How to disinfect manicure instruments at home: simple disinfection methods, expert advice

July 21, 2018
Nail care
Ksenia Stepanishcheva

Well-groomed nails can give you confidence. Therefore, many representatives of the fair sex spend a lot of time doing manicures. It is important to carry out procedures in a neat work area with clean equipment. How to disinfect manicure instruments at home is described in the article.

Nuances

Manicure is a procedure during which small particles of biomaterial remain on the instruments. Even a small drop of blood or an almost invisible scale contains harmful bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. That is why it is necessary to know how to disinfect manicure instruments at home, as well as sterilize them.

These concepts must be distinguished. Disinfection is the treatment of surfaces and devices using special means to eliminate pathogens. But it will not allow you to get rid of pathogenic microbes. Sterilization eliminates all viruses, fungi, prions, bacteria and spores. High-quality processing of manicure products protects a person from fungi, skin ailments, suppuration, herpes, hepatitis B, and HIV.

What instruments are disinfected?

The procedure should be applied to all tools that are used in manicure. Disinfection is performed for:

scissors;
wire cutter;
pusher;
nail brushes;
baffy, nail files;
manicure table, roller, bath;
LED or UV lamps;
dots;
reusable forms.

It is also necessary to disinfect the room, the hands of the master and the client. First you need to determine how disinfection will be carried out - manually or using a device. Typically, the devices are used in salons, and manual processing is carried out at home. But you can also buy equipment for your home, especially if manicures are performed regularly.

How often should the treatment be performed?

In nail salons, tools are processed after each client using special devices. Washing with water is not considered disinfection. When taking care of your nails yourself at home, wipe scissors and abrasive files with alcohol.

Every month you need to disinfect your manicure set in distilled boiled water. If the tools are used by more than one person, then boiling must be done before and after use. With the help of clean tools, performing a manicure will not only be safe, but also enjoyable.

Glasperlene sterilizer for manicure accessories: review

Glasperlene balls
Glasperlene sterilizer for manicure devices is a variant of the ball device. Only the diameter of the small parts of the filler corresponds to the size of the tools being processed, that is, it is small. This allows you to maintain their sharpness for a longer time.

Instructions for use

The instructions for using the glasperlene device contain the following requirements:

before using it, instruments must undergo mechanical cleaning and soaking in a disinfectant solution, then drying;
only their working parts are processed;
cutting tools (nippers, scissors) should be immersed in the filler open;
they are lowered into glasperlen after the latter has warmed up, when the device indicator signals this (usually 12-15 minutes after switching on);
the holding time of manicure accessories in the filler is determined by the type of device, it can be 20-40 seconds;
during the process they should not come into contact with the metal part of the sterilizer;
if used frequently, the balls are changed monthly, if used irregularly - every six months;
darkening of the color becomes a signal about the need to buy a new filler;
the balls can be washed in a 5% soda solution, then wiped and dried before use.

Boiling

This is one of the popular methods for disinfecting manicure tools at home. This method was also used by asclepiads - ancient doctors used them for medical devices. Tools must be washed in advance with soapy water to remove any remaining skin, nails, and dirt. They are then placed in boiling distilled water and disinfected for about 20 minutes.

Then you need to remove it with tongs and place it on a prepared towel. The devices should dry naturally without cooling with cold water. A sharp change in temperature can ruin even reliable metal.

Boiling water disinfects tools, but not all metals can withstand this disinfection. Regular procedures affect the quality of tools: scissors become dull and small elements become deformed.

Dry heat treatment

How to sterilize manicure tools in home tools in another way? Dry heat treatment of manicure devices is an affordable method. The procedure is similar to the actions before cooking in the oven:

The oven is heated to 200 degrees.
During this period, use warm soapy water to wash off the dirt and remnants of manicure work, and rinse with clean running water.
Metal devices must be wiped dry and placed on a dry, clean baking sheet so that there is some distance between them.
The products are left in the oven for 15 minutes.
Then you need to turn off the oven, take out the baking sheet with an oven mitt and let the devices cool on their own.

This completes the procedure for sterilizing manicure instruments at home. The treatment allows you to clean the devices from germs so that the manicure is safe.

Treating hands with antiseptic

Before performing a manicure, you must disinfect your hands and the client’s with a disinfectant. To do this, you can use the following antiseptics: Neosteril, Octenisept, Bacillol, Sterillium, Kutasept F, Eco-breeze. They come either in sprays or in containers with dispensers.

The product is applied to dry hands and distributed evenly over the skin. It is important to carefully work on the inside and back of the hands, the areas between the fingers and around the nails. After this, it is recommended to wear disposable latex or rubber gloves.

Next, the client’s hands are treated with an antiseptic. Use hand sanitizer twice if there is a risk of contracting hepatitis B or tuberculosis.

Recommendations for antiseptic treatment

The antiseptic is taken from the dispenser into the recess of the palm
Nails should be clean and cut short
When working, it is necessary to remove rings, bracelets, watches
When applying antiseptic, the skin of your hands must be dry.
It is recommended to use an antiseptic with components to restore the lipid layer so that the skin does not dry out excessively and is less susceptible to injury and cracking.
The antiseptic is rubbed into the skin of the hands until completely dry.

Medical alcohol

How to treat manicure tools? Before and after use, the device must be wiped with an alcohol solution, which removes dust and dirt. Microbes present on fertile soil will not escape from this procedure.

It is much more effective to disinfect manicure instruments at home by dipping them in an alcohol solution. You need to keep them like this for about 30 minutes. Having taken them out with tongs, you need to place them in a hermetically sealed bag and sign the date of disinfection.

Criterias of choice

To prevent manicure tools from darkening, dulling, and deteriorating prematurely, it is important to choose the right disinfectants for them.

Criterias of choice:

Cost-effective;
Optimal pH for processing metal tools;
Availability of anti-corrosion additives;
The presence of washing components for the ability to combine the disinfection stage with the pre-sterilization cleaning that follows it;
The ability to use the product not only for disinfection, but also for chemical sterilization in the case of parts and instruments that cannot be exposed to high temperatures;
Possibility of processing instruments in an ultrasonic cleaner, if the salon or manicure/pedicure room is equipped with it.

How and with what to disinfect, sterilize and clean manicure instruments

MU 287-113 Guidelines for disinfection

Home sterilizer

Another way to disinfect manicure tools at home? If you have the financial means, you can purchase a special device that disinfects devices. A small container with a hermetically sealed lid affects bacteria with ultraviolet light. There are also devices that perform disinfection with hot steam.

How are sterilized manicure instruments stored?

After sterilization, nail files must be stored correctly. To do this, you need to acquire a special UV cabinet. But there is a much simpler way. These are special craft packages where the sterilization date must be indicated. In addition, such packages can indicate whether disinfection was carried out correctly. In this case, during steam treatment, the indicator will change its color from beige to dark green, and if heat treatment was carried out, a blue tint will appear.

Thus, manicure instruments should be treated with care and disinfected from time to time. And if you strictly follow the instructions, you can avoid an unpleasant infection later.

Processing of files and attachments

How to disinfect nail file-shaped manicure tools at home? It is necessary to take into account the material from which they are made. It may be necessary to wipe with a cotton pad soaked in a special solution. The method is suitable for glass and metal files. They are also subjected to heat in the oven.

Paper and wood-based files are cleaned with a brush and antiseptic is sprayed on both sides. The cutters also need to be sterilized depending on the material. Rubber and silicone are subject to processing.

How to disinfect nail files at home: processing steps

All instruments must be processed in several stages. This approach will help prevent the spread of bacteria and protect the nail file for further use. As a rule, processing is carried out in 4 stages:

files are disinfected using special solutions (they are often used in medicine to disinfect instruments), one of the advantages of which is the absence of the ability to cause corrosion of metal products;
the files are cleaned, removing any remaining dirt;
instruments are sterilized using special equipment or solutions;
storage of files is also organized in compliance with special conditions.

To achieve the best results of the sterilization procedure, it is necessary to correctly carry out all stages of processing.

How to process manicure files: disinfection solutions

Disinfection with special solutions must be carried out using rubber gloves - they will protect the delicate skin of your hands from irritation. There are many options for disinfectants, but most often only a few of them are used.

Alaminol is used in the form of a 1% solution. To obtain this concentration, dilute 10 ml of the product in 1 liter of water. The prepared solution can be stored for 10 days in a dark place.

Optimax is also easy to dilute. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of the product in a large volume of water (1 liter). The instruments are immersed in the solution for 20 minutes.

Such products as Gigasept, Korzolex Plus, Blanidas also have disinfectant properties.

Ball sterilizer

It is also called quartz. Presented in the form of a compact tabletop device designed for disinfecting instruments using high temperature.

A special feature of the device is that it disinfects not the entire instrument, but the area that comes into contact with the skin during the procedure. The operation of the device is based on heating quartz beads located in the sterilizer tank.

How to sterilize manicure instruments at home? Operating the device is simple:

Before using the equipment for the first time, you need to open the lid and fill the tank with quartz balls, which are included in the kit.
You need to close the lid and turn on the device with the button on the case.
The device heats up to the required temperature - this is done for 10-12 minutes.
After the indicator goes out, you need to open the lid and place the accessories into the device.
After 15-20 seconds, you need to take them out and you can perform a manicure.

You need to use a sterilizer before using manicure devices. It quickly eliminates pathogenic microorganisms. But manicure products quickly become deformed. Such equipment can be used for devices made of heat-resistant medical alloy.

This equipment is usually used in salons, but it can also be purchased for home use. It is necessary to choose devices from trusted brands, and then the processing will be of high quality.

What are the sterilization methods?

To completely disinfect manicure instruments, different types of equipment are used, which differ from each other in the method of exposure.

Steam in autoclave

Suitable for metal, glass, heat-resistant polymers. For processing, hot saturated steam under high pressure is used, the temperature of which is about 1300C. The process lasts no more than 15-20 minutes, which saves time and is convenient when working in a salon with very high traffic.

The disadvantages of the equipment include the price - good autoclaves cost about 80-100 thousand rubles, are large in size and operate on distilled water.

Thermal in dry heat

Used for tools that can withstand high temperature processing. Sterilization takes place under the influence of dry steam heated to 150-2500C. The calcination procedure takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Dry fires are compact and affordable. When choosing equipment, you need to ensure that the model allows sterilization in craft bags and that they do not burn.

Ultraviolet in a UV sterilizer or washer

Used for instruments made of different materials, including those that do not allow heat treatment. The bath is filled with a cleaning solution. Dangerous microorganisms are destroyed by high frequency ultrasonic waves.

UV washers are convenient. They can be used not only for sterilization, but also for storing finished instruments. The disadvantages include the fact that ultrasound cannot cope with HIV and hepatitis viruses.

Airy in glasperlen

Suitable for metal only. The treatment is carried out by heating quartz balls with hot air, into which the tool is immersed. The impact is short-term, lasting about 20 seconds.

Glasperlens allow sterilization to be carried out very quickly. However, they are limited in use and require control of the treatment area, since immersion may not be complete.

Effective means

How to treat manicure tools? Devices must undergo several degrees of purification from harmful microorganisms before being used for their intended purpose. Pre-sterilization cleaning involves removing particles of dead skin and biological fluids. It consists of washing tools in running water using regular soap.

Clean accessories must be placed in a sterilizer and treated against bacteria and viruses. Then the products must be packaged in sealed bags. Before the procedure, they undergo the final stage of disinfection. It is also used for the workplace and hands of the master and client. To do this, use the following means:

"Neosteril colorless." Used for express disinfection of surfaces and instruments. It contains alcohol, dries quickly and does not need to be rinsed off. The product has a wide spectrum of action. After the procedure, there is no need to ventilate the room. The product is also used when there are people in the room.
"Neosteril blue." This is a hand disinfectant, presented in the form of a ready-made solution, which must be used to wipe the skin before the procedure. The liquid has a wound healing effect. It is considered safe and does not lead to allergies or skin irritations.
“Dezecon”, “Dezefect”, “Dezecon-OM”. The products are used to disinfect manicure products. They have a similar effect, they are special disinfecting chemicals poured into the bath. Tools are placed in the container. After this, you need to rinse them with running water. “Dezecon” can be used for a month, “Dezefect” and “Dezecon-OM” - for 2 weeks, and then the solutions will be unusable and must be replaced.

These are the most popular products in demand among masters and beginners in manicure. They are suitable for processing various devices. On such products, the instructions indicate how to treat manicure tools at home. You need to follow it, and then you don’t have to worry about the safety of the devices.

Step-by-step instructions for disinfecting manicure tools

Please note that disinfection of manicure instruments is carried out immediately after completion of the procedure. They cannot be washed with water, wiped, or brushed off anything with a brush, so that skin residues and other particles or components do not rise into the air or splash with running water on you and in the room.

The disinfection procedure is carried out in 3 successive stages:

All tools are disassembled and untwisted
Placed in a pre-prepared bath or disinfection unit with the selected solution
The time recommended for disinfection with each specific solution is maintained.

The liquid must cover the instruments to 2 cm above them for proper processing. Any manipulations with disinfectant solutions are carried out wearing protective gloves. For practical use and economy, it is better to choose a disinfectant that can also be used for pre-sterilization cleaning. She is the next stage.

Recommendations

To make the procedure safe, you must follow simple rules:

You should wait until the instruments cool down to prevent burns.
You cannot cool the devices in cold water; they must cool down on their own, otherwise they may deteriorate.
You should purchase antiseptics and sterilizers not based on price, but on quality and functionality. The action of cheap drugs is not aimed at eliminating all causative agents of various ailments.

Even if a manicure set is used at home, it must also be disinfected. The procedure eliminates bacteria and makes the devices suitable for further use.

The article presents all the ways to disinfect manicure tools at home. With their help, manicure will be a high-quality and safe procedure.

How to choose

Glasperlene sterilizers are no different in their functionality - they are all equipped with a power button and indicator lights, but there are several criteria that you need to pay attention to when purchasing:

Heating temperature . This point especially applies to devices ordered from online sites like Aliexpres. Based on the results of tests carried out by customers, it was revealed that more than half of the received devices heat up to 140 degrees instead of the stated 250. In addition, they require at least 30 minutes to warm up to this mark, although the manufacturer writes about 10-15 minutes of preheating.
Hull strength. The design of the devices is almost identical, however, the material used for production is different. It is better if it is made of metal or durable plastic.
Availability of rubberized feet . Pay attention to the material of the legs. If they are rubberized, the device will not slide on the table surface.
Availability of a registration certificate from Roszdravnadzor. The document confirms the registration of the device in the state register of medical devices and allows its use on the territory of the Russian Federation. This is the first thing to ask the seller.