To facilitate cleaning, should soil on used instruments be allowed to dry?

Allowing soil on used instruments to dry is not advisable because dried soil can harden and become more difficult to remove during the cleaning process. When organic material, such as blood or tissue, dries on instruments, it can form a hard crust that adheres tightly to the surface. This not only complicates the cleaning process but can also lead to inadequate removal of contaminants, potentially increasing the risk of infection.

In sterile processing, effective cleaning is paramount since contaminated instruments can pose serious health risks to patients undergoing surgical procedures. The standard practice is to promptly clean and process instruments as soon as possible to prevent any soil from drying. This approach ensures that the efficiency of cleaning agents is maximized and that instruments can be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before their next use.