Sorry--In the lab settings I have worked in, we would
thoroughly wash and scrub the stain line and
processing containers with a 5% bleach and soap
mixture, followed by washing with copius amounts of
tap water then DI water.  Your bluing solution
container most likely has a crusting residual and you
may not be able to remove it if the container hasn't
been scrubbed for a while.

Akemi Allison-Tacha 
--- Akemi Allison-Tacha  wrote:

> I am curious why you are using TAP WATER instead of
> DI water to make  
> your 70% alcohol.  There has been a great deal of
> discussion  
> regarding water in the lab arena.  It's all in the
> WATER!!   
> Everything is made with WATER!!  Your area of the
> country has a  
> tremendous amount of minerals in the water. (Lithium
> Carbonate) is  
> also a mineral and brings your water to a high pH to
> make it a bluing  
> solution, around pH 9.0.  Besides that, there are
> alot of other  
> undesirable components & Critters in TAP WATER.  A
> residual will  
> appear as the bluing solution with (Lithium
> Carbonate) stands for a  
> period of time.  This is normal and to be expected.
> 
> As well as the fact that pH can change seasonally
> and from morning to  
> afternoon.  When I was doing research on my H&E
> project in 2002 &  
> 2003, I talked to over 300 histotechs around the
> country.  I found  
> out that in California & Fort Bragg, NC  local water
> providers, flush  
> the water systems with chlorine (bleach)
> periodically.  This is  
> maddening when your slides are washing in tap water
> after staining in  
> hematoxylin.  All of a sudden your nuclear staining
> is stripped-out  
> because of the chlorine content in the water.  Think
> about it, it's  
> doing the same thing as when you differentiate in
> acid alcohol.  Some  
> proactive supervisors have contacted the local water
> providers to  
> give them a heads-up when they flush their system. 
> They then wash  
> with bottled water.  Think about it, your DI water
> is affected too.   
> The chlorine runs through your DI purification
> system.  Ventana's  
> tech support will always question the water when
> they are doing their  
> trouble-shooting.  They have had  tons of instrument
> issues because  
> of BAD water.  Food for thought....
> 
> 
> Phoenix Lab Consulting
> Specializing in Histology, SS, IHC, & Microarray
> Madison, WI
> Akemi Allison-Tacha BS, HT (ASCP) HTL
> President
> Cell: 		(925) 788-0900
> E-Mail:	 akemiat3377@yahoo.com
> 
> On Feb 21, 2007, at 6:30 AM, sheila adey wrote:
> 
> >
> > Hi Histonetters,
> >
> > We get a "build up" on the edges of our 70%
> alcohol container on  
> > our stainer but no "build up" on the 70% alcohol
> container on the  
> > processor. (we use tap water to make up the 70%)
> > The 1% Lithium Carbonate that we use for bluing in
> the frozen room  
> > also develops this "build up"?
> > We've tried so many ways to clean these containers
> but have not  
> > found an effective solution.
> > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Have a
> great day!!
> >
> >
> > Sheila Adey HT MLT
> > Port Huron Hospital
> > Michigan
> >
> >
>
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