The inoculation loop is sterilized in a fire until it becomes hot before and after each use.

At the end of incubation there should be enough bacteria to form visible colonies in the areas touched by the inoculation loop.

The streaking is done using a sterile tool, such as a cotton swab or commonly an inoculation loop.

An inoculation loop, also called a smear loop, inoculation wand or microstreaker, is a simple tool used mainly by microbiologists to retrieve an inoculum from a culture of microorganisms.

It is used when laboratory work requires a hotter flame than attainable using a Bunsen burner, or used when a larger-diameter flame is desired, such as with an inoculation loop or in some glassblowing operations.

With an inoculation loop, several loopfuls of mycobacteria test colonies are transferred to 0.5ml of urease substrate, mixed to emulsify and incubated at 35 C for three days; a colour change (from amber-yellow to pink-red) is sought.