Often the shared equipment and shared areas are messy and abused. Sometimes equipment is broken and left without a note. This can often thwart the next researcher who assumes the equipment will be in working order. Know the machine. If you are unsure of how to correctly use something, please consult the contact on the shared equipment list before use.
Some equipment requires detailed instruction while others are intuitive.
Removing samples and paraphernalia when finished is important to keeping the area manageable. Rotors should be rinsed with tap water and inverted for drying. If you give a wipe while waiting for spins or data, you have made this place better for us all. This allows for tracing even minor problems to their source. Recent users can help pinpoint a problem by describing any symptoms that they observed.