Draining Rack, Metal Wire

Quick Answer: The Draining Rack, Metal Wire is a frame of metal wire with rows of upward-angled pegs on which washed glassware hangs upside down to drain and dry. The listing image shows a dark rectangular wire draining rack of the wall-hung type with several rows of pegs.

Drying Glassware on Angled Pegs

Washed glassware dries fastest when water can run straight out of it and air can circulate inside. Pegs angled upward hold each flask, cylinder or test tube mouth-down, so the last film of water runs off the rim while the open frame lets the inside dry. Glass left upright on a bench or tray dries slowly and collects dust in the neck.

Wire racks of this kind are normally fixed to a wall above a sink or drainer, so drips fall where they are collected. The frame in the photograph is dark, which suggests a coated finish; a coating matters, because bare steel wire rusts when it is wet every day. The title does not state the number of pegs, their length or the overall size.

A draining rack is for drying, not sterilising. After a final rinse with distilled or deionised water, glassware can drain here; anything that must be sterile goes on to an oven or autoclave, and sterile glass pipettes are kept in a closed metal pipette box.

Specifications

Applications

• Drying glassware after washing in school and college prep rooms
• Draining measuring cylinders and flasks between practical sessions
• Air-drying reagent bottles and funnels beside a lab sink
• Keeping clean glassware off the bench while it dries

Care & Handling

• Fix the rack with wall anchors that suit both the wall and the weight of wet glassware.
• Mount it over a sink or drip tray so water does not run down the wall.
• Check the pegs for chipped coating, and replace the rack before rust marks the glassware.
• Hang heavy flasks on the lower pegs and light test tubes higher up.

Why Choose LabEquip

Prep rooms that wash glassware for whole classes need somewhere to dry dozens of items at once without using bench space. LabEquip offers this wire rack in its General Lab Products range; contact us about size and peg count.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why dry glassware upside down?

Inverted glass drains completely, so no water collects at the bottom to leave spots or dilute the next solution. The mouth also faces down, which keeps dust out while it dries.

Should glassware be rinsed with distilled water before draining?

Yes, for analytical work. A final rinse with distilled or deionised water removes tap-water salts that would otherwise dry as white marks inside the glass.

Can volumetric glassware go on a draining rack?

Yes. Air-drying on a rack is a common way to dry volumetric flasks and cylinders, since it avoids putting calibrated glass in a hot oven.

Does a wire rack scratch glass?

Coated pegs do not scratch glassware in normal use. Bare metal from chipped coating can mark glass and leave rust, so replace worn racks.

Can plastic labware be dried on the rack?

Yes. Polypropylene bottles and cylinders drain the same way. Hang them on pegs that fit inside the neck so they do not fall off as they get lighter.

Where should a draining rack be installed?

Above a sink or drainer, away from burner benches and out of direct splash from the taps. Leave enough height beneath for the longest cylinders to hang clear.

Last Updated: September 2026