Infection Control, Sanitation, and Disinfection
This domain tests how well you can break the chain of infection in a nail salon: hand hygiene, cleaning, disinfection, and safe handling of implements and footbaths. Nevada rules under NRS 644 and NAC 644 require licensed salons to follow Board sanitation standards, and the exam expects you to know the difference between cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.
The decontamination ladder
- Cleaning removes visible debris, product, and oils with soap or detergent and water; it does not kill pathogens.
- Disinfection uses an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant, often labeled tuberculocidal, on precleaned implements; follow the label's dilution and contact time exactly.
- Sterilization destroys all microbial life and is not the routine salon standard for nail implements.
Implements and surfaces
Porous items - files, buffers, wooden sticks, cotton - are single-use and cannot be reliably disinfected. Metal nippers, pushers, and scissors are cleaned, rinsed, dried, then fully immersed in disinfectant. Work surfaces are cleaned then disinfected between clients. Whirlpool footbaths require cleaning and disinfection of the basin and jets according to the manufacturer and Board protocol; recirculating dirty water is a common violation. Wash hands before and after each client, wear gloves when handling blood or broken skin, and use a spill kit for blood.
Worked example
A metal pusher falls on the floor. It is contaminated, so you cannot just wipe it and reuse it. Set it aside in a contaminated-items tray, finish with a clean implement, then clean and disinfect the pusher for the full label contact time before it returns to service. A dropped file goes in the trash.
Traps
Topping off disinfectant, skipping precleaning, using a UV cabinet as a substitute for chemical disinfection, and reusing porous files all lose marks.