Implements, Equipment, and Salon Sanitation Practices
Implements and Their Care
Know which items are reusable and which are single-use. Reusable: metal nippers, cuticle pushers, metal files, tweezers, drill bits (per manufacturer), and basins. Single-use: emery boards, buffers, wooden sticks, cotton, toe separators, disposable liners, and gloves. Reusable implements follow the full cycle: clean with soap and water, dry, immerse in hospital-grade disinfectant for the label contact time, remove with tongs or gloved hands, rinse, dry, and store in a clean closed container. Electrical tools and porous items that cannot be immersed are wiped or discarded per manufacturer instructions.
Equipment and the Station
Keep the work area uncluttered and clean. Covered waste containers, a covered disinfectant tray, and a designated dirty/clean separation prevent cross-contamination. Disinfect the table, lamp, and client chair surfaces between clients. Change linens per client or use disposable covers. Keep product containers closed and never double-dip a stick into product used on a client.
Salon-Wide Practices
Ventilation, handwashing stations, and posted rules are required. Floors should be clean and free of spills. Waste containing blood or body fluids is handled per regulation. Keep a log of disinfection if required by your facility, and know your role in inspections.
Traps
Trap: assuming a UV lamp needs no cleaning - surfaces do. Trap: storing disinfected implements in an open drawer. Trap: using disinfectant without cleaning first. Trap: reusing a file "because it looks clean." Trap: confusing sanitizing with disinfecting.
Rule of thumb: if it touches a client and cannot be disinfected, it is single-use.