Infection Control, Sanitation, and Safety
The three levels of control
Cleaning removes visible debris with soap and water. Disinfection destroys most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces using an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant. Sterilization destroys all microbial life and requires an autoclave - not a UV cabinet, not a jar of blue liquid, not alcohol. Texas rules expect a hospital-grade disinfectant with a tuberculocidal claim, used for the full contact time printed on the label.
Traps that show up in questions
- Porous vs. nonporous. Files, buffers, pumice stones, sponges, and orangewood sticks absorb liquids and cannot be reliably disinfected. Use once and discard or give to the client. Metal and hard plastic implements are the ones you disinfect.
- Cleaning comes first. Disinfectant is inactivated by debris, so scrub implements with soap and water and dry them before immersion.
- Containers holding disinfectant must be covered, labeled, and the solution changed per manufacturer directions and whenever it looks cloudy.
- Anything dropped on the floor or touched by blood is contaminated and must be cleaned and disinfected before reuse.
- Blood exposure: stop, glove, apply antiseptic, bandage, bag contaminated items, disinfect the station, and document.
- Chemical safety: keep an SDS for every product, ventilate monomer vapors, never eat or drink at the station, store chemicals in labeled containers, and watch electrical cords near water.
Rule of thumb
Clean → Disinfect → Store covered. If an item cannot be cleaned, it cannot be disinfected.
Worked example: A metal cuticle pusher is used on a client. Scrub it with soap and water and a brush, rinse, dry, submerge it fully in hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant for the label contact time, retrieve it with clean tongs, and store it in a covered container. The emery board from that same service goes straight into the trash.