Infection Control and Sanitation
What the exam tests
Infection control is high-stakes because Ohio inspectors and the Board treat sanitation failures as license-level violations. Expect questions on cleaning versus disinfection versus sterilization, EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants, and blood or body-fluid handling.
Core rules
- Clean first: visible debris, product residue, and oil must be removed before disinfectant contacts a tool; disinfectant cannot penetrate soil.
- Use an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant labeled tuberculocidal at the label dilution and full contact time.
- Nonporous implements such as metal extractors, tweezers, scissors, and glass are cleaned, rinsed, dried, fully immersed, and stored covered. Porous items such as towels, cotton, wooden spatulas, and paper are single-use or laundered.
- No double-dipping: a wax stick or product spatula that touches skin never returns to the pot.
- Wash hands before and after each client; wear gloves for extractions, waxing, and contact with blood or body fluids.
- Blood/body-fluid spill: stop, glove, absorb with disposable material, disinfect the area with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant, discard waste per label, and document.
- Keep an SDS for every product and store disinfectants closed, labeled, and away from client areas.
Worked example
A metal extractor falls on the floor. Rinsing it in alcohol is not enough. Reasoning: the tool is contaminated with debris and possibly blood; alcohol may not be EPA-registered hospital-grade or tuberculocidal at the used strength. Correct sequence: remove visible soil, clean with soap or detergent, rinse, dry, immerse in the proper disinfectant for the label contact time, then store covered.
Traps
- Calling a UV cabinet or a general sanitizer a disinfectant.
- Topping off a disinfectant jar instead of replacing the solution.
- Skipping the clean step because the disinfectant looks strong.
- Using the same spatula for multiple clients.