From: Michael Morris <michaelm@pharm.usyd.edu.au>
  To  : parker@topaz.microbio.uab.edu
  Date: Thu, 13 Nov 1997 23:04:34 +1000

Cleaning XL cells and windows

We find that any old detergent will do for centrepieces and windows. Even
something like Pyroneg - a phosphorous-based, highly alkaline detergent is
fine (except for aluminium centrepieces).

In order to ensure there is no carry over of material, we use a pipecleaner
to clean the surfaces. Pipecleaners are soft and can easily fit into the
centrepiece channels (including the 6 or 8 channels of the Yphantis-style
centrepieces). This is especially useful for removing gelatinous material
at the bottoms of the channels. No sonication is required.

Drying with ethanol may be fine, but the surface will usually dry with
streaking. We use a lintless cloth to dry the windows and a few blasts of
laboratory compressed air for the centrepieces. If you wish to dry the
windows with solvent, then microscope cleaning fluid should be fine and
dries without streaking. A suitable mixture is 50% acetone, 25% methanol,
25% ether.