Sanitation, Disinfection, and Infection Control
Four words, four meanings
Cleaning removes visible debris with soap and water. Sanitizing reduces bacteria to a safer level. Disinfecting destroys or inactivates most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces and requires an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant with bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal claims, mixed at label strength and used for the full contact time - commonly 10 minutes of complete immersion. Sterilization destroys all microbial life and is not part of routine nail service.
The working routine
Wash hands before and after every client. Clean implements (scrub, rinse, dry), then immerse fully in a covered container of disinfectant; change solution per the manufacturer or when visibly soiled. Porous items - emery boards, orange-wood sticks, foam buffers, cotton - are single-use and discarded because they cannot be disinfected. Drill bits are cleaned and disinfected between clients. Foot spas must be drained, the screen and impeller removed and cleaned, the basin and internal lines disinfected with a low-foaming EPA-registered product circulated through the system, then rinsed and dried. Blood or body fluid spills call for gloves and a tuberculocidal disinfectant following the exposure plan.
Traps
Watch for "soak implements overnight and reuse the solution," "UV cabinets sterilize tools," "a sanitizer is a disinfectant," "it looks clean so it is safe," and "top off the disinfectant with water." Also: never service a client with a fungal or bacterial infection, an open lesion, or an undiagnosed rash - refer instead. Do not store implements in disinfectant as a substitute for the timed soak.
Rule of thumb: if an item cannot be fully immersed for the label contact time, treat it as single-use.