While I do not have extensive lab experience by any means, let alone with anything you'd want to be injecting yourself with, I thought I'd read through this to get some terror-chuckles.
We're going to start by cleaning the area around our workspace. Use a damp cloth to wipe down
While it's a good sentiment, just some cloth with kitchen sink water isn't the
best way to start. Being at least a meter from a fan will do nothing to reduce any form of particulates in suspension.
ensuring that the cap is tight to prevent water ingress
We're heating airtight flasks now. I mean it may not be a problem, since the water won't go past 100ºC, but it's a tossup between fucking up your reaction with water or the kitty getting hit by glass shrapnel.
(steam can cause burns, be cautious)
Let's be honest, anyone that needs to hear this should not be running any sort of synthesis. That includes most cooking.
I can't speak for the synthesis itself, but to me it's kind of wild that it
is something you could realistically do at a kitchen counter. Now, if I'd bet on something going badly, my inner bossman tells me it'd be some retard thinking the gloves and profuse cleaning are to protect them from the
reagents as opposed to protecting them from the
filth that surrounds them. If they decide no to go with the autoclave step, or not recognize a contaminated vial, then, well, things could get quite unpleasant.
Actual lab rats could tell me though, I'm very much not an expert.