VERFAHREN ZUR REINIGUNG UND DESINFEKTION VON ENDOSKOPEN UND MITTEL ZUR DURCHFÜHRUNG DES VERFAHRENS

In the cleaning and disinfection of endoscopes, the endoscope surfaces to be cleaned are successively (a) brought into contact with a cleaning solution which is heated to 55 DEG to 65 DEG C., kept at that temperature for 1 to 15 minutes and then drained off and which contains a low-foam nonionic surfactant, a proteolytic enzyme, at least one complexing agent and, optionally, other standard detergent constituents, and has a pH value of from 6 to 8; (b) brought into contact with a disinfectant solution which is heated to 55 DEG to 65 DEG C., kept at that temperature for 1 to 15 minutes and then separated off and which contains an aldehyde selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde and aliphatic C2-C8 dialdehydes and at least one complexing agent, and has a pH value of from 6 to 8; (c) washed at least twice with water of which the pH value is adjusted to pH 6-8, the water being heated to 55 DEG to 65 DEG C. at least in the final wash cycle; and (d) dried with sterilized hot air at 55 DEG to 65 DEG C., water having a hardness of from 3 DEG to 8 DEG Gh being used in steps (a) to (c).