The Importance of Salon Hygiene

With COVID-19 having such a devastating effect across the globe, salon hygiene is so important to get right. 

Whether you are a hairdresser, beauty salon or nail bar, keeping your workspace clean and hygienic will be crucial in the everyday running of your business.

Maintaining a high standard of hygiene in your salon is essential for protecting you, your clients and the public. A clean, sterile and safe space will encourage trust, encourage ongoing business and ensure issues such as cross-contamination, bacteria, and viruses are avoided. You and your employees should always be educated on standard hygiene practices to be enforced in a salon.

Salon equipment is the most common way that cross-contamination occurs in salons. All equipment, furniture and tools must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised between each use. Whenever tools are not being used, they should be kept clean and dry. Towels should be kept clean and free from stains at all times for both hygienic and appearance purposes.

Your cleaning solution and sterilising equipment will come with advice for the usage which we recommend adhering to. In the unfortunate case that one of your clients appears to have a bacterial infection, wound or virus it is safer not to treat them until they have made a recovery. Treating these clients may result in cross-contamination and further outbreak in your salon. Here are some of the main rules you should follow to avoid cross-contamination in your salon:

- Avoid contact with an infected person that may put clients at risk
- Regularly sanitise treatment areas and workstations
- Provide clients with individual equipment such as a towel and gown during treatment
- Thoroughly wash hands before, during, and after treatments for every client
- Regularly clean and sterilise tools, equipment, and machinery
- Wear PPE equipment such as masks, gloves and an apron where appropriate
- Dispose of waste properly and thoroughly

Every salon will use furniture whether it be chairs, beds or tables. This will all be used by a large number of clients every day and so you must maintain thorough cleaning practices throughout. Thoroughly clean all furniture between use to avoid bacteria harbouring and hygiene being put at risk.

Salon chairs are often made of safe PVC or vinyl, materials that help to keep better levels of hygiene for clients. Ensure that you use the right cleansing product for all of your furniture to avoid it wearing over time. For example, alcohol-based cleaning agents can cause furniture to crack and become brittle over time.

All salon tools and instruments should be sanitised regularly and in between every client. For tools that come in direct contact with the skin, it is a very important requirement to clean and sterilise them accordingly. Manufacturers will provide instructions for cleaning solutions and equipment, this must be followed closely.
 

Salon surfaces such as tabletops and floors will come into contact with a large number of clients and employees every day so they must be kept clean. Throughout the day surfaces should be cleaned and tidied, you don’t want stray hair or nail extensions laying around! Items such as these on work surfaces are hazardous, unhygienic and look unappealing to clients. Floors should undertake a thorough clean at the end of each day, ready for the next.

It may seem obvious, but personal hygiene is often shortcutted in salons and this mustn't be the case. It is your responsibility to ensure that all of your employees maintain thorough personal hygiene regularly including hand washing, uniform cleaning and wearing any necessary PPE equipment.
 

Appropriate sanitation, disinfection and sterilisation are all keys to keeping your salon clean and hygienic. You and your employees should know the difference between each, their importance of them and the right times to put them into place. Many hygiene products should be a part of every salon, including:

- Masks and face shields
- Aprons
- Disposable gloves
- Disinfectant jars
- Disinfectant for tools
- Hand soap and sanitiser
- Antibacterial surface cleaner
- Couch roll and covers
- Clean towels (paper and hand)

CM Hair and Beauty provide a wide range of PPE and hygiene products for salons, including PPE uniform, hygiene tools and equipment. Browse our range online and make sure you are stocked up to help keep your salon safe!