Protecting our Patrons: The Importance of Disinfection

Salon sanitation is imperative in all salon services. But the one service people worry about the most is having a pedicure. We have all heard horror stories from friends or read about one online. A terrible experience that started with a little voice in their head that told them to turn and leave. But they didn’t and in retrospect, they should have listened to their instinct.

You should always make sure the salon you choose to have your pedicure in follows proper sanitation and sterilization guides set by the State of Michigan. Don’t be afraid to ask how often they clean their tub and what germicide they use to do it. You should also ask if the tub has pipes or tubes the water is circulated through to create the bubbles. These tubs have a much greater risk of bacteria being stored in them and should be avoided. If it isn’t avoidable make sure they run a sterilization agent through the pipes at least once a week.

The goal from my salon’s perspective is 100% patron protection and to guarantee there is no transfer of any communicable virus or bacteria during the pedicure service. At my salon, Voila Salon & Spa, we want you to know we guarantee our standards are above and beyond Michigan’s requirements. The Michigan standards include placing washed equipment in a container holding a chemical sanitizing agent. Acceptable agents are those registered for use in interstate commerce by the USDA. Sharp-edged tools must be wiped with a 70% alcohol solution. We ensure that all implements are either single-use or sterilized in between every client, not just sanitized. We use 99% alcohol on surfaces and Citricide II to clean the tub in between each client. This chemical sterilizer kills all bacteria and even kills the AIDS virus. Our pedicure tub is pipeless so there is no risk of bacteria being trapped anywhere in the equipment.

Correct Terms from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Sanitation

  To wash with soap and water to remove dirt and debris and to reduce the levels of microorganisms to a safe, acceptable level. Before implements or equipment can be disinfected, they must first be sanitized.

• Disinfection

  The use of a chemical procedure eliminates virtually all recognized pathogenic microorganisms but not necessarily all microbial forms. Microorganisms are living organisms, good and bad, that are invisible to the naked eye. All implements and equipment used on clients must be disinfected before use.

• Sterilization

  The use of a physical or chemical procedure to destroy all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial endospores. Endospores are thick-walled bodies formed within the vegetative cells of certain bacteria. They are able to withstand adverse environmental conditions for prolonged periods.