Envy
Well-Known Member
This is a topic that is VERY important in the salon to keep you and your clients safe and is often misunderstood: The different types and levels of sanitation and when you should use them...
Sterilise - Destruction of ALL living organisms
Sterilisation is crucial in any industry/ treatment where inner body work (blood, or bodily fulid) is done (example, dental/surgical/piercings/tatoo) Hopefully, no nail technician is getting anywhere near this type of treatment...
Sterilisation is achieved at 100+ degree C. IE autoclave (steam) or boiling, this is mandatory by law for any of the above treatments. It is completely unnessecary for nail techs as we are not ever doing invasive procedures (hopefully
) Plus it will destroy the majority of our equipment...
Disinfection - Kills All living organisms (except fungal Spores)
This is the highest level of sanitation a nail technician needs to go to, unless blood has been drawn for any reason.
To achieve disinfection you need a hospital grade or EPA approved disinfectant. Most, such as barbicide+ require soaking for a minimum of 10 minutes and then drying off. However there are better ones available for nail techs as soaking can damage your files/tools a lot. the best I have found is Virkon, which is used to spray down surgical theatres - It is a spray till wet then let air dry action, which is ideal for techs.
Although often said, nail techs can not disinfect themselves or clients - as we are living organisms for it to really work it would also be killing us
a GREAT idea to prevent cross contamination is to have a file per customer and keep it tucked away for them only. These files should be cleaned with a nail brush to remove build up of dust etc, the disinfected as per instruction of the disinfectant you are using and then when fully dry stored in a brown paper bag or similar. **Paper bags ensure that excess moisture is absorbed away, which helps prevent the build up of any bacteria
Sanitation - Greatly reduces the number of pathogens (harmful germs) on a surface
This is what nail technicians should be practising rigerously.
The MOST effective form of sanitation is soap and water for 30 seconds... seriously... A good top up is keeping your work spaces clean, dust and dirt free and using products such as anti bac gel etc
Sterilise - Destruction of ALL living organisms
Sterilisation is crucial in any industry/ treatment where inner body work (blood, or bodily fulid) is done (example, dental/surgical/piercings/tatoo) Hopefully, no nail technician is getting anywhere near this type of treatment...
Sterilisation is achieved at 100+ degree C. IE autoclave (steam) or boiling, this is mandatory by law for any of the above treatments. It is completely unnessecary for nail techs as we are not ever doing invasive procedures (hopefully
Disinfection - Kills All living organisms (except fungal Spores)
This is the highest level of sanitation a nail technician needs to go to, unless blood has been drawn for any reason.
To achieve disinfection you need a hospital grade or EPA approved disinfectant. Most, such as barbicide+ require soaking for a minimum of 10 minutes and then drying off. However there are better ones available for nail techs as soaking can damage your files/tools a lot. the best I have found is Virkon, which is used to spray down surgical theatres - It is a spray till wet then let air dry action, which is ideal for techs.
Although often said, nail techs can not disinfect themselves or clients - as we are living organisms for it to really work it would also be killing us
a GREAT idea to prevent cross contamination is to have a file per customer and keep it tucked away for them only. These files should be cleaned with a nail brush to remove build up of dust etc, the disinfected as per instruction of the disinfectant you are using and then when fully dry stored in a brown paper bag or similar. **Paper bags ensure that excess moisture is absorbed away, which helps prevent the build up of any bacteria
Sanitation - Greatly reduces the number of pathogens (harmful germs) on a surface
This is what nail technicians should be practising rigerously.
The MOST effective form of sanitation is soap and water for 30 seconds... seriously... A good top up is keeping your work spaces clean, dust and dirt free and using products such as anti bac gel etc
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