1.1 In microbiology, clean glassware is crucial to ensure valid results. Previously used or new glassware must be thoroughly cleaned. Laboratory ware and equipment that are not chemically clean are responsible for considerable losses in personnel time and supplies in many laboratories. These losses may occur as down time when experiments clearly have been adversely affected and as invalid data that are often attributed to experimental error. Chemical contaminants that adversely affect experimental results are not always easily detected. This practice describes the procedures for producing chemically clean glassware.

1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.

1.3 This practice does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific precautions, see Section 5, 7.3.1, and Notes 1 and 2.