They also need to be mechanically cleaned. Simply sterile is not sufficient due to the presence of pyrogens after sterilization.

https://ethidelabs.com/depyrogenation-and-sterilization-for-...

Yes, but once they are out of their container, they start collecting bacterias.

No matter how clean operating rooms are (which can vary a lot), it's never perfectly sanitized.

A cheap way to get many surfaces agent free would be a nice additional safety measure.

It depends on the instrument, you can't autoclave the scope used for cystology for example, they're generally treated with vaporized Hydrogen peroxide. It's very effective, but not as effective as an autoclave.