Methods and compositions for cleaning, rinsing, and antimicrobial treatment of medical equipment

A method of cleaning a medical cart, cage, instrument, or device, comprising:

• dissolving a solid carbonate cleaning composition in water,
• the solid carbonate cleaning composition comprising:
• about 10 to 80 wt-% of Na2CO3, and
• an effective sequestering amount of an organic phosphonate hardness sequestering agent;
• wherein the solid carbonate cleaning composition comprises:
• non-hydrated sodium carbonate, and
• a binding agent comprising hydrated sodium carbonate and organic phosphonate;
• contacting the medical cart, cage, instrument or device with the dissolved carbonate cleaning composition at a temperature at or above ambient temperature;
• dissolving a solid antimicrobial composition in water;
• and
• contacting the medical cart, cage, instrument, or device with the dissolved antimicrobial composition at a temperature at or above ambient temperature.

A method of cleaning a medical cart, cage, instrument, or device, comprising:

• dissolving a solid carbonate cleaning composition in water,
• the solid carbonate cleaning composition comprising:
• about 10 to 80 wt-% of Na2CO3,
• an effective sequestering amount of an organic phosphonate hardness sequestering agent, and
• an alkali metal silicate having a M2O:SiO2 ratio of about 1:1 to 1:5;
• wherein the solid cleaning composition comprises:
• non-hydrated sodium carbonate, and
• a binding agent comprising hydrated sodium carbonate and organic phosphonate;
• and
• contacting the medical cart, cage, instrument, or device with the dissolved carbonate cleaning composition at a temperature at or above ambient temperature.

A method of cleaning a medical cart, cage, instrument, or device, comprising;

• dissolving a solid carbonate cleaning composition in water,
• the solid carbonate cleaning composition comprising:
• about 10 to 80 wt-% of Na2CO3, and
• an effective sequestering amount of an organic phosphonate hardness sequestering agent,
• wherein the solid cleaning composition comprises
• non-hydrated sodium carbonate, and
• a binding agent comprising hydrated sodium carbonate and organic phosphonate;
• wherein the binding agent:
• is dispersed throughout the solid cleaning composition;
• comprises, for each mole of the organic sequestrant, about 3 to 10 moles of the carbonate monohydrate and 5 to 15 moles of water;
• and
• has a molting transition temperature of greater than about 120° C.;
• and
• contacting the medical cart, cage, instrument, or device with the dissolved carbonate cleaning composition at a temperature at or above ambient temperature.

A method of cleaning a medical cart, cage, instrument, or device, comprising:

• dissolving a solid carbonate cleaning composition in water,
• the solid carbonate cleaning composition comprising:
• about 20 to about 55 wt-% of Na2CO3,
• about 3 to about 15 wt-% of an organic phosphonate hardness sequestering agent, and
• about 0.1 to about 20 wt-% surfactant;
• wherein the solid cleaning composition comprises:
• non-hydrated sodium carbonate, and
• a binding agent comprising hydrated sodium
• carbonate and organic phosphonate;
• and
• contacting the medical cart, cage, instrument, or device with the dissolved carbonate cleaning composition at a temperature at or above ambient temperature.