Safety, Sanitation, and Infection Control
Three distinct levels of clean
Cleaning removes visible debris, oil, and product with soap or detergent and water. Disinfection destroys most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces and implements. Sterilization destroys all microbial life, including bacterial spores. Salon implements are cleaned and then disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant; sterilization is required only where the manufacturer or Board rule specifies it (for example, reusable metal implements after blood contact).
Why order matters
Disinfectants are inactivated by blood, oil, and debris, so an implement dropped straight into solution is not disinfected. Scrub, rinse, dry, fully immerse, then store covered. Porous items - files, buffers, orangewood sticks, foam separators, nail brushes, disposable liners - cannot be disinfected and are single-use, discarded after each client.
Reading the label
Contact time is kill time. A 10-minute product means ten full minutes of immersion. Concentration matters as well: measure or use test strips, and change solution when it becomes cloudy, contaminated, or reaches the manufacturer's stated interval.
Bloodborne pathogens
Treat every client as potentially infectious. Gloves whenever contact with blood or body fluids is possible, no recapping or bending of sharp implements, and a posted exposure control plan with a known procedure for a cut or needlestick.
Traps candidates fall for
"UV cabinets sterilize," "soap and water disinfects," "disinfectant kills spores," and "an autoclave is required for all metal tools." None is correct in a salon setting. Another favorite: a tool that touched only intact skin still needs cleaning and disinfection between clients.
Rule of thumb
Clean → disinfect → store covered. If it is porous or cannot be fully immersed, it is single-use.