TX726 exists for a very specific failure mode in cleanrooms and precision assembly: small-feature spot cleaning that “should be simple,” but becomes inconsistent because solvent handling is inconsistent. Open cups invite airborne fallout. Squirt bottles and re-dipping can over-wet. Over-wetting drives streaks, tide marks, and redeposition, especially on smooth or coated surfaces where the solvent front moves faster than the operator expects.

The CrushTube™ design shifts the process from “operator judgment” to “controlled activation.” The 91% IPA / 9% deionized water solution stays isolated until you crush the internal vial, then tip the swab so the head saturates for point-of-use application. That helps teams standardize spot-clean steps without staging an extra solvent container at the workbench.

• Solvent cleaning and maintenance of ion emitter tips (static eliminators), where controlled wetness and clean handling reduce variability.
• Cleaning grooves, tracks, slots, channels, and other small spaces where wipes bridge over features and miss the true contact surface.
• Removing adhesive buildup and tacky residues in confined geometry where flooding increases spread and redeposit risk.
• Solvent cleaning sensitive surfaces such as optical assemblies where a controlled damp tool is preferred over a free-liquid application.

• Point-of-use activation: Solvent remains separated until the vial is crushed—reducing evaporation loss and “stale solvent” staging risk.
• No secondary solvent container: Helps eliminate open cups and re-dipping behaviors that pull particles into solvent and create inconsistent wetness.
• Defined solvent quantity: Integrated 0.50 mL reservoir supports a more repeatable “dose” than a bottle squeeze or cup dip.
• Packaging discipline: Individually packaged in a peel-apart sleeve to support “open only when ready” handling.
• Traceability support: Lot coded for traceability and quality control—useful when a residue recurrence needs investigation.
• Low-linting intent (practically applied): Built for controlled environments, but nothing is truly lint-free in every process condition—technique and surface condition drive outcomes.

TX726 uses a polyester swab head and integrates a solvent ampule inside a protective sleeve. The system is designed so the head stays dry (and protected) until activation. When you squeeze the outer tube, the internal vial is crushed; you then tip the swab to wet the head before contacting the target feature.

This construction is particularly relevant in optics and precision assemblies because it reduces the “shared solvent” contamination pathway and helps standardize wetness. It also adds a practical safety variable: an internal glass vial is intentionally broken during activation, so the operator should treat the tool as a controlled instrument and follow facility handling rules for glass/solvent devices.

With pre-wetted spot-cleaning, geometry drives control. A compact form factor helps stabilize hand position and contact angle, especially on tracks and slots where a longer swab can lever and chatter. The integrated reservoir also changes how you manage wetness: you are not “adding solvent,” you are distributing a fixed solvent volume into the head and onto the surface with disciplined strokes.

Attribute	TX726 (published)
Swab type	Pre-wet swab (CrushTube™ system)
Head material	Polyester
Head width	8.3 mm (0.33")
Head length	10.0 mm (0.39")
Handle / body	Ampule with 91% IPA / 9% DIW in a polymer sleeve
Handle width	9.5 mm (0.37")
Handle length	44.0 mm (1.73")
Total swab length	47.6 mm (1.89")
Handle color	Transparent
Solution	91% IPA / 9% DIW
Reservoir volume (design note)	0.50 mL of 91% isopropyl alcohol / 9% DIW

TX726 is a solvent-integrated device. For critical optics, bonding surfaces, or any process where residue and ionic background are controlled parameters, treat cleanliness as a qualification gate. The TX726 product data reviewed provides physical characteristics and use directions but does not publish TX726-specific ion extractables or TX726-specific NVR values in a contamination table.

Ion	TX726 typical value
All ions	Not published for TX726 in the technical data reviewed

Extractant	TX726 typical value
DI water	Not published for TX726 in the technical data reviewed
IPA	Not published for TX726 in the technical data reviewed

• Packaging: 50 swabs per box; 10 boxes per case (500 swabs/case).
• Individual packaging: Each swab is individually packaged in a cleanroom-compatible peel-apart sleeve to reduce pre-use handling and support point-of-use opening.
• Sterility status: Non-sterile (treat as non-sterile unless your SOP specifies a validated sterile pathway).
• Traceability: Lot coded for traceability and quality control.
• Shipping / storage reality: Contains flammable IPA; follow facility handling rules and plan for ground-shipping constraints where applicable.
• Country of origin (manufacturer statement): Not stated in the TX726 technical data sheet reviewed. (Do not assume U.S. origin for Texwipe swabs unless the manufacturer explicitly confirms it for the specific SKU.)

TX726 performs best when you treat it like a controlled cleaning instrument, not a general-purpose swab. Your two main control levers are (1) activation timing and wetness stabilization, and (2) stroke discipline to prevent redeposit as the solvent flashes off.

• Open only when ready: Keep the swab sealed until the moment of use. This protects the head and preserves the point-of-use intent.
• Activation discipline: Crush the inner vial by squeezing the outer sleeve, then tip the swab to allow the solution to wet the head before first contact.
• Damp control (avoid flooding): The goal is damp contact, not pooling. If the first touch leaves a wet halo, pause and let the solvent distribute in the head before proceeding on critical optics.
• Single-direction strokes with overlap: For tracks/slots, maintain a stable entry angle and use overlapping passes. Avoid “scrubbing loops” unless your written procedure requires it.
• Rotate the contact face: When the face shows pickup or drag begins, rotate to a cleaner face or discard. Do not re-contact a “clean” area with a used face.
• Do not stage an activated swab: Once activated, use immediately. Do not set it on a bench or carry it exposed between areas.
• Safety note: The internal glass vial is intentionally broken during activation. Follow facility rules for handling solvent/glass devices, and discard if the sleeve is damaged or compromised.

• Over-wetting and flooding: Drives streaks and tide marks on smooth surfaces and increases the chance of redeposition as IPA flashes off.
• Re-touching cleaned areas with a used face: A classic “it looked clean, then it wasn’t” pathway—especially on optics where redeposit shows under angled light.
• Inconsistent activation wetting: Crushing the vial but not tipping/wetting fully before contact can create patchy cleaning and inconsistent performance.
• Poor contact angle in grooves/slots: Bridging across edges instead of contacting the true surface leaves residues in the feature base.
• Ignoring flammability / handling controls: TX726 is a solvent-integrated tool; storage, staging, and disposal need to align with facility rules for flammable liquids.

The closest “competitor” to TX726 is often a different workflow choice: pre-wet integration versus dry swab + controlled solvent dispensing. These are common alternates teams evaluate depending on feature size and wetness control strategy:

• Texwipe TX712A (dry CleanFoam® rectangular head): A dry, thermally bonded foam swab used with operator-dispensed solvent. Strong when you need more reach, more scrubbing force, or a different solvent than the CrushTube system provides.
• Texwipe TX707A (dry larger CleanFoam® rectangular head): Useful when the area is larger and a compact CrushTube form factor becomes inefficient.
• Texwipe Specialty Swab alternatives (non pre-wet): Specialty tip shapes can be a better match when access geometry (not solvent control) is the limiting factor.

TX726 is a strong fit for controlled environments where small-feature precision cleaning must be repeatable across operators: microelectronics, semiconductor support tasks, optics assembly/maintenance, and any process where open solvent containers create contamination and variability risk.

SOSCleanroom (SOS) emphasizes continuity of supply and documentation discipline for customers running critical contamination-control steps. ITW Texwipe’s CrushTube concept aligns with that mindset: it is designed to reduce the number of uncontrolled variables in day-to-day cleaning (staging, re-dipping, over-wetting) while supporting lot-coded traceability. In practice, that helps keep your cleaning outcomes stable when the same step is executed by different technicians on different shifts.

Standards and regulatory expectations do not replace your qualification, but they reinforce the core principle: if a cleaning step is critical to yield or product safety, it must be controlled, trained, and verified within your quality system (see ISO/FDA/ASTM/IEST resources in Source basis).