Gowning Procedures

By far the dirtiest thing in our cleanroom is the people who use it. Even the most carefully manicured person generates a shroud of particles from their skin, hair, clothing, and breath. Consequently, all cleanroom users must wear cleanroom garments which trap and hold particles emitted by their bodies and clothing.

Cleanroom users will use permanent gowns, head covers (or hoods), and booties. These garments must be laundered approximately after every 20th use.

1. Clean shoes with the shoe scrubber. The shoe scrubber is located next to the gowning room entrance on the left. Turn the shoe scrubber on by pushing the button underneath the handle. Slide each foot between the rotating brushes for several seconds. The scrubber will turn off when you release the handle.
2. Slide card to enter door. The card reader is to the left of the door.
3. Put on shoe covers. The shoe cover booties are in a bin immediately inside the door. You will need to wear these shoe covers whenever you are inside the gowning room.
4. Enter cleanroom.
5. Place hat, coat, and any other street garments not required for warmth and/or modesty in a locker. The lockers are located on the west wall of the gowning room. Combination locks will be issued by the IEN. Any non-issued locks will be removed from the lockers. If you are not assigned a locker, feel free to use the "Coat Closet" locker. It is the last locker in the row. Do NOT store your cleanroom garment in these lockers.
6. Put on face mask. The face masks are in a clear plastic holder on the wall next to the entrance to the cleanroom. Also, please use the bouffant cap if needed.
7. Remove your cleanroom garments from the storage cabinet and inspect. Each user will be assigned a hanger, a name tag, and a cabinet. Please DO NOT use any other user's cleanroom garments.
8. If you are new to the cleanroom and do not yet have any cleanroom garments, the clean ones are located in the shelves next to the lockers. They are sorted by size and type. Please do not mix them up. Also, please do not put any used garments back on these shelves. You are required to wear a gown, a hood, and booties.
9. Take care to keep the garments completely off the floor at all times. Inspect your garments each time you wear them for tears or soiling. Put your garments in the dirty laundry garbage can after 20 or so uses.
10. Put on garments. First put on your hood over your face mask and bouffant cap, if you are wearing one. Next, put on your gown by stepping into each jumpsuit leg, one at a time and then pulling it up around your body and over your hood's "skirt." Zip the gown up all the way.
11. To put on your booties, you should be next to one of the benches. Sit down on the bench, with both feet on the "dirty" side. Put on one of your booties (over the shoe cover), and swing the "clean" foot onto the mat side. Then put on the other bootie. Please make sure that the top of the bootie is over the bottom of the jumpsuit leg so that any particles falling down the jumpsuit leg will be trapped in the bootie. Note: Booties should never be worn in the gowning room, except for when you are standing on the blue mat.
12. Put on gloves. The gloves are located in the clear platic containter next to the mask holder. They are arranged, from left to right, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Carefully put on the first glove, touching the outside of this glove as little as possible. Put on the second glove using the previously gloved hand. Pull the cuff of the gloves over the sleeve of the jumpsuit so that any particles falling from your sleeves are trapped in the glove.
13. Also, while in the cleanroom, keep your hands away from your face. The oils on your face can be transferred to the gloves and subsequently to the cleanroom equipment or your sample.
14. Check yourself in the mirror. Lastly, before you enter the cleanroom, use the mirror by the door to check that your hood is properly tucked in, no hair is sticking out, etc.