Disinfection and pre-sterilization cleaning of manicure instruments: how to choose a disinfectant and prepare a solution correctly

Maintaining clean and sterilised manicure tools is essential for both health and safety. Ensuring that instruments are free of dangerous bacteria and viruses through proper disinfection and pre-sterilization cleaning helps prevent infections and preserves the health of clients. Any professional manicureist must know how to properly prepare the solution and choose the appropriate disinfectant.

Searching for disinfectants that are effective against a wide variety of pathogens is important when selecting the best one. For best results, it’s crucial to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding contact time and dilution. Cleaning instruments prior to disinfection is equally important since it gets rid of organic matter and debris.

This guide will take you step-by-step through the best practices for cleaning and disinfection, from product selection to solution preparation. You can keep both yourself and your clients’ manicure areas clean and safe by adhering to these guidelines.

Stages of the sterilization process: the correct sequence

SanPiN standards state that every cutting and rotating tool used for a manicure or pedicure needs to go through a complete sterilizing cycle.

The stages of sterilization include all of the following:

• Disinfection;
• Pre-sterilization cleaning – PSO;
• Drying;
• Sterilization;
• Storage.

While they are intermediate steps, drying and storage are crucial for full technology compliance. The three primary ones are PSO, sterilization, and disinfection. Breaking the sequence will result in unhygienic conditions.

What a manicurist needs to know about disinfection

Nail dust, skin fragments, and occasionally blood clots cling to the tools after work. The skin and nail dust are the routes by which fungus spreads. Blood is the medium via which viruses are spread. like HIV or hepatitis, for instance. Priority attention should be given to neutralizing viruses during the disinfection stage. Additionally, fungi will be destroyed, but some of them will become spores, so at the temperature or chemical sterilization stage, they will be completely destroyed.

For this reason, it’s critical to choose disinfectants whose label states they are meant to fight viruses as well as fungi and bacteria.

Instruments used for manicures and pedicures can only be disinfected by soaking in a solution. There aren’t any other approaches.

Disinfectant solutions, which are sold in concentrated form, are used for this purpose. According to the directions for the disinfection mode of either instruments or surfaces, they must be diluted with water.

The cutting edges of the instrument are facing up as it is submerged in the prepared solution in an open form. It is possible to stack instruments on top of each other. At least 1 cm of the solution should be covering it above the surface. In this sense, it’s critical to consider the tray’s or container’s volume in advance of disinfection. The most common option in nail salons is 0.5 l. It typically only has room for one or two manicure sets.

It is preferable to purchase a tray with a larger capacity—one liter—for a nail salon. There will be room for several sets—roughly five pieces—which will save time and disinfectant usage.

After completing a manicure or pedicure, the master has two options: either gather the instruments in a different box or tray with a steady stream of customers, or disinfect and sterilize them at the end of the workday. The sole drawback of this method is that the biomaterial particles on the instruments may dry out. To effectively remove the biomaterial, use a brush or cotton pad and a disinfectant solution that includes surfactant detergents.

The exposure period following submersion typically ranges from 15 to 30 minutes or longer, contingent upon the disinfectant concentration chosen.

The time is reset if, after submerging the instruments for a short while, you realize you forgot something and decide to add it. Recording the entire 15 or 30 minute exposure cycle is required once more.

Which disinfection solution is better: selection criteria

Because there is such a wide range of medications available, the manicurist must carefully consider the requirements and criteria before selecting a disinfectant for manicure tools.

A list of considerations that must be made in order to maximize productivity and cut expenses is as follows:

• Ready-made solution or concentrate;
• Universality;
• Need for rotation;
• Disinfectant pH;
• Toxicity class according to GOST;
• Presence of anti-corrosion additives;
• Shelf life of the concentrate;
• Shelf life of the prepared solution;
• Is there a “Disinfection combined with pre-sterilization cleaning (PSO)” mode;
• Availability of documents.

The medication’s instructions make all of this clear. It is required to have written instructions for the disinfectant when working in a salon. When examining a manicure area or salon, this question might be posed.

When buying a product, it is frequently not provided by default and is only provided upon request. Because many already have the instructions and are just updating their stock, the manufacturer packs fewer instructions for a single large package.

When purchasing a new disinfectant, make sure to request written instructions if necessary.

The instructions are also available for printing after downloading from the Internet.

Let’s examine the significance of each of the aforementioned disinfectant selection criteria and how they may impact a manicurist’s workflow:

• Ready-made solution or concentrate. Disinfection products are available in two formats – ready-made working solutions and concentrated. Ready-made ones do not need to be diluted – they are already ready for use, and concentrates are combined with water. Ready-made solutions are more convenient, but disinfection in this case is much more expensive.
• Universality. Make sure that the selected product is suitable for all types of disinfection – tools, clothing, surfaces, waste. This will allow you not to purchase several types of disinfectants.
• Need for rotation. Look for the phrase "does not require rotation" in the instructions. This means that the composition of the disinfectant is designed in such a way that microorganisms do not develop resistance. Resistance is the resistance of organisms to the effects of disinfectants.
• Ph level. This parameter is indicated in the instructions for the disinfectant in the "General information" section. Why is it so important?

Use special test strips to visually assess the appearance of the solution if you are unsure. They have their own working solution’s activity scale and are made for every disinfectant product. After being submerged in the solution for a short while, the strip is compared to the color scale.

• Disinfection combined with PSO. The combination of these two characteristics in one preparation makes it possible to save the master"s time and money. The first stage of pre-sterilization cleaning can be carried out directly in the solution after the end of the exposure time specified in the instructions for disinfection.

Document accessibility

Three documents are necessary for a disinfectant:

• Instructions in Russian;
• Certificate of conformity;
• Registration certificate.

The product’s safety and potential for use within Russian Federation borders are indicated by the certificate of conformance, while the efficacy of the concentrate or solution is indicated by the registration certificate.

Let’s take a closer look at the PSO stage.

Features of the PSO stage – pre-sterilization cleaning

There are two steps in pre-sterilization cleaning:

1. The first is cleaning the manicure instrument from dirt directly in the disinfection solution. It is performed with a brush, cotton pad or rag. Not every solution is suitable for this, therefore, when buying a disinfectant, you need to look at the criterion "Disinfection combined with PSO".
2. The second stage is washing the instrument in running water. It is performed in order to wash off the remains of the solution itself, which spoil the instrument during further sterilization at high temperatures.

If the solution is appropriate for PSO and disinfection, it is stated in the instructions. In the event that this data is unavailable, a different solution must be made for the initial pre-sterilization cleaning step. Frequently, you can use the same disinfectant for this—just adjust the amount. This is merely a hassle.

Look for a table in the medication’s instructions that shows whether disinfection and PSO can be combined, and only purchase such options.

Criteria for choosing the mode of use of the solution for disinfection

We consider the following factors when choosing the disinfection mode:

• Purpose of the solution – disinfection or disinfection + PSO;
• Object of treatment – metal products for medical purposes;
• Method: manual in a box, or mechanized in an ultrasonic cleaner;
• Mode for viruses.

Let’s examine each of these in more depth:

1. The instructions for the disinfectant concentrate will not indicate "for manicure instruments", so you need to look for the section "For medical products, dental or surgical instruments made of metal of simple or complex configuration". It is better to choose immediately for instruments with a complex configuration. What does this mean? Such metal instruments have channels, cavities, locking joints that make it difficult to get and distribute the solution evenly due to possible air bubbles. Simple configuration – pusher, buffs, manicure scalpel. Complex – tweezers, nippers, scissors.
2. In the table for the disinfectant solution, we also look at the method of processing the instrument. It can be manual or mechanized, in an ultrasonic cleaner.
3. In the table, we also look to see if the solution kills viruses. Fungi and bacteria are looked at second. Antiviral mode can be indicated in the table, under the table or in the notes.
4. The choice of disinfection time also plays a big role. Manufacturers provide the opportunity to choose the duration of exposure taking into account the concentration of the solution. The greater it is, the less time is required. High concentration allows you to save the manicurist"s time, as well as extend the life of the instrument, because it is in water less.
5. In the fastest mode, with a high concentration of disinfectant, be sure to strictly adhere to the time. If you forget about the tool even for 10-15 minutes longer than specified, it will simply deteriorate. Chemical corrosion with a characteristic gray-black tint will appear.

What temperature of water is necessary to prepare the working solution? Manufacturers typically start indicating at 18 °C. This is not icy water; it feels good on the hands. The disinfection process is more vigorous at higher temperatures.

How to prepare the working solution

You will need a disinfection box, a measuring cup, a concentrate, water that is 18 °C, and a 50-cc syringe for this. Instantaneously convert liters to milliliters in order to calculate the concentration.

An illustration of how to calculate a 2.5% concentration solution per 1 l = 1000 ml.

25 ml is 2.5% of 1000 ml.

You have to deduct 25 milliliters from 1000 milliliters. 975 milliliters are obtained. It will be necessary to dilute this volume of water with 25 ml of concentrate. It is against technology to simply add a 2.5% solution to one liter of water.

We gather 1000 ml (1 l) of water. Using a fifty-cubic-meter syringe, we remove 25 milliliters of water from the container and add the same amount of concentrate—25 milliliters—to it.

We combine using a measuring cup that we collected the finished product in. We use gloves for every manipulation. The instruments are submerged with their blades facing upwards in an open form. Under a layer of solution, scissors and nippers can be opened and closed to allow water to enter the cavities with air bubbles. The disinfection procedure needs to be carried out inside of a covered, closed box.

We use the same solution to move on to the PSO stage after disinfection. One minute for simple configuration instruments and three minutes for complex ones per unit. Using a brush or rag, we wash.

We then take the instrument out of the box and place it in a special lattice insert, rinsing it under running water for four to five minutes. It takes about 4–5 minutes to complete the set.

It is advised to rinse the instrument with distilled water after that, but you can skip this step if you’d like.

Please be aware that not all disinfectants are meant for use with ultrasonic cleaners; some are meant for manual processing only. Remember this when making a purchase. The technician can save time and money by using an ultrasonic cleaner because it expedites the process and requires a lower concentration solution. The solution cannot be kept in an ultrasonic cleaner.

If you need to figure out a non-round volume, like 700 or 1250 ml instead of 1 l, you can use the following calculation method:

1. Convert the planned volume of the working solution to ml;
2. Divide the resulting number by 100;
3. Multiply the resulting number by the required percentage of concentration from the instructions for the disinfectant.

1. You need 1.25 l of a working solution with a concentration of 3%. Convert to ml – 1250;
2. 1250 / 100 = 12.5 ml – this is 1% of the total solution;
3. 12.5 ml * 3% = 37.5 ml.

The concentrate needed for a working solution volume of 1250 ml is 37.5 ml. Remember to deduct the volume of concentrate (1250 ml) before diluting.

Drying

The instrument should be cleaned, rinsed under running water, and then wiped with disposable towels or napkins before being laid out to dry. This can be done on a large non-woven napkin or a regular towel that is set aside just for this use. The instrument can be covered with a napkin or dried open.

An instrument that has not been dried out cannot be chemically or thermally sterilized. This is not in accordance with SanPiN guidelines.

The instruments can be placed in the sterilizer chamber and the pre-drying mode activated right away following the PSO if the dry heat sterilizer has a drying function. The inability to package the products in kraft bags and the lengthened sterilization time resulting from the process itself are the drawbacks of this approach.

For drying instruments, you can also use a specific drying box that the RELMA company sells. The tool aids in the 15–25 minute drying of the instruments.

Nothing special is needed to use a drying box:

• Open the box lid;
• Place the tools in 1 layer and close the lid;
• Set the timer and wait until the device finishes working.

Craft bags containing dried manicure tools are shipped to be autoclaved or dried heat sterilized.

You must use it within an hour of chemical sterilization.

MU 287–113 Detailed guidelines for cleaning, pre-sterilization, and sterilizing medical equipment

Special disinfectants for cutters

These are prefabricated solutions designed to prolong the cutters’ qualities. They cannot be considered economical when used in a master’s work because of their high cost when compared to consumption. There are dedicated little baths for sanitizing cutters. It is required to use a quantity of the product each time that covers the cutters by one centimeter.

Well-known brands of cutter disinfectants:

• Clindesin;
• Dekonex Dental BB;
• Rotasept;
• Antibor.

Sterilization comes next, following pre-sterilization cleaning and drying and disinfection.

Answers to questions

Is alcohol suitable for disinfection?

It is not possible to clean instruments with alcohol. It fixes biological fluids on the instrument surface rather than dissolving them when it comes into contact with them. Human tissues can always become "baked" during the sterilization process of alcohol-soaked instruments, rendering them non-sterile.

If every microbe has already perished during the disinfection step, why sterilize?

About 70% of all viral, infectious, and fungal bacteria on the surface of the instruments die when they come into contact with disinfectants. The remaining thirty percent either develop spores or are resistant to the disinfectant. Bacteria form spores, or shells, when their environment is unfavorable. Sterilization works for these thirty percent because of its temperature effect.

If you have any questions concerning the first two primary stages of sterilization, please leave a comment!

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Maintaining hygiene and avoiding infections requires regular pre-sterilization cleaning and disinfection of manicure tools. Crucial steps in this process include selecting the appropriate disinfectant and properly preparing it. This post will walk you through the process of choosing safe disinfectants and making solutions so that your manicure tools are completely sanitized and safe for you and your clients.

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8 comments on “Disinfection and pre-sterilization cleaning of manicure instruments: how to choose a disinfectant and prepare a solution correctly”

AnastasiaMaria

Why are you unable to sterilize right away following PSO and forego the disinfection step? After all, the sterilizer eliminates even microorganism spores.

YuliaEditorial Board

Hi there, Yulia! The article contains information on products that can be used for cold chemical sterilization of instruments.

Victoria

Don’t immediately rinse the instrument with water after disinfection and take it out of the tray. And after a few hours, rinse. What might the outcome be?

Editorial staff

Hi there, Victoria! Most likely, nothing will change in terms of the treatment’s efficacy, but these kinds of experiments can be hazardous to the instruments. If these circumstances are permitted too frequently, the instruments will corrode more quickly, change color, and get covered in rust stains.

Marina

Is it feasible to sanitize the device once more using a diluted solution, or must you always dilute a fresh one?

Editorial staff

Hi Marina! If using the working solution in this manner does not conflict with the medication’s instructions, it can be used repeatedly. The working solution must be replaced after its expiration date (the drug’s instructions specify the finished solution’s expiration date) or earlier if the solution has changed visually, such as by changing color, becoming hazy, or forming sediment. For instance, a working solution of 1% to 10% Alaminol is kept for ten days, and if the liquid’s appearance does not change during this time, it can be used.

Disinfection Step	Description
Cleaning	Before disinfection, thoroughly clean the instruments with soap and water to remove visible debris and organic matter.
Choosing a Disinfectant	Select a disinfectant that is effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms and approved for use in a salon environment.
Preparation of Solution	Follow the manufacturer"s instructions for mixing the disinfectant solution. Measure the correct amount of disinfectant and mix with water to achieve the recommended concentration.
Soaking Time	Immerse the instruments in the disinfectant solution for the full recommended time to ensure effective disinfection.
Rinsing and Drying	After disinfection, rinse the instruments with clean water and allow them to dry completely before use.
Storage	Store disinfected instruments in a clean, dry, and covered container to maintain their sterility until use.

Maintaining hygiene and avoiding infections requires regular pre-sterilization cleaning and disinfection of manicure tools. Ensuring that all instruments are thoroughly sanitized before each use requires careful selection of the appropriate disinfectant and proper preparation. For effective disinfection, it is essential to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding dilution and contact time.

To ensure there is no visible debris, clean the tools before disinfecting. This two-step procedure, which consists of cleaning and disinfection, will make the most out of your sanitation regimen. Maintaining the longevity and safety of your tools also requires regular maintenance and appropriate storage.

Following these procedures will protect your clients and improve the general caliber of your manicure services. It will be safer and more professional in your salon or at home if you take the time and make the effort to properly sanitize your tools.

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