Try to use new works every time. If new works are not available, try to clean what you have with bleach. The goal is to try to kill any hepatitis C, HIV, and other germs that may be in the infection equipment.

Some studies in the laboratory have found undiluted bleach to be effective at killing HIV in syringes. In real-world studies among people who inject drugs, using bleach to rinse needles has NOT been found to be protective against HIV transmission so it is still recommended to use a sterile syringe and needle.

Cleaning Instructions

Fill 2 small containers or cups with clean water and a second container with undiluted bleach. Find out more here.

1. Rinse with Clean Water Twice

Fill up the syringe with clean water, tap or shake the syringe to loosen any dried blood, get rid of the water, and then repeat another water rinse.

2. Disinfect with Preferably Pure Bleach (though 1:10 dilution of bleach can be helpful too)

Next, fill the syringe up with bleach, tap or shake the syringe for 30 seconds, and then discard the bleach. Undiluted bleach is preferred, but rinsing with a 1:10 dilution of bleach can also decrease risk of infections such as hepatitis C and HIV.

3. Rinse with Clean Water Twice

Fill up the syringe with clean water, tap or shake the syringe to loosen any dried blood, get rid of the water, and then repeat another water rinse.