From Matched Sets to Maximum Cleanliness: Gloves and Wipers in Focus

When it comes to matched sets of cleanroom products, gloves and wipers that are compatible with cleanliness standards are prioritized at the top of the list for enhancing compliance, worker productivity, and throughput.

Equal attention should be paid to the cleanliness compliance of both gloves and wipers, as they are extensively used in controlled environments and come into direct contact with processes, equipment, and products.

The Downsides of Mix and Match Gloves and Wipers

Let’s take a look at two scenarios where gloves and wipers are mix and match.

• Scenario 1: If your cleanroom is required to meet the ISO 3 standard and your process is susceptible to particle contamination, then your operators are most likely donning chemically pure nitrile gloves with 12-inch long beaded cuffs that have undergone extensive post-production processing to meet cleanliness requirements.
  Are your operators also using wipers with a substrate material that matches the cleanliness level of their glove? Has it undergone a post-production washing process and have the edges been treated to reduce particle shedding?
  If your glove and wiper combination are mismatched, your effort in using a “clean” glove is voided by the “less clean” wiper given their unavoidable contact. Wipers constructed of common substrates like non-woven, engineered fabric or poly-cellulose materials and without a sealed edge treatment are introducing particles and the risk of contamination into your ISO 3 cleanroom.
  To match the cleanliness of your gloves, your wipers should be constructed of a laundered polyester with some form of laser sealed, ultrasonic sealed, or pressure heat-sealed edges that bind loose particles.
  
  
• Scenario 2: If your cleanroom is a certified ISO 8 environment, it is acceptable for your operators to wear a shorter cuff glove manufactured from a number of materials that are not “critically clean.” If your operators are using some form of laundered polyester or microfiber wipers with extension edge treatments, you may be able to find a more cost-effective, cleanliness-compliant wiper made of a poly/cellulose blend substrate.

It is important to note there will always be scenarios where specific products are used in a cleanroom environment for defined applications with unique requirements in addition to cleanliness. (Remember that cleanliness is measured only by particle and extractable counts).

Other requirements in addition to cleanliness are common and why Valutek’s MacroTek, MicroTek, and NanoTek classifications are a recommended starting point in product selection.

  Explore Cleanroom Product Selection Recommended Practices - Valutek Technical Paper Series

Our Customer Service team can help you to further verify that your gloves and wipers are working in tandem to achieve the best outcomes for your cleanroom.

We Make Matched Sets For Cleanliness Easily

Our cleanliness classifications for cleanroom products offer a simple starting point in selecting gloves and wipers with the compatible cleanliness levels:

Considerations Beyond Cleanliness

Matched sets in cleanliness levels are an important factor in selecting appropriate gloves and wipers, but your final selection may also depend on your requirements for absorption, heat resistance, chemical compatibility, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) management.

Valutek’s team of technical product experts is ready to help you select matched sets in cleanliness along with other factors relevant to your process and environment.

Trust Valutek To Help You Make The Right Choice

Selecting the appropriate gloves and wipers for your controlled environment can be complicated. Valutek aims to make it manageable for you. We are the only cleanroom product manufacturer in the industry to guide you through cleanliness levels with a color coded, product family labeling system so your operators use the right product, as a matched set, in the right area.

Explore More Resources:

Cleanroom Gloves: What do Macrotek, Microtek, & Nanotek Levels Mean? [Video]

Cleanroom Glove Selection Fundamentals Part II: Cleanliness Requirements [Blog]

Cleanroom Wiper Selection Fundamentals Part II: Substrates and Edge Treatments [Blog]

Valutek Cleanroom Cleanliness Classifications [Video]