Cleanroom gowning procedures vary, depending on the application and class of your controlled environment. Generally, however, an effective procedure will be similar to the following guide.
Non-Sterile Apparel – Cleanroom Gowning Procedure; Donning Sequence
- First, wash your hands thoroughly and dry them carefully.
- Now you may enter the gowning area. Note that this is not a sterile environment, but your work here helps to prevent contamination of the clean room.
- Put on your bouffant cap, ensuring that it covers your hair completely.
- Walk over a tacky mat to remove any excess soil from your shoes.
- Cover your shoes with disposable shoe covers. Cover the entire shoe and make sure that the cover contains the laces.
- If required, put on “donning” gloves.
- Walk to the gowning area.
- Being careful to touch only the inside of the hood, slide the hood from the cleanroom bag and don it.
- See that the hood completely covers your bouffant. It should fit snuggly with snaps (vertical and horizontal) in back of the hood.
- Don your facemask; bend the nosepiece to fit your face.
- Now it’s time to don your coverall. We’ve broken down this procedure because at no point should your coverall come into contact with the floor or walls.
- Hold your coverall inside the neck to slide it from the cleanroom bag.
- Allow the coverall to unfold.
- Completely unzip the zipper.
- Roll the coverall backwards into a tube. As you do so, gather the sleeves inside the roll.
- Gather up one leg of the coverall.
- Place your foot in the chosen leg and pull it up to the thigh.
- Do the same with the other leg.
- Now you can pull the coverall up to the waist.
- Then unroll the top of the coverall.
- Insert one arm, and roll the coverall over your back and shoulders, before sliding in the other arm.
- Zip your coverall to the top.
- Snap at the collar and the ankles.
- Now it’s time for the boots.
- Remove ONE boot from the cleanroom bag by placing your hand inside the boot top.
- Put on the boot and step to the “cleaner” side of the gowning area.
- Remove the second boot in the same way you removed the first boot.
- Put on the second boot. Again, step to the ‘cleaner’ side of the gowning area.
- To finish with the boot stage, pull the boot tops up, snap around the calf area, and snap to the back of the coverall.
- If eye protection is required for your cleanroom, don your goggles or shield.
- Now, either remove your donning gloves or put a pair of cleanroom gloves over the donning gloves.
- Roll the cleanroom gloves over the cuffs of your coverall sleeves.
- Finally, walk over a cleanroom tack mat to prevent contamination before entering the cleanroom area.
The apparel removal or doffing sequence is the reverse of your gowning sequence. Place reusable items in the proper receptacles. Goggles should be separate to other items. Place all disposable items in the trash.
In addition to using high-quality equipment and materials, always follow proper cleanroom gowning procedure according to your cleanroom for the best results every time.
Cleanroom Gowning Procedure (Non-sterile Cleanrooms)
Cleanroom Gowning Poster Download
Download our complimentary cleanroom gowning poster for your reference. Hang this poster in the gowning area of your cleanroom as a helpful reminder of the recommended gowning sequence. It can also be used as a starting point when designing a custom sequence specific to your cleanroom requirements.
Download Our Cleanroom Gowning Poster >>The information supplied in this article is for guidance only. Not all cleanrooms will use the same procedures. Follow your specific cleanroom or company procedural manual before this guide.