You may know what a cleanroom is, but do you know when they started and why? Today, we are going to take a closer look at the history of cleanrooms and some interesting facts that you may not know.

The Beginning

The first cleanroom identified by historians dates all the way back to the mid-19th century, where sterilized environments were being used in hospital operating rooms. Modern cleanrooms, however, were created during WWII where they were used to produce and manufacture top-of-the-line weaponry in a sterile and safe environment. During the war, US and UK industrial manufacturers designed tanks, airplanes, and guns, contributing to the success of the war and providing the military with weaponry that was needed.

Although no exact date can be pinpointed to when the first cleanroom existed, it is known that the HEPA filters were being used throughout cleanrooms by the early 1950s. Some believe that cleanrooms date back to World War I when there was a need to segregate the work area to reduce cross-contamination between manufacturing areas.

Regardless of when they were established, contamination was the problem, and cleanrooms were the solution. Continually growing and constantly changing for the betterment of projects, research, and manufacturing, cleanrooms as we know them today are recognized for their low levels of pollutants and contaminants.

Modern Cleanrooms

The cleanrooms you are familiar with today were first established by American physicist Wills Whitfield. Prior to his creation, cleanrooms had contamination due to particles and unpredictable airflow throughout the room. Seeing a problem that needed to be fixed, Whitfield created cleanrooms with a constant, high-filtration airflow, which is what is used throughout cleanrooms today.

Cleanrooms can vary in size and are used for a variety of industries such as scientific research, software engineering and manufacturing, aerospace, and pharmaceutical production. Though the “cleanliness’ of cleanrooms has changed throughout the years, their purpose has always remained the same. As with the evolution of anything, we expect the evolution of cleanrooms to continue, as more and more research is conducted and air filtration mechanics continue to improve.

Maybe you already know the history behind cleanrooms or maybe you didn't, but we are guessing that you don't know everything there is to know. As the cleanroom experts, providing our clients with the high-quality cleanroom supplies they need to stay safe while working, we thought you may like to know the most interesting facts about cleanrooms. And hey, you may even learn a thing or two you want to share.

Five things you didn’t know about cleanrooms

1.Did you know that a motionless person standing in a cleanroom still emits more than 100,000 particles per minute? That is why it is so important to wear the right garments which you can find here at our store. The top four things that you need to wear in a cleanroom should be a cap, cover/apron, mask, and gloves.

2. NASA relies on cleanrooms to continue growth for the space program as well as continued development in airflow technology and filtration.

3. More and more food industries are using cleanrooms to manufacture products that rely on high sanitation standards.

4. Cleanrooms are rated by their class, which is dependent on the number of particles found in the room at any given time.

5. There are many different types of contamination that can contribute to product failure and inaccurate testing and results, such as micro organisms, inorganic materials, and air particles. The cleanroom supplies that you use can reduce contamination error such as wipes, swabs, and solutions.

Now, you can truly say you know everything there is to know about cleanrooms. Okay, maybe not everything, but you do know who you can trust to provide you with everything you need while working in a cleanroom.