Cleaning

[Enchanting Beauty]

In the current situation, I feel I am coping with everything else but the cleaning is driving me mad, I thought I was clean before but jeez. I am mobile & depending on the equipment I have, it is taking me between half hour & an hour between every client! I just wanted to list my current schedule to see if anyone has any tips to cut it down, maybe I am being over cautious & doing too much as I’m virtually setting everything up again outside & absolutely everything I take in to a clients house is being cleaned after. I have got myself into a nice routine but just takes so long!
- Sanitise hands & pop gloves on.
- if I have tools, they are sprayed & scrubbed with soapy water & popped into mundo plus first of all.
- Spraying & scrubbing all products with soapy water then wiped over with mundo.
- Spraying & scrubbing all over trolleys/table/foot rest/stool/pedicure/manicure bowls/wax pot/lamps/polish boxes etc with soapy water then wiped over with mundo.
- Emptying bin & Bin liner changed after scrubbing with soapy water & wiped with mundo.
- Phone & card machine scrubbed with soapy water & wiped with mundo.
- My bag & shoes scrubbed with soapy water then wiped over. Shoes changed.
- Visor cleaned, mask off, sanitise hands & off to do it all over again.

Think that is everything. Fingers crossed someone has some advice & I am overthinking it.

 

[RosieR]

Your clients are really lucky to have such a thorough , caring therapist. I hope they appreciate your strict methods. I can't see much of a reduction to your workload. Perhaps consider my thoughts below.

Your products and equipment that only you touch - I would only wipe with the disinfectant wipes as long as it's anti-viral obviously. Only taking out of the clean storage container if you use it, and then place into a different container that is for products needing a clean on departure. ( you may already do this anyway)

Equipment/ items that they touch - continue with your usual excellent method.

The items that have been on their carpets- like wheels/ castors anything that you have like that you have got to assume they are contaminated and follow your normal routine.

Your bin - Take in two bin liners with handles and tie in an open fashion onto one of the trolley handles. So you ditch the bin.

Your shoes - wear the blue outer shoe covers that you can throw away in the bin bag from the job you have just done.

Only change your routine if you feel 100% happy, because we all know how things can play on our minds. I am sure you will do the right thing.
Good luck tomorrow.

 

[Trinity]

The best advice I got from a nurse when I was over thinking things was 'if the client hasn't touched it then it's not 'dirty'' - I think there's a touch of over doing it to your routine.

There is the view that you can't be too clean so if the above is your comfort level then that's more than ok too.

Just my thoughts feel free to ignore if you don't agree:

Products do not need scrubbing, client didn't touch them, only you
Wax pot hasn't been touched by client
Bin hasn't been touched by client
I wouldn't scrubbing card reader, they're not waterproof, card would only be waved over for contactless so not touched by client. I'd wipe with mundo if PIN was imput manually.
Bag and shoes - debatable. I'd go with shoe covers rather than scrub down.

I'd also consider some form of 'something' to set your kit on, maybe an extra towel, plastic table cloth?? and set your kit on it, then no need to scrub cases, bags, etc. Just throw the towel in the wash, wipe over plastic sheet. Again, not touched by client, just hygenic.

 

[TheDuchess]

You need a system, extra sets of tools and a bit more plastic in your life.

I’d set up individual lidded plastic storage boxes, and zip locked grab bags, one per client.

Each grab bag would have a clean visor, overshoes, and a plastic sheet (shower curtain?) or scrummi towel. On arrival, I’d pop the plastic overshoes and visor on, put down my sheet and then place all my stuff on the sheet.

Each box will house everything that you need for each house call. A set of tools for that client, a Zip locked bag of consumables - just enough, individual plastic bags to pop your phone and card machine into, plastic bags to line your mani and pedi bowls or a bowl per client, a rubbish bag and a cleaning kit.

I keep surgical spirit in spray bottles and I spray on to a cotton pad (actually I use cut up bits of scrummi towel) and wipe over my waxing equipment and trolley. I’d personally just do this rather than cleaning then sanitising stuff that’s just stood in the clients house.

And I’d experiment with taping a bin bag on to my trolley for my rubbish rather than having a bin that has to be cleaned. I wouldn’t wipe my bag over if I’d stood it on a disposable/reusable plastic sheet

At the end of the visit, Chuck everything back into the box to deal with at home. When you get home, wear gloves, stick your rubbish in the bin and wash all your plastic overshoes, bags and sheet with soapy water and air dry. As nothing’s touching your skin or your client’s skin you don’t need to sanitise these things, normal cleaning is ok. Spray and wipe the inside of your storage box and repack with all your sanitised tools, visor and consumables ready for the next day.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

Thank you so much everyone for your help & amazing ideas. I knew I was probably overthinking it & going crazy. I think I just felt more comfortable cleaning everything just in case but now I know it’s not necessary things will hopefully be easier.
You’re all stars!
I did look at the plastic overshoes but I suffer with really hot feet that makes the rest of me feel hot which don’t need at the moment so that’s why I have separate shoes.0

 

[Trinity]

I did look at the plastic overshoes but I suffer with really hot feet that makes the rest of me feel hot which don’t need at the moment so that’s why I have separate shoes.0

Not sure i get the shoe issue in general, if shoes were a problem I would expect shops to have shoe baths, we had similar things when Foot & Mouth was rife about 20 years ago (not high street shops, but some rural establishments).

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

Not sure i get the shoe issue in general, if shoes were a problem I would expect shops to have shoe baths, we had similar things when Foot & Mouth was rife about 20 years ago (not high street shops, but some rural establishments).

I know, it’s just my brain going into overdrive. I guess it’s the same with bags & things, put them on a clients floor you immediately think they need to be sanitised the hell out of. I don’t think i’d be so OCD if I wasn’t mobile to be honest.

 

[Kaldrin]

What about wearing crocs if your worried about feet. Nice and cool to wear and easy to clean.
i also bought the plastic Coated fabric from Dunelm (£3.50 a metre) it’s been fantastic to use on my couch To speed up my cleaning. I use it smaller sized for other treatments. Folds up small and easy to wipe down and clean.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

What about wearing crocs if your worried about feet. Nice and cool to wear and easy to clean.
i also bought the plastic Coated fabric from Dunelm (£3.50 a metre) it’s been fantastic to use on my couch To speed up my cleaning. I use it smaller sized for other treatments. Folds up small and easy to wipe down and clean.

Good idea about the fabric! Thanks!

 

[House Beauty]

In the current situation, I feel I am coping with everything else but the cleaning is driving me mad, I thought I was clean before but jeez. I am mobile & depending on the equipment I have, it is taking me between half hour & an hour between every client! I just wanted to list my current schedule to see if anyone has any tips to cut it down, maybe I am being over cautious & doing too much as I’m virtually setting everything up again outside & absolutely everything I take in to a clients house is being cleaned after. I have got myself into a nice routine but just takes so long!
- Sanitise hands & pop gloves on.
- if I have tools, they are sprayed & scrubbed with soapy water & popped into mundo plus first of all.
- Spraying & scrubbing all products with soapy water then wiped over with mundo.
- Spraying & scrubbing all over trolleys/table/foot rest/stool/pedicure/manicure bowls/wax pot/lamps/polish boxes etc with soapy water then wiped over with mundo.
- Emptying bin & Bin liner changed after scrubbing with soapy water & wiped with mundo.
- Phone & card machine scrubbed with soapy water & wiped with mundo.
- My bag & shoes scrubbed with soapy water then wiped over. Shoes changed.
- Visor cleaned, mask off, sanitise hands & off to do it all over again.

Think that is everything. Fingers crossed someone has some advice & I am overthinking it.

Might I suggest instead of keep cleaning your bag you put couch roll down wherever you put your bag on top of? Like carers and nurses are meant to. Have a clean bag and a dirty bag. Remember hand sanitiser and soap are always considered dirty as handled with dirty hands but need to be easily accessed so on a side pocket. Or like a clip on sanitiser and soap for your belt.

Then buy a pair of overshoes or some disposable ones. Cleaning your shoes between clients is excessive and easily replaced. Just a bit of alcohol spray on the overshoes before packing away once you are out of their house. It’s what I get my garden visitors to do if they need the loo.


This actually all just sounds like a normal day to me because I struggle with germs anyway. I got very sick once and it made me see everything differently.

If the bag is always clean, and is only put on clean surfaces, and you only touch the bag with clean hands, and only put disinfected tools, equipment and products in the bag, there is no reason for the bag to be continually cleaned. You protect the client and yourself by using the couch roll under it. Even if there was some contamination, you needn’t worry because you can encourage them to wash hands before and after in front of you. And do the same yourself and when you get home. Keep the bag separate by the door and don’t use it without washing hands before and after.

I have always had extra time between clients wherever possible (usually summer and Christmas impossible), as I don’t see any reason why anyone should have anything less than perfect, so I’ve always steam cleaned wax spots, disinfected the floor and surfaces and tools and couch and products after every visitor. I think it’s pretty basic but I’ve been doing it a LONG time and most of the hour is spent relaxing after to stop sweating before the next one.

My price though, reflects the FULL amount of time I’m working. That includes the cleaning time.

I saw too many salons not giving their staff room to stop and breathe after a long massage or sweaty wax.

The beauty of time is a wonderful thing add on a deep clean price or add like £10 for an hour of cleaning. Eg brows 30mins = £5 cleaning. Waxing takes an hour to clean up add £10.

It’s a privilege to get treatments at the moment, not a lot of self employed beauty therapists are working as we don’t fancy dying and don’t want to go back yet...so you are in demand. Show them how good you are and reflect it in how much

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

Might I suggest instead of keep cleaning your bag you put couch roll down wherever you put your bag on top of? Like carers and nurses are meant to. Have a clean bag and a dirty bag. Remember hand sanitiser and soap are always considered dirty as handled with dirty hands but need to be easily accessed so on a side pocket. Or like a clip on sanitiser and soap for your belt.

Then buy a pair of overshoes or some disposable ones. Cleaning your shoes between clients is excessive and easily replaced. Just a bit of alcohol spray on the overshoes before packing away once you are out of their house. It’s what I get my garden visitors to do if they need the loo.


This actually all just sounds like a normal day to me because I struggle with germs anyway. I got very sick once and it made me see everything differently.

If the bag is always clean, and is only put on clean surfaces, and you only touch the bag with clean hands, and only put disinfected tools, equipment and products in the bag, there is no reason for the bag to be continually cleaned. You protect the client and yourself by using the couch roll under it. Even if there was some contamination, you needn’t worry because you can encourage them to wash hands before and after in front of you. And do the same yourself and when you get home. Keep the bag separate by the door and don’t use it without washing hands before and after.

I have always had extra time between clients wherever possible (usually summer and Christmas impossible), as I don’t see any reason why anyone should have anything less than perfect, so I’ve always steam cleaned wax spots, disinfected the floor and surfaces and tools and couch and products after every visitor. I think it’s pretty basic but I’ve been doing it a LONG time and most of the hour is spent relaxing after to stop sweating before the next one.

My price though, reflects the FULL amount of time I’m working. That includes the cleaning time.

I saw too many salons not giving their staff room to stop and breathe after a long massage or sweaty wax.

The beauty of time is a wonderful thing add on a deep clean price or add like £10 for an hour of cleaning. Eg brows 30mins = £5 cleaning. Waxing takes an hour to clean up add £10.

It’s a privilege to get treatments at the moment, not a lot of self employed beauty therapists are working as we don’t fancy dying and don’t want to go back yet...so you are in demand. Show them how good you are and reflect it in how much

Thankyou for your tips. It has gone better the last couple of days, using a disposable plastic sheet under equipment/bags that don’t get touched by the client. Have got into the routine of sanitising hands before I get my equipment out of the car so i’m not touching with dirty hands then again when i’m inside before I start unpacking, then sanitising hands & wiping down my products with mundo before putting back into my trolley.
It’s just remembering to do everything right & not getting stressed over it.
Don’t like the idea of overshoes as I get really hot feet but might give them a go sometime. I generally wear sliders so fairly quick to clean in between.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

For anyones interest, I have bought some Clinell universal wipes. These are the wipes you see in hospitals & are effective against coronavirus in 60 seconds & surfaces do not need to be cleaned beforehand so could be time saving for everyone.
Plus they do usually work out cheaper than the mundo wipes I have bought previously.
www.medisave.co.uk