Infection Control, Safety, and Business Practices
Microbiology and decontamination
Know the pathogen groups - bacteria (cocci, bacilli, spirilla), viruses, fungi, and parasites - and that only some are harmful. Infection control has three levels: cleaning (soap and water, removes debris), disinfection (EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant, kills most pathogens on nonporous surfaces), and sterilization (autoclave, destroys all microbial life). Nonporous implements are washed, dried, fully submerged in disinfectant for the label's contact time, then stored clean. Porous items cannot be disinfected - discard or use once. Wash hands before and after every client, wear gloves when blood is present, and follow your exposure plan for cuts and spills.
Safety
Electrical cords, wet floors, hot tools, and sharp implements each need a routine. Keep SDS sheets for chemicals on hand, label secondary containers, and never mix products.
Business practices
Understand pricing (cost of goods plus time plus overhead), commission versus booth rental, retail margins, scheduling, and record keeping. State board rules, licensing, sanitation inspections, and liability insurance are legal requirements, not options.
Traps
- Disinfectant cannot penetrate debris - cleaning always comes first.
- Disinfection is not sterilization; an autoclave is not a jar of blue liquid.
- “Hospital-grade” and “EPA-registered” are both required claims for the disinfectant you use.
- Contact time is set by the label, not by how busy you are.
Rule of thumb
Clean it, disinfect it for the full label time, store it covered, and if it is porous or single-use, throw it away.