Baking AS

Abombs · #1 (**permalink**) 05-23-2002, 03:35 PM

I think it would be very helpful for someone to post the exact procedure for "Baking" your gear to increase sterility. I stick to Euro gear, so I don't know exactly how you guys do it. Thanks.

Stroyer · #2 (**permalink**) 05-23-2002, 03:42 PM

But I have NEVER baked any gear & have never had any probs...knock on wood : )

rajizi · #3 (**permalink**) 05-23-2002, 06:56 PM

You need to reach a temp of 250deg F to reach terminal sterilzation for the hard to kill bacteria. However what this does to the stability of the steriod molecule and its particular oil is unknown. No one has tested this and then run an assay after to see loss of potency, and degradation over time by a stability study. Most that have tried baking say it works, however, I've never tried it. Baking can also evaporate some of the benzyl alchol in your gear, but again, loss of potency is unknown. Also your oven at home, is not a sterile envioronment. You can filter sterilize your gear by sending oil based gear through a ptfe, or pvdf .22um filter. This is considered a terminal sterilizing filter by the FDA. Its a bitch to get through the filter, but you can rid yourself of all the contaminants that are large enough to cause you an infection.

BR