Lash Salon Sanitation: Creating A Safe And Clean Environment
If you’re passionate about creating stunning lash extensions and providing top-notch services for your clients, maintaining a clean and sanitary lash salon is crucial. Ensuring your tools and lash room are spotless isn't just about maintaining appearances and a professional reputation—it's also about providing the safest, most hygienic environment for your clients. So here are our essential tips on how to properly sanitise and care for your lash tools and salon.
1. Sanitising Your Lash Tools
Why is it important? Proper sanitation prevents the spread of infections and ensures that each client has a safe experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to sanitising your eyelash extension tools:
- Remove Lash Glue: If there’s any eyelash extension glue on your lash tweezers, deal with that first by using a lash glue remover for eyelash tweezers. Whilst you can use acetone, it’s better to use the eyelash glue remover for tweezers because it’s faster, produces less waste, and doesn’t come into contact with your hands like acetone is likely to.
- Cleanse: After each use, clean your lash tools with a sanitiser spray between clients and dry them with a lint-free cloth. Wipe down your lash palettes with an alcohol-based cleaner to eliminate any adhesive or remnants.
- Disinfect: You can also submerge your lash tools in a disinfectant solution like Barbicide, but don’t leave your lash tweezers in there for longer than 20 minutes, and ideally, place them in a shallow tray so that your eyelash tweezers can lay down flat, otherwise they’ll be standing on their tips which can damage them over time.
- Drying: After sanitising your lash tools, it’s important to make sure they’re completely dry before storing them, otherwise they can tarnish. So again, you’ll need to dry them with a clean, lint-free cloth. Avoid using towels as they can harbour bacteria.
- Sterilise (Optional but Recommended): For extra safety, at the end of each day you can use an autoclave to sterilise any metal lash tools.
- Storage: Store your clean and dry tools in a sanitary, closed container like a tweezer holder until their next use. Avoid placing them on open surfaces where they can be exposed to contaminants or risk being knocked off and damaged!
2. Looking After Your Lash Tools
Taking good care of your lash tools helps to ensure they last longer and remain in excellent condition. Extend the life of your tools with these tips:
- Regular Maintenance: Inspect your tools regularly for signs of wear and tear. Your lash tweezers should be aligned correctly and should not lose their grip. If they do have some damage, it’s time for a replacement.
- Proper Handling: Always handle your lash tools with care. Avoid dropping them or using them for purposes other than their intended use as this can misalign the tips, reducing their effectiveness and precision.
- Storage: Store your tools in a dedicated, clean, and dry place. Using tweezer cases, an acrylic organiser on your lash trolley, or lash palette organisers can protect them from damage, contamination, and keep them easily accessible during lash appointments.
- Avoid Cross-Contamination: Use separate sets of tools for each client. If this isn’t feasible, ensure that your lash tools are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between uses.
3. Sanitising Your Lash Salon
Creating a clean and welcoming environment is key to client satisfaction. Here are some tips to keep your lash salon spotless:
Daily Cleaning Routine:
- Workstation: Wipe down all surfaces that clients come into contact with, including workstations, counters, chairs, and your lash bed, with a disinfectant at the beginning and end of each day.
- Floors: Sweep and mop the floors daily with a disinfectant solution.
- Bathroom: Ensure the bathroom is cleaned and sanitised daily.
Between Clients:
- Workstation: Disinfect your workstation with a disinfectant before and after each client This includes your lash bed and any surfaces your client may touch.
- Tools and Equipment: Ensure all tools and equipment used are disinfected as described previously.
Weekly Routine:
- Deep Cleaning: Set aside a day each week for a thorough cleaning of your lash salon. This involves scrubbing floors, washing windows and curtains, deep cleaning your bathroom facilities, and cleaning any hard-to-reach areas.
- Equipment: Deep clean all equipment, such as beauty lamps, your lash trolley and storage solutions.
- Ventilation: Ensure your lash salon is well-ventilated. Good airflow helps prevent the spread of airborne contaminants and maintains good air quality.
- Laundry: Wash linens, lash bed covers, towels, and blankets in hot water and a strong detergent.
Extra Tips For A Pristine Lash Salon
- Use Disposable Items: Use disposable items where possible, like mascara wands and applicator brushes, and dispose of them after each use to further reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
- Client Hygiene: Keep hand sanitisers readily available and encourage clients to use them upon arrival and before their appointment.
- Client Education: Inform your clients about the steps you take to ensure their safety. This can enhance their trust and satisfaction with your services.
- Stay Updated: Keep yourself informed about the latest sanitation guidelines and innovations in the beauty industry.
By following these tips, you not only maintain a high standard of cleanliness but also build trust and confidence with your clients by ensuring that your lash salon remains a safe, hygienic, and welcoming space. A spotless salon will not only protect your clients’ health but also reflect your professionalism and commitment to their well-being. A clean salon and well-maintained tools are key to a thriving lash business!
