How To Disinfect Pedicure Tools

How Can Your Day Spa Sanitize A Footbath

A customer may ask you how you keep a footbath clean to provide a pedicure, and this is the sanitizing method that you must use. After a client removes her feet from a footbath, you should empty it. Next, you must fill the footbath with clean water and a cleanser that contains bleach. Turn on the footbath before activating the circulation process to remove the debris.

Here Is Step By Step How To Clean Your Nail Tools With 70% Isopropyl Alcohol

Step 1. When you are ready to clean your nail tools, place them into a bowl with warm soapy water. The warm soapy water will get into those hidden places and get all of those little bits out of hard to reach places. This is especially helpful with little bits of gel or nail polish that is stuck onto the tool.

Step 2. Let your nail tools soak for about 5 minutes. Let your nail tools sit in the soapy water even longer, up to 10 minutes if they are especially dirty or have not been cleaned for a long time. Now is the perfect time to get out a toothbrush and gently & thoroughly clean inside the hard to reach places to make sure there is no skin, dirt or nail leftovers.

Step 3. With freshly cleaned hands or using nitrile gloves, remove your nail tools from the soapy water and pat completely dry with paper towel. Pay attention to any bits of skin, nail residue or dirt that might still be on the nail tool, especially inside nail clippers.

Step 4. Place into a bowl and cover completely with 70% Isopropyl alcohol and let them sit for 30 minutes.

Step 5. Remove the tools from the Isopropyl alcohol with clean hands.

Step 6. Let your tools air dry on paper towel.

Step 7. Store nail tools in a clean, dry place. It is important to store your nail tools away from dust, moisture and insects. Having all of your nail tools organized is very important to being productive. Read our article about the best nail art storage ideas.

Use 70% isopropyl alcohol like this brand Jermee

The Best Way To Kill Time While Getting A Manicure Or Doing Your Own

I love listening to ebooks while doing my nails. I am not distracted by whats on the TV, Im not album surfing for the perfect song, Im just doing my nails and focusing on the story. If you havent listened to an ebook, I suggest you give it a try. Its a great way to learn while doing something else, and the narrators tend to have pretty buttery voices which always makes listening more enjoyable. Audible is offering ! There are over 150,000 titles you can choose from, and all you need to do is visit for your free download. If you want a suggestion for a book which teaches the listener all about forming habits , this is a winner: The Power of Habit. Enjoy!

What have your experiences been at nail salons, have you ever been sketched out by a salon, or is there a super clean one near you?

• TAGS

Read Also: What Is Gel Powder Nails

Helps Kill Menacing Fungi

Skin fungus is one of the worst skin problems people face. It commonly affects the foot as it has the most amount of stored sweat and dirt.

Some common skin diseases caused by fungi are athletes foot, jock itch, ringworm, and yeast infections. Generally, they are characterized by red, itchy spots which are unsightly.

In feet, they show yellow nails with white spots. This is because the fungus builds up in your nail, separating and loosening your nail from the skin. As you can imagine, it is not a pleasant sight to look at.

Hydrogen peroxide is an essential tool in combating fungi. While most of the cleansers focus on killing bacteria, hydrogen peroxide has universal antimicrobial properties. This property of hydrogen peroxide is provided by its reactive oxygen, which oxidizes and kills fungi cell walls, relieving your feet from this menace.

What Sanitation Procedures Should You Look For In Your Nail Salon

Lets be clear, the only way to be sure the manicure and pedicure tools used on you are clean, especially in high-traffic nail salons is to take your own. But if you cant bring yourself to do that, here are a few things to look for to insure the safest possible nail service:

• Make sure any nippers, clippers, or other metal implements are put into a germicidal solution after they use them on you. Thats usually a greenish or bluish liquid in a glass container at their station. If they put them in after your service its more likely they came out of a disinfectant as well.

• If the manicurist picks up a dust-filled cup with tools in it and moved it to the next station, they arent intending to wash those. Ive seen it happen with my own eyes!

• Pay attention to whats going on around you. Are they cleaning surfaces between clients, taking care of the tools by either putting them in solutions or taking them out?

• Dust isnt necessarily an indication of a dirty salon as its a work hazard. But if it looks as if its never been cleaned, Id steer clear.

• Are those mass nail polish dryers wiped out after each use? Ive never seen this happen in a salon where Ive patronized.
• The cleaning of the Pedicure Basin is a big concern so much so it gets its own section.

Pedicure Basins are Particularly Concerning

Oh, those beloved, relaxing jacuzzi pedicure basins. This could be an entire post on its own as dirty ones could lead to skin infections and worse.

Its Cool to be Safe

Recommended Reading: Can You Get Nail Tech License Online

How Do You Clean A Nail Buffer Or Emery Board

Cleaning non-porous tools made from metal and glass is straight forward. But, what about porous abrasives, such as buffers and nail files?

You still need to disinfect these implements if they are not single use. The same process should still apply you need to remove all the dust, wash them and apply a disinfectant for the required amount of time.

If you cant completely submerge your nail buffer in disinfectant, you can spray it directly onto the surface instead.

Spa Chairs And Proper Cleaning

Now heres where things can really get dicey, grungy, scary, whatever. The basins of pedicure chairs can be drained out after each client, and even sprayed with disinfectant. However, the real hidden issue has to do with what goes down the drain. In fact, the screens and tubes of foot spas often harbor biofilm, which is basically layers of cells and proteins which can be hard to remove and more importantly, cultivate bacterial growth from other peoples skin or the water supply . So what this means is, even a little wipe down isnt doing much since its all the stuff you cant see in the filtration and drain systems which is the real problem. You have to ensure that the basins and the inner workings are disinfected after each use and cleaned nightly. Many cities regulate the cleaning procedures and require salons to keep cleaning logs, but more on that later.

You can also opt for a salon or spa which does their pedicures in basins without drains theyll use very large bowls instead which simply have to be cleaned and disinfected after each use.

Also Check: How To Get Dried Nail Polish Out Of Carpet

For Safe Manicures And Pedicures

A girl likes her nails done and with sandal season fast approaching nail salons are usually abuzz right about now. However, with the COVID-19 threat, it might be best to skip the salon and do at-home manicures and pedicures. But whether youre doing at home nail care or are venturing back into the salon, using Disinfectable Manicure and Pedicure Tools is of the utmost importance in our current world health climate. This is a subject I might know a thing or two about and today Im sharing my favorites.

This post contains affiliate links. I make a commission if you purchase these links but it doesnt affect the price you pay for the item. Thank you for supporting me through your purchases and encouraging comments. You keep this website going! Full disclosure.

Nail Tools Get Dirty Fast

Salons use lots of tools to give clients that fresh manicure or pedicure, but to reduce overhead costs, most have to reuse these tools on multiple clients. As long as your salon is devoted to cleanliness, this isnt a problem, but when you neglect cleaning the tools they get dirty fast, which can turn away clients if the tools arent sanitary. Even something as simple as a dinghy floor may make customers think you dont care.

Businesses do best when they can get repeat customers, but customers want a business that cares. If you cant keep repeat customers, you have to rely on a constant new supply of clients, and these new clients will eventually run out, especially if they are telling friends that your salon looked dirty.

Besides making sure you clean and disinfect everything including your nail tools and equipment, consider giving clients their own bag of tools only used on them. When they come back, they bring the tools. Remember, youll still need to clean and disinfect the used tools as part of your service.

You May Like: How To Take Off Dip Nails At Home

Push Back Cuticles With An Orange Stick

Use The Callus Shaver On Thick Calluses

Read Also: What’s The Best Hair Skin And Nails Vitamins

Throw Away Any Disposable Tools

Dont leave single-use nail tools and supplies out on your table during your clients manicure! As soon as you are done with a disposable nail file, tissue or orange stick, put it in the bin by your table.

Once you are finished with any reusable tools, put them in a tray ready to be sanitised and disinfected when the manicure is over be sure you dont get them mixed up with clean implements and tools.

Hair Brushes Combs And Accessories

The Spruce / Jorge Gamboa

Hairbrushes and combs collect lots of oily dirt, dead skin, and hair products on their surfaces. If you don’t clean them regularly, all of that gunk can be transferred back to your hair and leave it looking dull and flat.

Plastic and metal barrettes, headbands, and clips can be cleaned using the steps above. But you might also need to use a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad to remove hairspray residue.

For fabric headbands and bows, follow label directions or spot clean with a gentle detergent and water. Allow the items to air dry. Then, spritz on a bit of spray starch or fabric sizing, and gently reshape with your fingers.

Recommended Reading: How Do You Remove Sally Hansen Gel Nail Polish

Why Ultrasonic Cleaning Is An Important First Step

Based on accepted procedures used to clean dental and surgical instruments many states are now requiring nail spas to include ultrasonic cleaning as the first step in cleaning, then sanitizing or sterilizing their manicure and pedicure tools. Thats because the sonication that occurs in these cleaners safely and quickly removes adhering particles not easily dislodged by manual scrubbing. Manually cleaning these tools, by the way, risks chance of injury from points and sharp edges.

Exfoliate Your Feet With A Foot Scrub

Recommended Reading: What Nail Color Should I Get For My Skin Tone

Wash Your Hands Again

When the clients manicure is over, remove your gloves by rolling them off from the cuff. Put them in the bin and wash your hands.

Once your client has left, take off your face mask if it is disposable, put it in the bin. If it is reusable, put it in the laundry basket before getting yourself a fresh one.

How Do You Sanitize And Sterilize Manicure And Pedicure Tools At Home

An easy way to sanitize manicure and pedicure tools at home is to soak them in hot, soapy water and heat them in an oven. The required supplies are water, dish soap, a baking dish, a dish towel, a baking sheet, oven mitts and an oven. This procedure takes about 35 minutes.

Read Also: How To Cure Toenail Fungus Under The Nail

Disposable Nail Styling Tools

Disposable tools, such as a file or buffer , are designed to perform a manicure only for one person. After completing the treatment, break them in the presence of the customer and throw them in the bin. If during the visit there was no interruption of tissue continuity and there are no traces of blood on disposable tools you can also suggest to the Customer that she could take them home, provided that they are for personal use only.

Label Information On Disinfectant Products

The label should clearly state that the product is a hospital or medical disinfectant. It may also list the following organisms:

• Staphylococcus aureus
• Salmonella enterica
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The product label should clearly identify an EPA Registration Number.

The label will also specify use sites that are health-care-related.

Recommended Reading: How To Make Custom Press On Nails

Use A Dust Collector When Filing

When filing nails, dust is not only messy but isnt sanitary, either. Those nail particles could be carrying infections, plus you dont want to be breathing in any chemicals released by the polish or acrylic.

Using a dust collector, such as the Zephyros dust collector helps keep your manicure table as clean as possible.

Tips For Using Alcohol For Disinfecting Nail Tools

1.Do not use alcohol on painted, varnished or lacquered nail tools. Alcohol can break down the coating and do major damage to your nail tools. It’s best to use stainless steel manicure tools.

2.Never dilute the 70% isopropyl alcohol for disinfecting nail tools. The best % for killing bacteria on nail tools is 70%.

3.Keep your disinfecting solutions up and away from children and pets at all times.

4.Always use alcohol in a ventilated area. Alcohol is a volatile liquid which means it evaporates very quickly. So do keep windows open while cleaning your nail tools.

5.Isopropyl alcohol is not effective against mold and fungus. If your nail tools have mold or fungus, get a new set. Stainless steel is best. There are some professional nail tool sets .

6.When using Isopropyl alcohol on a regular basis, use nitrile gloves to protect your hands.

Nail technicians know the importance of keeping their tools clean and disinfected between uses. We hope you found this article helpful. Please save a Pin so you can find us again. And share on your social media.

Read Also: What Is The Best Nail Hardener Available