Spring Cleaning: Pump And CGM Edition

Keeping your Pump in Tip Top Condition – Pump Cleaning Tips

Insulin pumps typically stay pretty clean because it has a cute pump skin or bedazzled case around it, but there are times when cleaning is needed after an accidental squirt of sun tan lotion and an occasional splash of spaghetti sauce. So in times such as this, according to your MiniMed™ pumps User Guide here’s how to clean your pump if an occasion comes up that you may want or need to clean it.

Before we learn what to do, let’s look at what not to do.

Do not try to clean your MiniMed™ Pump with the following:

• Organic solvents like lighter fluid, nail polish remover, paint thinner or lubricants, Household window cleaner, cleaning sprays or lotions, or hand sanitiser

Instead:

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Dampen a cloth with water mixed with a mild detergent to wipe clean the outside of your pump. Do not place your pump under running water or submerge it into any liquid
• Wipe the pump to remove any detergent residue with a clean cloth dampened with water
• Dry with a clean cloth.
• Keep the reservoir compartment and battery compartment dry and away from moisture at all times
• Use a 70 percent alcohol wipe to disinfect your pump.
• Use a dry clean cotton bud to remove any battery residue from the battery cap.
• Use a dry clean cloth to remove any battery residue from the battery compartment opening

Now that we’ve taken a look at how to clean the pump, what about your Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) kit?  Transmitters and sensor insertion devices (such as the One Press Serter) could definitely benefit from some cleaning sometimes!  Here’s how:

Cleaning your Sensor Insertion Device (One Press Serter) 

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Prepare a mild liquid soap solution
• Rinse the One Press Serter under room temperature tap water for at least one minute.
• While rinsing, press and release the mechanism on the underside of the Serter to ensure the One Press Serter is completely rinsed with water
• Submerge the One Press Serter in the mild soap solution and soak for at least 10 minutes
• Brush the entire surface of the One Press Serter with a soft-bristled toddler toothbrush until visibly clean, making sure to pay attention to brushing the hard-to-reach areas
• Rinse the One Press Serter with room temperature water until all visible soap is gone
• Shake off any excess water and place the One Press Serter upright on a clean, dry, cloth to air-dry
   

Cleaning your CGM Transmitter (MiniLink™, Guardian™ 2 Link or Guardian™ Link 3):

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Be careful when you are doing this and remember that the charger, transmitter or tester are not water-tight by themselves so do not submerge any of the sensor components in water.
• Attach the tester to the transmitter to make sure that water, disinfectant, and alcohol do not get inside the connector. Your tester ‘plug’ seals the transmitter end so that foreign objects don’t get inside while cleaning
• Dampen a clean cloth with mild liquid soap and warm water. Wipe the outside of the transmitter
• Rinse the transmitter under warm tap water but do not get water inside the connector. If you get water inside the connector, shake the water out and allow it to air dry
• Using an antibacterial hand sanitiser on a clean, dry cloth, wipe the transmitter’s surface. Make sure that you do not get any hand sanitiser inside the connector
• Disconnect the tester from the transmitter
• Place the transmitter on a clean, dry cloth and air dry for 2-3 minutes