Infection Control, Sanitation, Disinfection, and Client Safety
Three terms, three different jobs
Cleaning/sanitation uses soap, water, or detergent to remove visible debris and reduce microbial counts. Disinfection uses an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant to kill most pathogenic organisms - including tuberculosis bacteria and HIV - on nonporous surfaces. Sterilization kills all microorganisms including spores, typically by autoclave.
Tweezers contact the lash line and periocular area, so treat them as semi-critical: clean off adhesive and debris first (debris shields microbes from the chemical), then fully immerse in disinfectant for the label's stated contact time, then dry and store covered. A quick wipe is not disinfection. Porous items - lash strips, glue rings, cotton pads, disposable mascara wands, eye pads - cannot be disinfected and must be single-use and discarded.
Hands, surfaces, and products
Wash hands with soap and water before and after every client and after removing gloves; sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled. Wear gloves and change torn ones. Cap and date secondary containers, keep the manufacturer's SDS on site, cover adhesive, and never double-dip a tool into product. Clean and disinfect the bed, lamp, and tray between clients.
Blood or body fluid spill
Don gloves, absorb and remove the material, clean the surface, then disinfect with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal product at the labeled contact time; discard contaminated disposables in a covered waste container.
Traps
Microwaving or UV cabinets "sterilizing" tweezers; storing tools in a jar of sanitizer and calling it disinfection; reusing one glue dot all day; assuming a disinfectant works on contact (contact time matters); disinfecting items that are actually porous.
Rule of thumb
If it can't be washed and soaked, it's single-use.