A method of detecting one or more characteristics of cells, the method comprising: a) a first step of, with an apertured surface of a patch-clamp electrode, forming a resistance seal of ≥ 1 GO with a membrane of a cell located in a preparation area, wherein the patch-clamp electrode is a pipette and the apertured surface comprises the aperture of the pipette; b) after the first step, a second step of effectively removing cellular debris from said apertured surface of said patch-clamp electrode such as to enable re-use of the electrode, wherein the second step comprises a cleaning step and a rinsing step; c) after the second step, a third step of, with said apertured surface of said patch-clamp electrode, forming a resistance seal of ≥ 1 GΩ with a membrane of a different cell located in said preparation area; characterized in that the cleaning step comprises the steps of: - applying high pressure to the pipette to expel large adherent cellular debris from the electrode, - moving the pipette into a chamber containing a cleaning solution, and - cycling pressure a number of times between positive pressure and negative pressure to bring the cleaning solution into contact with the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipette and to cyclically apply shear forces to the interior surface of the pipette; in that the rinsing step comprises the steps of: - moving the pipette into a chamber containing a rinse solution, and - cycling pressure a number of times between positive pressure and negative pressure to bring the rinse solution into contact with the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipette and to remove any residual cleaning solution from the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipette; and in that the cleaning solution comprises 33-43% sodium bicarbonate, 10-20% sodium (C10-C20) LAS, 5-15% sodium tripolyphosphate, 5-15% tetrasodium pyrophosphate, 1-10% sodium carbonate, and 1-5% sodium alcohol sulfate. a) a first step of, with an apertured surface of a patch-clamp electrode, forming a resistance seal of ≥ 1 GO with a membrane of a cell located in a preparation area, wherein the patch-clamp electrode is a pipette and the apertured surface comprises the aperture of the pipette; b) after the first step, a second step of effectively removing cellular debris from said apertured surface of said patch-clamp electrode such as to enable re-use of the electrode, wherein the second step comprises a cleaning step and a rinsing step; c) after the second step, a third step of, with said apertured surface of said patch-clamp electrode, forming a resistance seal of ≥ 1 GΩ with a membrane of a different cell located in said preparation area; - applying high pressure to the pipette to expel large adherent cellular debris from the electrode, - moving the pipette into a chamber containing a cleaning solution, and - cycling pressure a number of times between positive pressure and negative pressure to bring the cleaning solution into contact with the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipette and to cyclically apply shear forces to the interior surface of the pipette; - moving the pipette into a chamber containing a rinse solution, and - cycling pressure a number of times between positive pressure and negative pressure to bring the rinse solution into contact with the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipette and to remove any residual cleaning solution from the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipette; and