How to sterilize cover slips (glasses)? - (Jan/30/2009 )

I never tried, but 180°C for 30 - 60 min???? I am not sure if they survive, but this usually is very effective....

My lab would usually spray with 70% ETOH then autoclave.

In a pinch, I guess spraying with ETOH would work out.


~Labrat

Autoclaving I think is not a good idea for coverglasses cause then you have to dry up them all.
180o for 120 min is the scientific way i know and apply.

If one autoclaves coverslip, you do have to dry it, but its no problem.

leave it in the autoclave for an extra few minutes after the cycle, the heat in the autoclave will dry it up.

we have an autoclave with two cycles: one that's just for liquids and other for dry things, such as coverslips, forceps, etc.

The option for dry materials, has a drying cycle at the end of its sterilization cycle. that eliminates the "drying step".

Hiiiiiiiiiiii,
In our lab,we dip the coverslips into abs. alcohol and then burn them in flame.It works..........

sssss on Apr 30 2009, 05:51 AM said:

Depends on how many you want to prepare. We dump all of our coverslips into a glass pyrex dish, cover with aluminum foil and autoclave ours. Then we treat them with poly-lysine and dry them. You can sterilize hundreds at a time this way, just remember to remove them with sterile tweezers. Burning them with ethanol works too, but takes a heck of a lot longer for a huge number of slips.

why poly-lysine?

GeorgeWolff on May 1 2009, 06:53 PM said:

Poly-L-Lysine coats the slides in a basic charge promoting adhesion of cells/tissue.

You use cover slips for this purpose?