Steam sterilization has the largest margin of safety due to reliability, consistency, and lethality. Of all the methods available for sterilization, moist heat in the form of saturated steam under pressure is the most widely used and the most dependable. Steam sterilization is nontoxic, inexpensive, rapidlymicrobicidal, sporicidal, and rapidly heats and penetrates.

Steam sterilization should be used whenever possible on allcritical and semicritical items that are heat and moisture resistant (e.g.,steam sterilizable respiratory therapy and anesthesia equipment), even when not essential to prevent pathogen transmission.

Heat sterilization,including steam or hot air (see manufacturer’s recommendations, steam sterilization processing time from 3-4 minutes is commonly stated.  (If there is a problem getting heat penetrated into the items the times increase up to 30 minutes).  Applies for hard surfaces and soft materials.