How to Clean Titration Equipment

Fill a clean, labeled wash bottle with distilled or deionized water. Do not use tap water, since it will contain minerals and other compounds that may contaminate your equipment.

Detach the burette from its stand and hold it over a suitable waste container. Open the stopcock fully and allow any residual titrating solution to drain out.

Rinse the inside of the burette three to four times with pure water from the wash bottle. Use the wash bottle to spray water into the interior of the burette, making sure to use enough water for each rinse to thoroughly wet the entire inside surface of the burette. Allow the water from each rinse to fully drain before you rinse again.

Rinse the exterior of the base and outlet of the burette with pure water from the wash bottle.

Place the burette upside down in a drying rack with the stopcock in the open position. The small amount of residual water inside will eventually evaporate.

Use a magnetic wand to remove the stir bar from the flask or beaker that held the sample. Hold the wand and stir bar over a suitable waste container, and rinse the stir bar with pure water from the wash bottle until it is clean. Place the stir bar on a drying rack.

Pour the contents of the flask into a suitable waste container. Rinse the flask with pure water from the wash bottle to remove traces of chemicals. Pour the rinse water into the waste container also.

Place the flask in a sink. Add a small amount of detergent to the flask, then tap water, and scrub with a brush. Pour the soapy water out and rinse the flask thoroughly and repeatedly with tap water to remove all soap residue.

Rinse the inside and outside of the flask three to four times with pure water from the wash bottle, pouring out the rinse water between rinses. Place the flask upside down in a drying rack.