A clean room is a controlled environment where a particle 200 times smaller than a human hair can ruin the product. Cleaning one is a discipline of its own.
A clean room controls the concentration of airborne particles to a specified limit. Typical office air carries 500,000 to 1,000,000 particles (0.5 micron or larger) per cubic foot. A Class 100 clean room allows no more than 100. Air flow, pressure, temperature, humidity, and HEPA filtration are all engineered; the cleaning program is part of that engineering, not an add on.
| Class | Max Particles per Cubic Foot (0.5 micron+) | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Class 100 | 100 | Semiconductor, sterile pharma |
| Class 1,000 | 1,000 | Pharma, medical device |
| Class 10,000 | 10,000 | Electronics, biotech support |
For perspective: a person standing still sheds about 100,000 particles per minute. Walking at a normal pace, about 5,000,000. That is why conduct rules matter as much as chemicals.
Follow the site's gowning procedure exactly. Gloves, face mask, and head cover are standard nearly everywhere; smocks or full suits with boot covers are required in higher classes. Then the conduct rules:
Every mop, wiper, vacuum, and chemical must be approved for the room's class and on the client's approved list. Standard janitorial supplies never cross the line. Typical clean room kit: approved cleaning and disinfecting solutions (often with deionized water), clean room mops and buckets, clean room wipers, and a HEPA vacuum if the site allows one.
Every clean room runs on a site specific schedule agreed with the client. These patterns are common:
| Task | Typical Frequency |
|---|---|
| Change tacky mats at entrances | Every 2 hours |
| Wet mop floors with approved cleaner & DI water | 1 to 2 times per shift |
| Remove trash (gloved; waste containers never enter the room) | Once per shift |
| Wipe work surfaces with approved wipers | Per shift to weekly, by zone |
| Wipe walls, doors, trim & pass throughs | Weekly |
| Vacuum floors (HEPA, if allowed) | Weekly to monthly |
The client's local procedures always supersede general guidance. Before the first shift, walk the program with clean room management: what counts as clean, how it is measured, which materials are approved, and when cleaning is allowed.