Alconox Powdered Precision Cleaner, 4 lb Box

Alconox is the detergent most laboratory glassware protocols are written around. It is an anionic and non-ionic blend that lifts organic residue, salts and light grease from glass, porcelain, stainless steel and most plastics, and — the property that matters — it rinses free without leaving a film.

That last point is why household detergent is not a substitute. A surfactant residue on the inside of a flask is invisible, and it will alter a surface-tension measurement, contaminate a trace analysis, and inhibit cell growth in a culture vessel. Alconox is formulated to leave nothing behind after a water rinse.

Typical use

Roughly 1% by volume in warm water — about 1 tablespoon per gallon — by soaking, brushing, or in an ultrasonic bath or glassware washer. Heavily soiled items soak; routine work needs no more than a brush and a rinse.

It is biodegradable and contains no phosphates, which keeps it acceptable for drain disposal under most municipal rules; confirm against local requirements before disposing of large volumes.

Supplied as a 4 lb box, catalog A0050-1, with a certificate of analysis. The certificate is the reason to buy this grade rather than a bulk equivalent: where a cleaning step is part of a validated method, the certificate is what makes that step documentable during an audit.