just a quick reminder since winter is depressing and we can sometimes forget to give a shit about ourselves ::
HOW TO CLEAN A NEEDLE & SYRINGE
As already mentioned, the only sure way for drug injectors to avoid contracting blood-borne infections and diseases like hepatitis and HIV is to never use someone else’s works (including needles and syringes, cookers, cottons, or water) or let someone else use yours. Even though injection equipment might look clean to the naked eye, tiny amounts of blood can remain in the works which can result in infection.
If you find yourself in a situation where you absolutely must use someone else’s works or they must use yours, you can reduce the likelihood of disease transmission by carefully cleaning the equipment before you use it. Follow these instructions carefully:
1. Rinse the needle and syringe with cold water several times (hot water will cause blood to clot, making it harder to remove). If you’re using a detachable needle and syringe, you might want to take the equipment apar t to clean it more thoroughly.
Be sure to discard the water you use to rinse the equipment.
2. Flush the needle and syringe with undiluted household bleach. Be sure to fill the syringe all the way up. Keep the bleach in the syringe for a full two minutes while shaking it.
Discard the bleach.
3. Thoroughly rinse the needle and syringe with clean, cold water to remove any remaining bleach. Discard the water.
If you do not have bleach, you can substitute hydrogen peroxide, a solution of dishwashing liquid and water, or rubbing alcohol. Use high-proof drinking alcohol, such as vodka or rum, if it’s all you’ve got.
IMPORTANT: In order for bleach to kill hepatitis B that might be in the syringe and/or cooker, you must leave the bleach in the syringe and cooker for a full two minutes. It is unclear whether bleach kills hepatitis C, even after two minutes. This should also kill any HIV that might be in the equipment. (30 seconds is believed to do this.)
Be sure to clean the cooker with bleach if it’s going to be shared.
Split whatever cotton you have in two before you use it–it’s virtually impossible to clean such a filter.
And remember that sharing water is one of the
most efficient ways to pass on or contract a virus or other infection-causing organism.
Rinse your equipment with cold water after you’ve used it in order to prevent any residual blood from clotting, especially if you plan to re-use it later.
If you purchase needles and syringes on the street, clean them before you use them: sometimes dirty equipment is re-packaged and sold as new.
Do not clean equipment that is sterile; something that is sterile is as clean as you can get it, and “cleaning” it could actually contaminate it.
