How to Assess Cleanroom Consumables: A Practical Guide to EN ISO 14644-18
22.05.2026
Contamination control in cleanrooms typically focuses on airflow systems and operator behaviour. However, the consumables and equipment introduced into the environment can be a significant, and often overlooked, source of particulate contamination. Items such as trigger sprays, bulk containers, cleanroom stationery and cleaning hardware are widely used but their particulate contribution is rarely measured in a consistent or accurate way. EN ISO 14644-18 provides a framework for assessing cleanroom consumables, however, applying it to non-standard items remains complex and subjective.
The challenge of non-standard cleanroom consumables
There are many established instrumental test methods used to determine the particulate levels generated by consumable items. These include:
- Helmke Drum for disposable garments and socks
- Liquid Particle Counting for gloves and wipers
- Tape Lift for hard items like goggles
However, there are many cleanroom items which fall outside these standardised testing methods. These ‘non-standard’ consumables present specific challenges, such as, complex geometries and multiple materials, particle generation driven by real world handling and highly variable use conditions. For example, a trigger spray generates particles through repeated actuation and a container or mop handle may release particles through friction or contact.
Established instrumental methods often fail to replicate these mechanisms, which can result in misleading data, either underestimating or overestimating the risk.
A practical method for measuring particulate release
To fill this gap, Micronclean developed a new methodology based on guidance provided within EN ISO 14644-18 Annex B.
The key principles of this methodology are:
- Measuring the true particulate being shed from each consumable
- Measuring consumables under ‘real world’ representative usage conditions
- Assessing the suitability of each consumable for each cleanroom
To perform this testing Micronclean setup a cleanroom test zone 1m² directly below a ceiling vent, together with a fixed particle counter, placed 20cm below the test item and set to measure particulate ≥0.5µm.
In broad terms the testing was performed using the following sequence:
- Measure the general background particulate level of the cleanroom
- Measure the particulate of an operator whilst they simulate the use movements without the consumable item
- Measure the particulate of an operator whilst they use the consumable item
- Subtract the operator/movement contribution to isolate the item emissions from just the consumable
This approach creates reproducible, comparable data that is representative of the consumables use in a cleanroom environment.
Whilst applying this methodology it became clear that not only is the amount of particulate generated significantly impacted by how an item is used but crucially also by the specific cleanroom environment in which it is used.
From particle counts to cleanroom suitability
A particulate shedding number from a consumable does not, on its own allow you to determine whether that consumable is suitable for your cleanroom. To determine this, the results must be interpreted in context, which means taking into account the air change rate of that specific cleanroom, the size of the cleanroom and its ventilation efficiency. To address this need, Micronclean has developed a cleanroom impact calculator based on EN ISO 14644-18.
This calculator allows Micronclean to convert the particulate data into an estimated cleanroom impact, assigning a suitable ISO cleanroom classification, based on the limits in ISO 14644-1. This in turn allows a risk based consumable selection process and moves the decision making from a qualitative judgement to a data driven analysis.
This approach provides a practical solution for assessing the particulate and suitability of non-standard items and fills a critical gap where no standard methods exist for certain ‘non-standard’ consumable items.
Conclusion: Smarter consumable selection for cleanrooms
As cleanroom standards tighten, the need for accurate, consistent consumable assessment becomes increasingly important. By combining realistic testing with data driven calculations, this approach enables:
- Better contamination control decisions
- Increased confidence in consumable selection
- More standardisation across of consumable claims from suppliers
This work bridges the gap for the testing of non-standard cleanroom consumables, allowing Micronclean to provide data backed recommendations of suitable ISO grades for all of our products.
Next Steps
This method has been applied to Micronclean’s non-standard consumable products and our cleanroom suitability calculator has been used to translate these results into recommended ISO grades. These results will be added to our product specifications to assist our customers in consumable selection.
For more information, please download the whitepaper
Author
Tasmin Crompton
Technical Lead