytical method sensitivity is being limited by blanks (UV or TOC), pick the swab engineered around that limitation and re-qualify your recovery. If your limitation is access/geometry, address that first—then re-confirm recovery and blank stability.

TX716 fits best where sampling repeatability and documentation discipline matter as much as physical cleaning: pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotech, medical device, and other controlled-environment programs running defined cleaning validation protocols aligned to regulatory expectations (including FDA-referenced cleaning validation practices in industry).

SOSCleanroom (SOS) supports critical programs like these with continuity of supply and a documentation-first approach—helping teams avoid disruptive last-minute substitutions that can force requalification. ITW Texwipe’s focus on controlled materials, consistent tolerances, and lot-coded traceability pairs well with that approach, especially when your sampling method must be stable across time, operators, and investigations.

Reminder on country-of-origin: manufacturer documentation states TX716 is made in The Philippines. Do not assume U.S. origin for Texwipe swabs unless the manufacturer explicitly confirms it for the specific SKU.