Step 3: Select a clean, well-lit work surface

Guidelines:

• Use a clean, comfortable, well-lit area away from where you prepare or eat food.  You don’t want blood or factor to get on the kitchen or dining room table.
• Select an area that can be cleaned.
• Before you begin, wash your work area with rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol, chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or a product labeled “disinfectant”.  Check bottles of hydrogen peroxide before you use them to make sure they have not expired.
• To protect the table, tape a large clean piece of plastic over it.  A trash bag works well.  Tape the bag to the table.  When you finish, you can easily roll up the bag and throw it away.

Caution:

• Keep the work surface clean.  Keep a trash bag or can handy.  Throw away trash such as syringe wrappings and empty boxes as you go along.
• Find a quiet place so that you will not be distracted by other people or what they are doing.
• If you spill blood or factor on the work area, clean the surface with chlorine bleach.