Keeping your equipment clean and sanitised is vitally important. This reduces the risk of transferring unseen contamination from one client to another. Some items are single use, e.g. cotton rounds, lint free removers etc.
Cleaning manicure/pedicure implements
Reusable manicure and pedicure implement’s must be sanitised, disinfected or sterilised between every treatment to avoid cross infection.
- Plastic implements can be cleaned and sanitised with a suitable detergent and wiped over with an alcohol such as isopropyl.
- Implements such as nail files which cannot be washed or sterilised must be of single use and disposed of.
- All metal implements can be and should be sterilised between every treatment.
Sterilisation is the total destruction of all micro-organisms including their spores. Common sterilisation methods used in a beauty salon include
- Autoclave
- Bead steriliser
The autoclave is a method of sterilisation that uses a moist heat. It is an item of electrical equipment used to sterilise small metal implements such as a metal cuticle knife. Water is boiled under pressure at 121°C, which is hot enough to sterilise the implements placed within the unit.
A bead steriliser has a protective insulated case that contains tiny glass beads. The beads are heated to 190-300°C which will sterilise a small metal implement in 1-10 minutes once it is placed within the beads.
Sterilization and Sanitization
|
Tool/equipment |
Use |
Method of cleaning |
Term used |
Storage |
|
Trolley |
Holding products |
Wipe with Disinfectant |
Sanitisation |
In room |
|
Towel |
Wrapping foot and covering trolley |
Wash in hot soapy water (600C) |
Sanitisation |
In linen pile |
|
Cuticle knife/ curette |
Removes excess cuticle from nail plate |
Autoclave |
Sterilization |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Cuticle nippers |
Removes dead skin Around the nails |
Autoclave |
Sterilization |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Orange wood stick |
Removes flooding from enamel Cleans under free edge |
Throw away after use |
Disposable |
Throw away |
|
Skin rasps/pedi paddle/Foot file |
Buffing skin off soles of the feet |
Autoclave/ Isopropyl alcohol |
Sterilization/ Sanitisation |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Finger bowl |
Soaking fingers |
Disinfectant |
Sanitisation |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Files |
To shape the nail |
Disinfectant/customize abrasives |
Sanitisation |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Spatula |
Scooping products out of containers |
Throw away after use |
Disposable |
Throw away |
|
Nail clippers |
Clips length of toenails |
Autoclave |
Sterilization |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Scissors |
To trim excess nail length |
Autoclave |
Sterilization |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Hoof stick |
Gently push back the Cuticle |
Wipe with disinfectant |
Sanitisation |
Clean, dry draw |
|
Trolley |
Holding products |
Wipe with Disinfectant |
Sanitisation |
In room |
|
Towel |
Wrapping foot and covering trolley |
Wash in hot soapy water (600C) |
Sanitisation |
In linen pile |
|
Cuticle knife/ curette |
Removes excess cuticle from nail plate |
Autoclave |
Sterilization |
Clean, dry draw |