The establishment of tuber crops into in vitro culture requires the isolation of vegetative structures (explants) containing buds. Explants should be inoculated in vessels containing a nutritive substrate (culture medium) where buds will grow to became whole plantlets. For the case of sweetpotato, the preferred explant for in vitro culture is the apical or axilar bud of the stem. Because plant material may carry superficial contaminants, a surface sterilization process to eliminate microorganisms is conducted. Fungi and bacteria that are not adequately eliminated can grow and contaminate the culture media damaging the explants in culture. The procedure detailed in this document has been found to reduce contamination to less than 5% on plant material samples taken from potted plants.