Equipment Sterlisation

[MissNailPro]

From yogacat: "I think that if you wish to sterilise, then ok - if you don't then that's ok too."

Sorry- have to post this again... regarding sterilization:

I do not believe that having an autoclave (or any sterilization device or procedure) and actually using it in any salon is 'good'. It just promotes the fear based marketing out there that we 'should' be sterilizing!

Clients will spread the word (and trust me it will travel like wildfire) that "they" go to a salon that "sterilizes with an autoclave"-- and other clients will think, "hmm, why doesn't my tech (or salon)
use one??"

It's BAD strategy, if you ask me, and will affect our industry SO
negatively- how will we be able to compete with that? How will we be able to professionally answer a client as to why "we don't have one (autoclave) and why we don't sterilize?"

In my opinion, it will make us (the techs without an autoclave) look bad, unprofessional, and not "up-to-par" with a regulation that
doesn't exist!

I certainly fear the day when a client asks me why I don't
sterilize, after all, I don't want to put another tech/salon "down" for using one, but in reality, they are completely unnecessary!

From yogacat:
"I would like someone to be able to tell me the most environmentally friendly methods of disinfecting and sanitising equipment"

The most effective and environmentally friendly method would be bleach (ie: bleach solution- here in USA (MA), it is a 10:1 ratio solution).

Bleach breaks down to become primarily salt water. Any remaining bleach goes down the drain into either the local sewer system or septic tank and reacts with wastewater components–dirt and other inorganic materials–and is completely deactivated before it's released into any waterway.

Hope this helps- good luck!

 

[Bryony]

Dear all,

After reading everyones input I thought I'd see what ITEC had to say on this matter (not because I dispute anyones arguements for or against but it will be ITEC that will be examining me at the end of the day..... ).
I emailed them saying we had been advised not to use Barbicide and that we should be sterilising rather than just disinfecting, could they clarify if this was the case, this is the reply I received today....

"I can confirm that barbicide is acceptable to ITEC for sterilising manicure/pedicure equipment.
Equipment should then be stored in as clean environment as is possible - chemical or UV steriliser or at worse, wrap in tissue until just before use."

I know Barbicide is commonly used by many but saw something about it recently where it was descibed as a disinfectant. Please can anyone confirm if Barbicide is indeed a disinfectanat or will it sterlise when items are left for x amount of time to soak?

Thanks, B

 

[Pinkies!]

Barbicide is a strong disinfectant, it will not sterilise though.

Dear all,

After reading everyones input I thought I'd see what ITEC had to say on this matter (not because I dispute anyones arguements for or against but it will be ITEC that will be examining me at the end of the day..... ).
I emailed them saying we had been advised not to use Barbicide and that we should be sterilising rather than just disinfecting, could they clarify if this was the case, this is the reply I received today....

"I can confirm that barbicide is acceptable to ITEC for sterilising manicure/pedicure equipment.
Equipment should then be stored in as clean environment as is possible - chemical or UV steriliser or at worse, wrap in tissue until just before use."

I know Barbicide is commonly used by many but saw something about it recently where it was descibed as a disinfectant. Please can anyone confirm if Barbicide is indeed a disinfectanat or will it sterlise when items are left for x amount of time to soak?

Thanks, B

 

[Anna from Toronto]

I know Barbicide is commonly used by many but saw something about it recently where it was descibed as a disinfectant. Please can anyone confirm if Barbicide is indeed a disinfectanat or will it sterlise when items are left for x amount of time to soak?

Thanks, B

If Barbicide in fact was able to sterilise...then why would hospitals and dentists still use the expensive equpment they still do use?

 

[Bryony]

Thanks guys,

I thought that was the case. What hope do we have when the examing board use the incorrect terminology?

 

[yogacat]

As I said, I don't have strong feelings either way on the issue of sterilisation vs. sanitisation, and it's very interesting to hear input on the subject. I am a little puzzled though, by the strength of feeling of some that not only is sterilisation is not necessary, but actually undesirable, almost that is shouldn't be allowed to be used in salons. Surely if you are quite sure of your reasons why it is unnecessary, it should be no problem to explain this to clients or anyone else? And if (in your opinion) someone wants to waste lots of money on sterilisation equipment they have no real use for then, hey, surely it's their money to waste? Everyone has the right to use their own methods and preferences provided it's not dangerous, and if they're no good, then clients won't return. :?:

One thing that I did wonder, is that the treatments you offer may affect how you feel about how equipment is dealt with. For example, I do Holistic treatments, Waxing, and am studying Manicure and Pedicure.

So, when i was cleaning out that icky build-up from under the thickened toenails of a client, it did make me think about how i cleaned up afterwards! If you never do anything like that, then clearly you're dealing with lower chances of cross-infection.

Thanks very much for the suggestions regarding biodegradable disinfectants, i've found it quite hard to find this type of information.

(What about things like foot spas? What's an appropriate cleaning method for them?) Whoops! Just realised i already wrote this earlier - and someone replied - d'oh, pay attention me!

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

Just a little note......................
Sterilization is only 100% effective in a sterile enviroment, as soon as you take the tool out of the sterilizer in a non sterile enviroment it becomes contaminated............airborn stuff.............it reduces the effect to being that of a desinfected tool................

As for foot spas................ scrub them out with soap and hot water, dry with paper towel and then spray it with clori-spray.................
Spray again before use..................
Thats what we do...............

 

[Little Angel]

Also I have never seen hairdressers sterilizing their scissors, combs and so on.. :twisted:

Hiya

im a hairdresser too, and no we dont sterilize anything. We just wash everything, i do pop my combs into barbacide though but never my scissors!!! shock horror !!! they cost a fortune mine were £500 and there is no way i would leave them soaking. Been doing it this way for the past 18yrs with no probs.