Moisture in a Steam Sterilizer

Article

Question: In a steam sterilizer, should there be any moisture inside the door gasket after the warm-up, Bowie Dick test, or even after running a test pack in an empty sterilizer? -- JB, Massachusetts

 

Answer: No! Check with your manufacturer and your maintenance department; you may have a seal problem or a vacuum exhaust issue. Make sure your pressures are good throughout your process and make sure they are consistent with the PSIA for the temperatures throughout. For example: 212 degrees F at start-up should register between 10 PSI to 14 PSI depending on your relationship to sea level, while your PSI at 270 degrees F should be about 40-45 depending on your relationship to sea level. Make sure you are using a pre-vac cycle and not a gravity for warm-up or dart/bio ... you will get failures and moisture.

Newsletter

Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.

Recent Videos
Dirty white towels on the floor used to clean up orange or red liquid. (Image credit AI by Adobe Stock)
Infection Control Today Educator of the YearTM Award for 2025
Set of bright yellow sharps containers with biohazard labels and red lids used in clinics and hospitals for safe disposal of medical needles and waste.  (Adobe Stock 1521632893 by Maksim)
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.