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Asset Type
Manufacturer
Model
What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting poor cleaning, visible soil, residue, spotting, detergent issues, water quality concerns, and loading-related wash failures.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Action:
- Confirm the washer-disinfector is not being unloaded directly into use without proper cleaning verification.
- If instruments are visibly dirty, spotted, or have residue after the cycle, treat the load as failed.
- Do not release questionable instruments for sterile processing.
Expected outcome: Contaminated or poorly cleaned instruments are kept out of patient use.
Why it matters: A washer-disinfector issue can directly affect instrument reprocessing and patient safety.
If this resolves the concern by identifying a failed load, stop and follow department procedure for reprocessing.
Verify the Reported Wash Quality Issue
Action:
Inspect the instruments and chamber condition.
Look for:
- Visible blood, tissue, or bioburden
- White residue or spotting
- Oily film
- Detergent residue
- Rust-colored staining
- Soil remaining in hinges, box locks, lumens, or serrations
- Debris in the chamber or on racks
Ask staff:
- Did this happen on one load or multiple loads?
- Was the issue limited to one tray, one rack level, or all instruments?
- Was a different detergent or cycle used?
- Was the washer overloaded?
- Were cannulated or hinged instruments opened and positioned correctly?
Expected outcome: The problem is narrowed to loading, chemistry, water, accessories, or machine performance.
Why it matters: Poor wash results are often caused by external process issues before actual washer failure.
Confirm Proper Loading and Instrument Positioning
Action:
Check how the load was arranged.
Verify:
- Instruments were not nested tightly together
- Hinged instruments were opened
- Trays were not overloaded
- Spray arms were not blocked
- Lumened instruments were connected to the correct irrigation ports if required
- Heavy pans or trays were not shielding instruments below
- Racks were fully seated
Expected outcome: Water spray and detergent can reach all instrument surfaces.
Why it matters: A washer can pass a cycle but still clean poorly if spray coverage is blocked.
If improper loading caused the issue, have the load reprocessed using correct loading practice and stop.
Check Spray Arms and Wash Racks
Action:
Inspect the chamber spray arms and rack spray arms.
Verify:
- Spray arms rotate freely
- No instrument, tray, or rack is blocking movement
- Spray holes are not clogged with debris
- Spray arms are seated correctly
- Rack connections align properly with the washer supply ports
- Rack wheels, guides, or docking points are not damaged
Expected outcome: Spray arms move freely and distribute water evenly.
Why it matters: Restricted spray arm movement can leave instruments dirty even when the cycle completes.
If blocked or clogged spray arms are corrected and the next test load washes properly, stop.
Inspect Chamber Screens, Strainers, and Debris Traps
Action:
Check removable filters, screens, strainers, and chamber debris areas according to facility procedure.
Look for:
- Tissue
- Labels
- Tape
- Bone fragments
- Packaging debris
- Instrument fragments
- Heavy soil buildup
Clean any accessible debris screens or strainers if allowed by facility procedure.
Expected outcome: Water can circulate and drain properly without carrying debris back onto the load.
Why it matters: Dirty filters and strainers can cause redeposit, spotting, odor, or poor circulation.
If cleaning the accessible debris areas restores normal wash results, stop.
Verify Correct Cycle Selection
Action:
Confirm the selected cycle matches the load type.
Check whether staff used:
- Instrument cycle
- Utensil cycle
- Cart or container cycle
- Delicate cycle
- Special cycle for lumens or specialty instruments if applicable
Expected outcome: The cycle provides the correct wash time, temperature, chemistry, and rinse process for the load.
Why it matters: A cycle may complete normally but still be inappropriate for the instruments being processed.
If the wrong cycle was used, reprocess the load using the correct cycle and stop.
Check Detergent and Chemical Supply
Action:
Inspect the detergent, enzymatic cleaner, neutralizer, rinse aid, or other chemical containers used by the washer.
Verify:
- Containers are not empty
- Correct chemical is installed
- Pickup tube is fully inserted
- Pickup tube is not kinked, cracked, clogged, or floating above the fluid level
- Chemical container was not recently changed incorrectly
- Chemical lines are connected to the correct product
- No crystallized chemical buildup is visible at pickup points
Expected outcome: The washer has access to the correct chemistry during the programmed cycle.
Why it matters: Low or incorrect chemical delivery is a common cause of soil, residue, and spotting.
If the container, pickup tube, or chemical setup is corrected and the next load processes normally, stop.
Check for Chemical Dosing Alarms or Low Chemical Messages
Action:
Review the washer display, cycle printout, or available cycle history for chemical-related messages.
Look for:
- Detergent dosing fault
- Rinse aid fault
- Chemical low warning
- Dosing pump error
- Cycle phase interruption
- Abnormal cycle time
- Repeated alarms during wash or rinse phases
Expected outcome: Any chemical dosing issue is identified before assuming a cleaning-process problem.
Why it matters: A washer may have poor results because the correct chemical was never delivered.
If chemical dosing faults are present, remove the washer from service until dosing can be verified or repaired.
Confirm Water Supply Conditions
Action:
Check the washer’s water supply conditions from the outside first.
Verify:
- Hot and cold water valves are open
- No recent plumbing work occurred
- Water pressure appears normal at nearby equipment if applicable
- No facility water outage or brown-water event occurred
- Water inlet hoses or visible lines are not kinked
- The machine is not repeatedly slow-filling or faulting during fill
Expected outcome: The washer receives adequate water for wash and rinse phases.
Why it matters: Poor water volume or pressure can reduce spray force and leave soil or residue behind.
If a building water issue is found, coordinate with Facilities and stop.
Check Water Temperature Concerns
Action:
Ask staff whether loads seem cool, cycles are taking longer than usual, or thermal disinfection concerns have appeared.
Check available cycle information for unusually low wash or rinse temperatures if displayed or printed.
Expected outcome: Temperature-related wash performance issues are identified.
Why it matters: Detergents and wash cycles depend on proper water temperature. Low temperature can reduce cleaning effectiveness.
If temperature appears incorrect or unstable, remove the unit from service for further evaluation.
Evaluate Spotting or White Residue Separately
Action:
If the main complaint is spotting, white film, or residue rather than visible soil, check for water quality and rinse-related causes.
Look for:
- Hard water spotting
- Mineral residue
- Excess detergent residue
- Rinse aid supply issue
- Neutralizer issue
- RO/deionized water supply issue if used
- Recent chemical change
- Recent water softener or facility water issue
Expected outcome: Spotting is separated from true wash failure.
Why it matters: Spotting may be caused by rinse chemistry or water quality even when mechanical washing is acceptable.
If water quality or chemical supply is the cause, coordinate with Sterile Processing leadership, Facilities, or the chemical vendor as appropriate.
Listen for Abnormal Circulation or Pump Behavior
Action:
During a safe test cycle, listen from the outside of the machine.
Check for:
- Weak wash sound
- Unusual grinding
- Pump humming without strong spray action
- Intermittent circulation
- Excessive vibration
- Cycle pauses or aborts
- Water remaining in the chamber after drain
Expected outcome: Possible circulation, fill, or drain problems are identified without internal disassembly.
Why it matters: Poor circulation can leave instruments visibly dirty even if the display shows the cycle completed.
If pump, fill, or drain behavior appears abnormal, remove the unit from service and escalate for repair.
Run a Controlled Test Load or Empty Cycle
Action:
If safe and allowed by department procedure, run an empty cycle or approved test load.
Observe:
- Fill behavior
- Spray arm movement after cycle pause if safely checked
- Chemical pickup
- Drain performance
- Cycle completion
- Alarms or abnormal messages
- Visible residue left in the chamber
Expected outcome: The issue is confirmed as either load/process-related or machine-related.
Why it matters: A controlled test helps separate one bad load from a repeatable washer problem.
If the test cycle passes and no residue remains, review loading and chemistry practices with the department. If the test fails, remove the washer from service.
Check Final Device Status Before Returning to Service
Action:
Only return the washer-disinfector to service if:
- The source of the poor wash result was identified and corrected
- A follow-up cycle or test confirms normal operation
- No active alarms remain
- Chemical supply is correct
- Spray arms, racks, filters, fill, circulation, and drain appear normal
- Sterile Processing leadership agrees the washer is acceptable for use
Expected outcome: The washer is not returned to service based on assumption alone.
Why it matters: Washer-disinfector failures can affect many instrument sets before the issue is noticed.
If the washer cannot be confidently verified, keep it out of service.
If the Problem Persists
If poor wash results continue after checking loading, spray arms, filters, chemical supply, water supply, cycle selection, and visible external issues, common external causes have been ruled out.
The problem may involve internal dosing failure, circulation pump performance, heating control, water level sensing, valve operation, or control system issues.
The washer-disinfector should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Reported to Sterile Processing leadership
- Sent for repair, service evaluation, or vendor support as appropriate
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Do not continue releasing questionable loads while trying repeated cycles without identifying the cause.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot washer-disinfector cleaning failures as a minor inconvenience. If instruments remain visibly dirty, the load has failed and should not move forward in the reprocessing workflow. Keep affected instruments out of service until properly reprocessed. Do not troubleshoot on an active patient or allow questionable instruments to reach patient use; move patient care to properly reprocessed backup instruments first and protect therapy or procedure continuity.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Sterile Processing reported poor wash results on the Belimed WD 290 Series washer-disinfector, with visible residue and spotting remaining on instruments after cycle completion."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Inspection found the lower rack spray arm was restricted by an overloaded tray, preventing proper spray coverage during the wash phase."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Corrected load arrangement, verified spray arm movement, ran a test cycle, and confirmed instruments processed without visible residue before returning the washer to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Alarm behavior or chemical dosing messages noted
- Accessories swapped, including racks, trays, or washer accessories
- Power behavior, cycle completion, slow fill, or abnormal cycle time
- Environmental factors such as water supply, water quality, plumbing work, temperature concerns, or facility water events
- Indicator lights, display messages, alarms, unusual sounds, vibration, heat, or odor
- Final device status, including whether the washer was returned to service or labeled Out of Service
Final Thought
Poor wash results should be approached with patient safety and process control in mind. Start with loading, spray coverage, filters, chemistry, water supply, and cycle selection before assuming internal failure. If the washer cannot reliably clean, remove it from service and document the findings clearly using the CCR method.
That is successful troubleshooting.