IF ALL ELSE FAILS: HOW TO CORRECTLY CLEAN A SYRINGE

 NEVER REUSE SYRINGES!!!

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HIV can survive in a used syringe for up to 42 days, depending on temperature and other factors(CDC, 2020). 

• 
  If you only have one syringe for whatever reason then these steps must be followed before reusing the syringe and there are no exceptions.
• If surfaces and cookers are not cleaned properly, HepC can still remain on the surfaces even if there is no visible blood. 

Supplies You Need 

1. Three clean containers. cups bowls jars...etc
2. Clean water
3. Bleach

https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/pocket-guides/cdc-hiv-pocket-guide-cleaning-syringes.pdf

Steps You Need to Follow

1. Wash your hands
2. Fill one cup with bleach and two cups with clean water.
1. label cups 
1. Cup A is clean water
2. Cup B is bleach
3. Cup C is clean water 
3. From Cup A which is clean water, fill the syringe with the clean water
4. Shake or tap the syringe for thirty seconds.
5. Squirt out the water from the syringe, but do not squirt the water back into one of the cups
6. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 until you cannot see any blood in the water. It is not uncommon to have to repeat steps 3,4, and 5 a few times.
7. Now that the syringe is empty fill the syringe up with bleach from cup B
8. Tap or shake the syringe that has bleach in it for thirty seconds.
9. Squirt the bleach out of the syringe, but do not squirt the bleach back into any of the cups
10. Now fill the syringe with the clean water from cup C
11. Tap or shake the syringe for thirty seconds
12. And finally, squirt the water out of the syringe.

HCV is one of the most common bloodborne pathogens in the United States. It is highly infectious and can survive on dry surfaces and equipment for up to 6 weeks, resulting in a longer period for potential transmission than for other bloodborne pathogens (Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Case Management - Hepatitis c | CDC, 2023).  

 

References 

 

CDC. (2020, November 3). HIV and Injection Drug Use | HIV Transmission | HIV Basics | HIV/AIDS | CDC. Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/hiv-transmission/injection-drug-use.html

‌ To clean a syringe correctly, you must do all nine steps: 3 A. Rinse with clean water. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/pocket-guides/cdc-hiv-pocket-guide-cleaning-syringes.pdf

Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Case Management - Hepatitis C | CDC. (2023, July 18). Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/statistics/surveillanceguidance/HepatitisC.htm#:~:text=It%20is%20highly%20infectious%20and

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