Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL) Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The third sink in a three-sink manual washing setup is designated for the final rinse before sterilization. Its purpose is to ensure that any residual detergents or contaminants from the previous cleaning processes are thoroughly removed from the instruments before they undergo sterilization.

In the context of manual cleaning, the three-sink method typically consists of a wash sink, a rinse sink, and a final rinse sink. The final rinse sink is crucial because it not only helps to remove any potential chemical residues left from the detergent used in the washing process but also prepares the items for the next step, which is sterilization. A clean rinse in the third sink ensures the instruments are free of any substances that could interfere with the sterilization process, thereby maintaining the safety and efficacy of the instruments once they are reused.

The other options pertain to various processes that might occur during cleaning or preparation but do not specifically align with the intended function of the third sink in this protocol. For instance, deionizing and rinsing after detergent apply to earlier steps in the cleaning sequence rather than the final preparation stage for sterilization.