The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro the effect of different variables (delivery system, surface contact with the irrigant, the frequency of changing the irrigant and the total volume of the irrigant) of sodium hypochlorite on the elimination of E. faecalis using rotary instrumentation and intermittent passive ultrasonic irrigation (IPUI). MATERIALS and METHODS: Sixty extracted single-rooted teeth were instrumented up to size 20 K-file, then inoculated with E. faecalis.