COVID-19 Salon Safety Products & Best Practices
We at Shop Salon City understand and share your anxiety surrounding how to keep you and your clients safe after shelter-in-place. Here is a recap of what our industry sources are saying about COVID-19 salon safety best practices and what products and processes may be recommended or required moving forward.
SALON PERSONAL & CLIENT PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
Thermometer Guns. The new best practices may start at your salon’s front door with temperature readings required for each client and stylist entering for work or service. A thermometer gun is an easy, hygienic way to measure body temperature from a distance and can provide a head’s up on individuals who may have a fever, a key symptom of coronavirus.
Hand Sanitizer. Keep multiple pumps with hand sanitizer within easy reach. At the front desk, on your styling station, in the bathrooms…wherever it makes sense to do so. Look for hand sanitizers with 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) as the main ingredient. Rubbing alcohol is highly effective at killing viruses and bacteria while also being gentle enough to use on skin.
Disposable Gloves. Put on gloves the moment you get to work. Replace as often as is practical and dispose used gloves immediately and properly.
PPE Masks. Until the CDC recommends otherwise, disposable surgical and/or N95-style masks should be worn by salon employees and clients at all times. Worried about the expense? You can use a UV Sanitizer to sterilize the masks and reuse them. And, with their dry high heat and UV radiation capabilities, your salon’s UV Towel Warmers can also be used to disinfect certain store-bought masks for reuse. See the “Cleaning & Disinfecting” section below for additional information. Just be sure to follow CDC recommendations for items deemed disposable.
Face Shields. Originally designed for medical purposes, face shields provide “liquid barrier protection” and help protect the eyes, nose, and mouth from virus-transmission caused by sneezing and coughing – even speaking. Paired with a PPE mask, it’s a good solution for barbers, nail technicians, hairstylists, and massage therapists who provide up-close service. When selecting a face shield solution, look for ones that have been treated with anti-fog and anti-static coating to help keep it from interfering with your ability to do your job.
Nail Table Shields. Similar to plexiglass sneeze guards you see at restaurant buffets, nail table shields are placed on the nail table between tech and client to protect both parties as the client is having her nails done.
Salon Capes. We’ve heard from one of the nation’s largest salon hair chains that certain state legislatures are requiring that capes be washed after every customer use. If you operate in one of the states where this applies, you will need to reassess your inventory so that you will have capes available to meet client demand.
SALON CLEANING & DISINFECTING TIPS, SUPPLIES, & EQUIPMENT
UV Wands & UV Sanitizers/Sterilizers. UVC rays are known to eliminate 99.9% of all pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. Hospitals have embraced UV lights to decontaminate vital hospital equipment and rooms for years. Smaller versions of these products like UV wands and UV Sanitizers/Sterilizers are becoming increasingly common for salon owners and even general consumers to own, providing a tool to help keep everyday items virus/germ-free without using toxic chemicals.
UV Towel Warmers. According to studies, 158 deg F (70 deg C) is the heat sterilization temperature required for respiratory virus disinfection. Towel Warmer devices that reach this temperature criteria can thus be used for this purpose for a variety of materials including certain PPE masks. For example, our “Dermalogic” UV Towel Warmer’s chamber operating temperature reaches 167 deg F (75 deg C), well above the required temperature. Heat should be applied for at least 30 minutes. The warmer’s built-in UV light feature adds a double layer of disinfecting power for added protection. Please follow CDC recommendations for items deemed disposable.
Autoclave Sterilizers. An autoclave is a high-heat pressure chamber that creates steam to kill bacteria, fungi, viruses, and spores on hard surfaces. Printed indicators on the outside of self-seal sterilization pouches help monitor the sterilization process and alert you when sterilization is achieved. Click here to view a helpful video of how it works. Because damp heat is used, products such as PPE masks and certain plastics cannot be sterilized using an autoclave.
Disinfecting Sprays. Disinfecting sprays like Lysol, Clorox and other brands kill up to 99.9 of fungi, viruses, and bacteria. A continual spray bottle will help bulk disinfectant liquid go farther while also making it easier on your hands to keep things clean. For solid surfaces, wipe everything down with disinfectant spray and a clean cloth after each client.
Pedicure Basin Liners. For pedicure pros, this cost-effective solution can provide an extra barrier of protection and make your basin super easy and quick to clean.
Barbicide Disinfecting Jars. Simply drop tools into a glass barbicide jar filled with barbicide disinfectant to sanitize your salon tools between uses. It works to disinfect both grooming and nail tools, such as shears, combs, brushes, manicure implements, tweezers and lancet extractors.
