Disinfecting Pens

[srvrf]

Being new to pens and being in the health care field, I thought I'd ask if anyone has had any information as to which methods are preferred to disinfect/clean their pens? I've used alcohol wipes and foam but we've got some stronger agents as well. My general feeling is that most anything should work and not damage the resin but I thought I'd throw it out there and see what you guys think.

[Lion]

I would suggest to check with the manufacturer of each disinfectant product to see what they say. Or check with the manufacturer of the Pen in question and ask them.....

Good luck.....Leo

[srvrf]

Thanks Leo. I'm heading to Chicago for a meeting and will stop my Montblanc if I can make it there before they close tonight. I'll see what they say about it. I'm guessing that they may not know. There is probably a recommended cleaning method but not necessarily disinfecting. I'm wondering if you could spray the pen with Lysol covering the nib or tip. I mean with MRSA and other bad bugs around it is a good idea to probably do something.

[Lion]

Steve, I agree, it's best to be be careful and cautious and at the least use Hand Sanitizer on your hands after shaking hands and handling products. I have to be really careful because of the immune suppressants(Medrol, Methotrexate and Enbrel)I'm on to fight the severe Rheumatoid Arthritis I'm so fortunate to have had for over 30 years. My Dermatologist flat out told me not to shake hands when I greet anyone since we all carry the virus which causes warts. And every year I see her to remove them from my hands.....

Take care and trust you will have some free time to head over to the "Magnificent Mile."
Be safe and sane.....Leo

[Passionata]

I guess hand sanitezer is fine ,agressive agents may harm resin .most of the viruses/bacterias not resist very well open air for long time.

[shu_uemura]

If I worked in healthcare and my pens came into contact with patients, I would use a disposable pen or at least one that I don't care too much about.

[SUBversive]

What about a Clorox wipe.

[srvrf]

Well the answer I received at the Montblanc boutique in Chicago was that they all thought an alcohol wipe would be fine. I'll probably stick to that for now. I use both soap/water and foam in between patients so I've left a little extra foam on my hands and grabbed my pen occasionally.

As for disposables, that's what I've done for years. But I figure if I have a nice pen and don't use it at work, then why have it? Kind of like my watches. If one was ever too nice to wear to work, I wouldn't buy it.

[Bisquitlips]

Please stay away from chemicals. Using the wrong chemical can ruin a pen surface in a millisecond!

Take it apart and wash the external parts with antibiotic soap and water. Rinse with lukewarm clean water. Make sure you dry the parts well and use a Q-Tip to dry the inside of the tube and cap. Use several until it comes out dry. Use a microfiber towel to dry the surfaces, not a paper towel as the wood fibers will scratch the pen.

Also, if you are using this process to disinfect a pen made of rosin (I.E., anything that is not metal) get some pen polish to polish the external surfaces which will bring it back to a new finish and get rid of all the hairline scratches that come from usage. If you are polishing a pen made of precious or base metals use a jewelers rouge. You can find what you need here: http://fountainpensacs.com/body_works.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-taRQmxTcM (This is a great vid for radical scratch removal and polishing).

Enjoy that pen!

[SUBversive]

Sounds like good advice. I've googled the topic and really nothing comes up.

[2brothers]

Steve,

My only suggestion to you is do not pay any heed to instructions that Montblanc retail staff give you. Those people are a bunch of drooling monkies who don't care about you or your pen.

Please, please, please email or call the Montblanc USA's technical service center for questions like this. I've attached a screenshot of their info. service@montblanc.com

Just don't want you to damage your prized possession

Todd

[srvrf]

Originally Posted by 2brothers

Steve,

My only suggestion to you is do not pay any heed to instructions that Montblanc retail staff give you. Those people are a bunch of drooling monkies who don't care about you or your pen.

Please, please, please email or call the Montblanc USA's technical service center for questions like this. I've attached a screenshot of their info. service@montblanc.com

Just don't want you to damage your prized possession

Todd

Todd,

Thanks for the advice. I am really loving my MB and of course want to use it whenever I can. So I'll shoot them and email and see what they say. I've generally taken what salespeople say with a grain of salt. I realize that isn't their area of specialty but typically a good one will then ask others and get back to me.

Steve