What is the recommended immersion time for shears in a blood-level chlorine bleach solution?

• A. 5 minutes
• B. 3 minutes
• C. 2 minutes
• D. 10 minutes

Answer: (A)

When cleaning tools that have been exposed to blood, using a chlorine bleach solution to disinfect is effective because the active chlorine quickly inactivates many pathogens found in blood. A fresh dilution of household bleach at about 1:10 (roughly 0.5% sodium hypochlorite) is commonly used for this purpose. Immersing the shears for five minutes provides enough contact time for the disinfectant to reach all surfaces and denature proteins in pathogens, helping ensure bloodborne viruses and other microbes are inactivated. This five-minute duration strikes a balance between reliable disinfection and minimizing potential damage to metal instruments from longer exposures. After soaking, rinse with clean water and dry before use or any subsequent sterilization step.