Clients notice how a salon handles its tools. A clear, consistent routine for cleaning and disinfecting nippers, pushers and tweezers protects clients from infection, protects the business, and also makes good tools last much longer. This guide sets out a practical routine for cleaning and disinfecting salon tools made of metal, such as nippers, pushers and tweezers.
Follow your local rules
Requirements for salons differ between countries, states and cities. Always follow the rules set by your local licensing board or health authority, and the instructions on the products you use. This guide explains the principles behind a good routine.
Cleaning and disinfecting are two different steps#
Cleaning removes visible dirt, skin, dust and product from the tool. Disinfecting kills most germs on a surface that is already clean. Disinfectants cannot work properly through a layer of debris, so cleaning always comes first.
Which tools can be reused?#
- Reusable: hard, non-porous tools such as stainless steel nippers, scissors, pushers, tweezers, curettes and metal foot files. These can be cleaned and disinfected.
- Single-use: porous items that cannot be disinfected, such as most nail files and buffers, orangewood sticks, pumice, and toe separators. Use them on one client, then throw them away or give them to the client.
Disinfecting salon tools, step by step#
- After the service, place used tools in a container marked “used”, separate from clean tools.
- Clean: scrub each tool with warm water and soap or a detergent, using a small brush. Open nippers and scissors to clean the joint and the area between the jaws.
- Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap, and dry the tool.
- Disinfect: fully immerse the tools in a disinfectant approved for salon tools in your area (for example, in the United States, an EPA-registered disinfectant), mixed and used exactly as the label says. Leave them for the full contact time stated on the label.
- Rinse and dry after disinfection if the label requires it, and dry the tools completely, especially in the joints.
- Store disinfected tools in a clean, closed, labelled container until they are used.
Some salons and podiatry practices also sterilize metal tools in an autoclave, and in some places or for some services this is required. Stainless steel instruments of good quality are made to withstand steam sterilization.
Common mistakes#
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Spraying or wiping tools instead of immersing them | Many disinfectants for tools need full immersion for their contact time |
| Skipping the cleaning step | Disinfectant cannot reach germs under dirt and residue |
| Taking tools out too early | The disinfectant only works if the full contact time is respected |
| Using old or wrongly mixed solution | Diluted or contaminated solution does not disinfect reliably |
| Relying on a UV cabinet alone | UV storage cabinets are generally not a substitute for cleaning and disinfection |
| Leaving tools wet or soaking for hours | Causes staining and rust, especially in joints |
| Using bleach on stainless steel | Chlorine attacks the steel and causes pitting |
Looking after the tools themselves#
- Dry tools completely after disinfection, especially joints and springs.
- Add a drop of instrument oil or lubricant to joints regularly to keep them moving smoothly.
- Check cutting tools for dull edges and tips that no longer meet, and have them sharpened.
- Replace tools that are pitted, cracked or rusty: they can no longer be cleaned properly.
Plan enough sets of tools#
Disinfection takes time. If you have only one set of tools per technician, you will be tempted to cut corners between clients. Most salons keep at least two or three sets per technician so that one set can be cleaned and disinfected while another is in use.
Salon hygiene checklist
- Separate containers for used and clean tools, clearly labelled.
- Single-use items thrown away (or given to the client) after each service.
- Tools scrubbed clean before disinfection.
- Correct disinfectant, correctly mixed, changed as directed, with the full contact time.
- Tools dried and stored in a clean, closed container.
- Enough sets of tools for each technician.
Professional tools from Gami Surgical#
Gami Surgical manufactures stainless steel nippers, pushers, tweezers, scissors and other beauty instruments in Sialkot, Pakistan, made to stand up to repeated cleaning and disinfection, and delivers worldwide. Send us your list for a quote, including complete tool sets for your technicians.
