Machine vs Hand Washing

Five reason machine washing beats hand washing

Many laboratories still wash their glassware by hand, but there are many reasons why machine washing can make life easier in your lab.

Our customers who switch to machine washing often comment that they wish they’d done so earlier, as they see improved results and efficiency straight away.

Here are just a few reasons why you may wish to consider investing in a professional washer for your lab.

1. Health and safety

Fragile lab glassware can easily be knocked during hand washing, causing an obvious danger to the employee in terms of being cut or scratched.

Gloves can also break or tear, potentially exposing staff to harsh chemicals or contaminants on the glassware itself.

Machine washing avoids these hazards.

2. Reproducibility

How can you be sure that two different lab technicians are performing their cleaning duties in the same manner?  You can’t, and it would be almost impossible.

With machine washing you are guaranteed the best possible cleaning results to rigorous standards every time.  You can even obtain a printout of the wash parameters for your records.

3. Disinfection

Due to the high temperatures needed, disinfection can only be performed by machine.  By including this step in your wash programme you can be sure your glassware will be free of contaminants.

4. Reliability

Miele glass washers are built to last and we produce spare parts for every Miele machine for at least 15 years after they are discontinued.  This gives you the peace of mind to know your investment will perform as you need it for years to come.

Plus, thanks to our wide selection of bespoke accessories, your glassware is held safely within the machine to minimise any risk of breakage, while at the same time ensuring a thorough clean.

5. Cost efficiency

In staff time alone, machine washing can have significant savings as your team members can perform other tasks while the wash is in progress. 

You’ll also be able to wash more glassware within the working day, with the ultimate water efficiency.  Miele lab washers also use dosing technology to release the optimum amount of detergent in each wash to avoid any wastage.