Published: 28 Apr 2025(Updated: 19 May 2025)

•5 min

•5 min read

•Ashley Treas•0

Back to Basics: 5 best practices to keep your incubator shaker contamination-free

Back to basicsLife science research

Contamination in incubator shakers can lead to compromised cultures, experimental setbacks, and costly operational downtime. Ensuring a sterile environment is important for maintaining reliable and reproducible results. In this fifth installment of our Back to Basics series, we explore the best practices for preventing contamination in your incubator shaker and highlight how the new HEPA filtration feature in the Multitron Incubator Shaker provides active and continuous protection.

Common contamination risks in incubators shakers

Understanding potential contamination sources is the first step toward effective risk mitigation. The primary culprits include:

Airborne contaminants – Dust, spores, and microorganisms can enter through ambient air, impacting culture integrity.
Surface contamination – Residual spills, biofilm formation, and improper cleaning can create microbial hotspots.
Operator handling – Inadequate aseptic techniques, improper lid openings, or contaminated tools increase contamination risks.
Humidity and evaporation effects – Unregulated humidity can alter culture conditions and create an environment conducive to microbial growth.
Incubator placement and environmental controls – Shakers placed in high-traffic areas or rooms with poor airflow may have increased exposure to airborne contaminants.

Best practices for contamination prevention

1. Routine cleaning and decontamination

Keeping your incubator shaker clean is a fundamental step in contamination prevention. Regularly wiping surfaces with disinfectants such as 70% ethanol and scheduling deep cleaning sessions can help prevent microbial build-up. UV decontamination is also an effective, non-contact method for reducing microbial presence.

2. Maintaining proper humidity control

Unregulated humidity can lead to evaporation and concentration shifts in culture media, potentially promoting unwanted microbial growth. Maintaining stable humidity levels inside an incubator shaker is essential to creating an optimal environment for cell culture growth while minimizing the risk of contamination.

Use of high-quality Water – The type of water used in humidification systems can impact contamination risks. INFORS HT recommends using double-distilled, 0.1 µm filter-sterilized water with a pH of 7–9 and conductivity of 1–20 µS/cm. This prevents microbial growth, organic contaminants, and corrosion inside the incubator.
Automated humidification systems – Advanced humidification systems in INFORS HT incubator shakers help maintain consistent humidity levels, reducing fluctuations that could compromise culture viability.
Routine maintenance of humidification components – Regular inspection and cleaning of water reservoirs and humidification system components prevent biofilm formation and microbial buildup.

By incorporating these humidity control strategies, researchers can maintain a stable incubator environment while avoiding systems that introduce contamination risks. Technologies like the INFORS HT hygienic humidification control system evaporate high-quality water as steam—minimizing the introduction of contaminants—unlike open water baths, which may harbor microbial growth over time. Advanced humidification systems, like those available in INFORS HT incubator shakers, help maintain a stable environment and minimize the risks associated with humidity fluctuations.

3. HEPA filtration for active and continuous contamination control

Unlike traditional incubators that require decontamination cycles, causing extremely long periods of downtime, the Multitron Incubator Shaker with HEPA filtration ensures real-time contamination control, ensuring clean air, reliable results, and maximum efficiency without having to shut down your shaker.

Superior air purification – The HEPA filter is strategically positioned in the airstream to capture 99.995% of particles ≥ 0.3 microns, including dust, bacteria, and mold, providing a consistently clean environment for your cultures.
Rapid Class 10 air quality – Achieve Class 10 (ISO 4) air quality within just 3 minutes of closing the door. The air inside the chamber passes through the HEPA filter continuously, ensuring that your cultures always remain protected.
Minimized downtime, maximum throughput – Unlike traditional incubators that require frequent sterilization cycles, the continuous HEPA filtration system significantly reduces downtime for cleaning, enabling 24/7 culturing without interruptions.
Uncompromised culture protection – Airborne contaminants pose a significant threat to sensitive cell cultures. The HEPA filter acts as a safeguard, keeping your cultures protected from harmful airborne particles while maintaining optimal growth conditions.

Learn more and request a quote today

4. Proper use of shaker accessories

Proper handling and regular cleaning of shaker accessories—such as trays, clamps, lids, and adhesive mats—are essential to minimize contamination risks. Components in constant contact with culture vessels can accumulate residues if not routinely decontaminated.

Sticky stuff best practices: For customers using Sticky Stuff adhesive mats, correct usage and cleaning help maintain a sterile culture environment. Learn how to apply and clean Sticky Stuff effectively by watching our how-to video and downloading the brief instruction guide.

Download instruction guide

5. Preventive maintenance and proper handling

Preventive maintenance and proper handling play a vital role in mitigating the risk of contamination in your incubator shaker. Routine servicing helps prevent the accumulation of dust, microbial growth, and mechanical failures that can compromise sterile conditions. By proactively maintaining your equipment, you reduce the likelihood of contamination that could disrupt your research and lead to costly downtime. Key benefits include:

Minimized contamination risks – Regular inspections and cleaning help prevent microbial buildup and airborne contaminants from compromising cultures.
Consistent and reliable performance – Ensuring that temperature, humidity, and shaking speed remain accurate enhances experimental reproducibility.
Extended equipment lifespan – Routine care extends the operational life of incubator shakers, reducing the frequency and costs associated with equipment replacement.
Reduced downtime – Proactive maintenance minimizes unexpected breakdowns, keeping your lab running smoothly and efficiently.
Compliance with regulatory standards – Regular servicing ensures adherence to laboratory safety and quality standards.

To maintain optimal contamination control, consider implementing a preventive maintenance schedule that includes regular cleaning, calibration, and timely replacement of worn parts. Avoiding unexpected contamination incidents means less downtime and greater operational efficiency, allowing you to focus on your research rather than troubleshooting equipment issues.

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Maximize Protection with Multitron’s HEPA Filtration

Mitigating contamination risks is the key to maintaining a productive and reliable lab environment. By implementing routine cleaning protocols, optimizing humidity levels, and leveraging continuous HEPA filtration, researchers can minimize contamination risks and focus on advancing their experiments without interruption.

Ready to safeguard your research?

The Multitron Incubator Shaker with HEPA filtration ensures continuous protection, eliminating airborne threats in real time—without pauses, without downtime, without compromise.

Learn more and request a quote today

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