How to clean a gas detector

Personal gas monitors are life-saving instruments that must be worn in your breathing zone to be effective.

OSHA defines the breathing zone as "a hemisphere forward of the shoulders within a radius of approximately 6-9 inches," so a collar, lapel or outside breast pocket is usually a good option. This location also keeps the monitor visible so you can see alerts if your hearing is impaired while working in a loud environment.

Unfortunately, wearing a gas detector within 6-9 inches from your nose and mouth means that whatever dirt, grime or bacteria your monitor has picked up is now in your breathing zone.

If you need to clean your personal gas monitor, your first instinct might be to grab a disinfecting wipe, like you would for any other surface. This is a bad idea.

Why not to use regular disinfectants

The precision sensors in your monitor are highly sensitive to many different chemicals, including alcohol and other disinfectants, so using them could prevent your monitor from alerting you to gas hazards as intended. Additionally, alcohol-based cleaners recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will cause monitors with a lower explosive limit (LEL) sensor to go into alarm. If you zero the monitor too soon, the monitor will read falsely low, potentially putting you in unsafe conditions.

The rubber, plastics and barriers in your monitor can also absorb various disinfectant chemicals. This is problematic because these are some of the same chemicals you may monitor. This effect does not last long, but the length of time you need to wait before zeroing varies, so the approach leaves plenty of room for error.

Clean without damaging equipment

For typical dirt and grime, I recommend wiping down your gas detector with a soap-and-water solution (eight to 10 parts water to one part dish soap, like Dawn®). This cleans the monitor with less risk of damaging the sensors or putting you at risk of a malfunction. However, the soap-and-water approach only cleans the monitor of everyday buildup; it does not necessarily kill bacteria or viruses that may exist on the surface.

Disinfect without damaging equipment

To disinfect your monitor after cleaning, wipe it down with a bleach-and-water solution of approximately 50 parts water to one part bleach, as recommended by the CDC. The CDC advises using 5 tablespoons (one-third of a cup) of bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water.

No matter which method you use, be sure to dock the monitor or bump test it before use, to be sure it's working properly.

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Note from CDC: Cleaning vs. disinfecting surfaces

Cleaning refers to the removal of dirt and impurities, including germs, from surfaces. Cleaning alone does not kill germs, but it decreases their number and therefore any risk of spreading infection.

Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs. But killing germs remaining on a surface after cleaning further reduces any risk of spreading infection.

If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70-percent alcohol and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. Diluted household bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective when properly diluted.

To view CDC's complete Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations, visit www.cdc.gov.