Maintaining your sterilizer is daily process. If you keep it maintained and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations it will prolong the life of the sterilizer. Most manufacturers recommend the following. Daily- Wipe the sterilizer with a soft dry cloth, and if need with a damp cloth and mild soap. Also clean the door gasket and the inside of the door. Examine the door gasket for nicks and cuts. This could prevent proper sealing, and thus improper sterilization. Weekly- You should clean the inside chamber and the trays on a weekly basis. Drain the water from the reservoir and refill with distilled water. Monthly- You should flush the system monthly with a sterilizer cleaner. Mix according to the directions, drain the system and refill with the cleaning solution. Run a 30 minute cycle at 250 degrees F. Drain the cleaning solution, allow the unit to cool and remove the racks and trays. Wipe them off and replace them in the chamber. Refill the reservoir with distilled water. You can now use the sterilizer Quarterly- You should remove and clean the door gasket every 3 months. Clean the gasket with a mild soap and inspect for cracks, or cuts. Replace if needed. Replace the gasket and run an empty load to insure proper operation of the sterilizer. If you follow these simple procedures your sterilizer will not only perform better, it will also last longer. Paul Webb-Paul is the owner of Electro Service Company, and has been maintaining medical and fitness equipment for over thirty years. He is currently the supervisor of the Sterilizer repair shop at a major hospital. You can visit his website at http://treadmills.cc/sterilizer.html