How and what to sterilize manicure tools?

Beautiful manicure is an integral part of the image of a modern woman. The high speed of life and the presence of a huge number of cases are forcing women to increasingly turn not to specialists in beauty salons, but to masters who come directly to the client’s home or conduct procedures in private apartments. Many representatives of the weaker sex prefer the second version of the manicure, which not only saves time, but also significantly reduces financial costs.

Most of the clients do not pay attention to the conditions in which this procedure is carried out, whether all the requirements for sterilization and disinfection of working tools are met. Careless treatment of this issue may adversely affect the health of women. Untreated manicure tools are carriers of dangerous diseases that are transmitted from a sick visitor to a healthy one.

Disinfection and sterilization of all working tools are mandatory manipulations that should be carried out after each manicure and pedicure procedure. It is necessary to disinfect not only scissors and a nail file, but also the working surface of the table, baths for legs and hands, shaving razors, and ottomans for legs must be sprayed with a special solution. Particular attention should be paid to the use of razor blades, which should only be disposable. Reuse of the cutting device is not permitted. Special attention is paid to the sterilization process, which destroys all possible microorganisms. There are several methods of sterilization:

• thermal;
• chemical;
• quartz;
• ultrasound.

Before starting the process of processing devices it is necessary to find out what type of materials was used in the manufacture of tools. There are two types of materials:

• porous - nail files, buffs, napkins, sponges, cotton pads, orange sticks, paper towels (these products are not sterilized);
• non-porous - nail scissors, tweezers, cutters, brushes (disinfection and sterilization are carried out after each procedure).

Disinfection is a set of specific measures that allow you to remove dangerous viruses and bacteria not only from working tools, but also from the floor, table and other interior items, equipment and inventory. Disinfect the devices only in special protective clothing, strictly following all safety regulations. Processed kits must be stored in closed sterile containers. It is strictly forbidden to apply this procedure to the treatment of the skin of the hands and nails.

The method of cold disinfection using ultraviolet lamps is inefficient and is used only for hairdresser tools. Treatment of manicure sets with UV devices will not ensure the destruction of bacteria and microbes, and therefore is used only to prevent re-contamination of containers with sterile instruments. For cold disinfection also use a different gas.

To carry out all the necessary disinfectant measures, chemical manufacturers produce a wide range of products.Most disinfectants can be used immediately after purchase, but there are solutions that must be diluted before use. This procedure must be carried out by a person who has the necessary set of knowledge, and this manipulation must be carried out in accordance with all the recommendations indicated on the package.

Chemicals should be stored in containers with lids. Marking is a mandatory requirement of regulatory authorities. The capacity of each solution should contain full information about the name of the drug, its concentration, purpose, date of production. It is strictly forbidden to use chemicals that have expired. The use of modern special solutions makes it possible not only to disinfect instruments, but also to carry out their minimal sterilization.

Sterilization is the final stage of processing manicure instruments, which makes it possible to eliminate all types of microorganisms. On the shelves of specialized stores you can see several types of sterilization apparatus.

• Autoclave. The processing of tools is carried out with steam at a temperature of 140 degrees for 25 minutes. Heating and cooling the device lasts no more than 20 minutes.
• Ultrasonic. Used only for tools made of metal. The processing period lasts 35 minutes.
• Chemical. Contains special solutions in which manicure devices are immersed for one hour.

• UV For processing non-metallic devices it is necessary to use ultraviolet ionizing devices. In these devices you can sterilize nail files, orange sticks, as well as plastic devices. Only clean and disinfected devices should be placed in the sterilizer for a period not exceeding 120 seconds.
• Ballpoint. Gloss-glass sterilizers consist of small glass balls that are heated to a temperature of 300 degrees. The sterilization procedure consists in immersing the metal cutting parts of the instrument in heated balls. The whole process takes no more than 30 seconds. Disadvantages: the need for regular replacement of balls, sterilization only cutting surface.

Before the start of sterilization, several manipulations should be performed:

• tank filling with quartz balls;
• heating the device to the desired temperature;
• placing tools after turning off the indicator.

Preliminary preparation of manicure devices:

• mechanical removal of skin residues, nails and other particles;
• irrigation with disinfectant solution;
• drying tools at room temperature outdoors.

Special disinfecting treatment should be subjected not only working tools, but also the air in the room. To prevent the spread of various viruses and bacteria, each beauty salon should have bactericidal ultraviolet irradiators and disinfectors. Opening hours must be recorded in a special journal. Each master should have an antiseptic liquid on the desktop, which allows you to remove dangerous bacteria from the skin and nail plate surface and does not allow them to multiply. The validity period of this composition is two hours.This tool needs to process not only the hands of the client, but also the master.

In the working cosmetics bag of each master there should be a first aid kit, which consists of the following medicines:

• medical alcohol;
• iodine;
• medical patch;
• sterile bandage;
• rubber gloves;
• manganese solution.

The processing of manicure tools in specialized beauty salons consists of several stages:

• disinfectant treatment;
• cleaning;
• sterilization.

At the first stage of disinfection produces the destruction of all types of viruses, bacteria, various fungal spores and other pathogens. All tools, equipment, inventory, as well as the hands of the master and the client undergo this processing. For all surfaces there are special chemicals. Use all the solutions should be in accordance with the instructions on the package.

The second stage of processing involves the mechanical removal of particles of skin, nails, gel residues and varnish from the surface of the instruments under a stream of cold running water. In the elite beauty salons this process is carried out with the help of special devices with ultrasound. Ultrasound removes dirt from all hard-to-reach places, and the rinsing process lasts at least 5 minutes. After carrying out sterilization, all bacteria and microorganisms are removed. This stage of processing is carried out with the help of special devices, the choice of which depends on the material of manufacture of tools.

The high cost of sterilization apparatus does not allow women to buy them, who care for their nails on their own. To handle the tools used by one person, after each procedure, it is necessary to wipe items with medical alcohol, and not less than once a month to boil them in distilled or purified water. In that case, if the devices are used by several people, then it is necessary to carry out boiling after each use, and hands before the manicure should be treated with antiseptic solutions or washed with antibacterial cosmetic soap.

The boiling process can be replaced by placing appliances in a red-hot oven. This method is effective not only for sterilizing preservation cans, but also for manicure sets. Dry and heated air effectively kills all dangerous microorganisms. Before the procedure, you must prepare the following inventory:

• detergent solution for dishes;
• iron tweezers;
• metal brass sheet;
• kitchen tacks.

In the oven heated to 200 degrees, you should place the washed and dried working tools. Metal devices should not touch each other. The sterilization period is 20 minutes. The sheet with tools needs to be got only special kitchen gloves which will prevent emergence of burns. This processing method can be used only for iron devices. Do not cool tools in cold water.

Comprehensive inspections of beauty salons revealed the presence of a large number of gross violations of sanitary standards: the lack of medical records for workers, the lack of disinfectants and devices for sterilization, the use of chemicals without permits and quality certificates, the lack of necessary sets of sterilized tools, non-compliance with the rules for processing manicure sets.Before starting the procedure, you should definitely ask the administrator about the compliance of the level of services provided with all sanitary standards. Choosing the right salon is a guarantee of preserving health and getting a high-quality manicure.

To learn how to properly sterilize manicure tools, see the next video.