How to Clean CPR Manikins? | Disinfect Between Every Student

Every CPR class puts a dozen mouths on the same training manikin, and that shared surface is why cleaning between students matters as much as the compressions themselves. Treat how to clean CPR manikins as a fixed part of class setup, not an afterthought: disassemble, wash every reusable part in warm soapy water, disinfect with a fresh bleach solution or 70% isopropyl alcohol, dry completely, then reassemble for the next student.

The Cleaning Routine For Every CPR Manikin

Every major cleaning protocol follows the same five-phase order: disassemble, wash, rinse, disinfect, dry. Run the full sequence after each student, not just at the end of the day.

1. Take off any clothing and separate every removable part — face piece, mouthpiece, airway, torso cover — following your model’s disassembly instructions. Wear gloves when your site’s policy calls for them.
2. Wash external surfaces, the face, and reusable airway parts in warm soapy water, working suds into every groove.
3. Rinse thoroughly under clean running water to remove all soap residue.
4. Disinfect by wetting every surface with a bleach solution holding at least 500 ppm free available chlorine for a full ten minutes, or by wiping with 70% isopropyl alcohol where the manufacturer allows it.
5. Rinse again after bleach, then dry every part completely, inside and out, before reassembly. Laerdal says to keep manikin clothing off until the vinyl is fully dry so colors do not transfer.
6. Replace single-use parts — face shields, lung bags, airway consumables — for each student on models that use them, and wipe out the storage case if it may have been contaminated.

The exact bleach recipe and wet time make the disinfection step work, so the full procedure is spelled out in New York State EMS decontamination guidance, the protocol many training programs adopt as their own.

If you are shopping for a class that runs back to back, models with replaceable airways and faces are far easier to keep clean — our tested roundup of CPR manikins compares the top-rated options for training.

Which Disinfectants Are Safe To Use On A CPR Manikin?

A bleach solution and 70% isopropyl alcohol are the two disinfectants every guidance document agrees on; manufacturer compatibility lists decide which wipes count as approved for your specific model.

Surfaces stay wet for ten minutes, then get rinsed and completely dried. The same guidance allows 70% isopropanol or ethanol for wiping contaminated surfaces, and Laerdal’s published maintenance guide approves isopropyl alcohol plus Clorox, Lysol, Purell, and CaviWipes on its simulators.

If a cleaner is not on your manufacturer’s list, do not assume it is safe. Products that are fine on one manikin’s vinyl can cloud or crack another brand’s plastic.

Cleaning Mistakes That Spread Germs

The failures that cause real problems are rarely missed soap. They are skipped drying, reused disposables, and the wrong disinfectant.

• Storing parts wet. Moisture trapped in an airway or lung bag invites bacteria and mold, and every protocol calls for complete drying before storage.
• Reusing parts meant for one student. When the model uses disposable faces or airways, each learner gets fresh ones; published guidance for Little Anne QCPR explicitly changes the individual mouthpiece and airway for every student.
• Returning dirty parts to a clean case. A contaminated face dragged through the storage box contaminates the whole kit, and policies that cover cases require wiping hard shells with hot water and bleach solution.
• Using cleaners your manikin cannot take. Corrosive products damage vinyl unless the manufacturer recommends them.

Run the routine in the same order after every student, and the manikin is ready for whoever comes next. A worn manikin cleaned properly outperforms an expensive one cleaned carelessly.