Cleanroom gloves must meet high requirements, which is why the correct storage of these gloves is particularly important. In this article, you can find out what you need to bear in mind when storing cleanroom gloves and what the minimum shelf life is. There are precise standard specifications regarding the shelf life of disposable medical gloves, for example.

Storing cleanroom gloves

As a rule, the packaging of the respective cleanroom gloves should contain information on the correct storage of the gloves. This information may be displayed in the form of symbols.

Below we list some general tips for the correct storage of cleanroom gloves, although you should always contact the seller or manufacturer to find out the correct storage requirements for the glove in question. In general, the following should be considered when storing cleanroom gloves:

  • Store in a cool place
  • Avoid large temperature fluctuations
  • Store in a dry place
  • No additional weight load
  • Never expose to direct sunlight
  • Do not store near sources of ozone (e.g. laser printers, laser copiers, X-ray machines)
  • Store dust-free

The reason why cleanroom gloves should be stored in a cool place is that an incorrect storage temperature can lead to hardening of the material from which the gloves are made. This hardening of the material can result in the glove material losing its flexibility and becoming brittle.

In terms of avoiding sunlight and ozone, nitrile, for example, is not resistant to ozone and UV light. Nitrile is increasingly being used for cleanroom gloves, partly because it has the highest puncture resistance of any other glove material, because it has better chemical resistance than latex and vinyl and can be an alternative for latex allergy sufferers, as the risk of allergies is reduced with nitrile.

Please also read our article “Nitrile gloves vs. latex gloves – why the trend is towards nitrile“.

Expiry date only valid if stored properly

There is usually an expiry date on the packaging of the cleanroom gloves. However, this is only valid if the cleanroom gloves have been stored correctly, i.e. properly.

After the expiration date, the gloves should no longer be used, as the gloves may have suffered damage due to long storage, such as holes or torn seams, and the glove material may also have become brittle, which can lead to damage to the glove during use.

But even before the expiry date, you should always check the integrity of the glove packaging before removing the gloves from it and only use the cleanroom gloves if the packaging was intact.

Regulation of the minimum durability period for medical gloves

For medical gloves for single use, the minimum durability is regulated in the European Standard 455-4 (EN 455-4), of which there is also a Swiss edition: SN EN 455-4.

After the gloves have been manufactured, an accelerated durability test is carried out by placing the gloves in an oven, which simulates the ageing of the gloves. After this procedure, the glove has similar or the same properties as a glove that is three years old. After the test disposable glove comes out of the oven, it is tested for tightness in accordance with the EN 455-1 standard and for tear resistance in accordance with the EN 455-2 standard. In addition, it is checked whether the disposable glove is still suitable for the intended purpose. If these three tests are passed, the preliminary result is that the glove has a shelf life of three years.

The same three tests are carried out to check whether a glove has a shelf life of 5 years after 5 years have actually passed.

There is a special requirement for sterile gloves: the sterile packaging must still be intact after 5 years.

More information on the storage and shelf life of cleanroom gloves

If you require further information on the storage of cleanroom gloves or, for example, on the specific storage requirements of a cleanroom glove from the abovo online store range, please do not hesitate to contact the abovo experts.

The easiest way to contact an abovo glove expert is by telephone or e-mail: