Salon Inspection: Sanitation

Most microorganisms die immediately upon exposure to ultraviolet light, but when left on handles and the equipment frame, they can live for an unspecified time period.

And, considering that indoor tanning is a fairly intimate industry, disinfecting equipment is of utmost importance. Salon owners need to know about equipment maintenance and sanitation to ensure that hygiene problems of all kinds are kept at bay, and to feel assured that they know how to respond to inquiries about salon and equipment cleanliness.

“There are many bacterial diseases that can be killed by disinfecting your equipment, such as streptococcus staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the clinical flesh-eating strain, BIRD M3,” says Doug Abodeely, president of Lucasol Products Corp. “In addition, disinfecting equipment prevents the spread of virucidal activity, including influenza, herpes simplex type 1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Norwalk virus. These are just some of the communicable diseases that can be prevented through proper disinfecting practices—just read the label of your approved sanitizer for more information.”

Abodeely says that the tanning room, equipment and eyewear should be sanitized after each customer use and, at the end of the day of each business day, all equipment and eyewear should be disinfected.

“It’s important to recognize that sanitizing and disinfecting are two different things,” he adds. “To properly sanitize, you should spray on the indicated mixture—making sure to cover the entire surface of the equipment—and allow to air dry for a minimum of 60 seconds. To properly disinfect, you should spray on the indicated mixture and let stand for a minimum of 10 minutes. After that period, you should wipe excess solution dry.”

When cleaning eyewear, be sure that the cleaning solution is designed for protective eyewear—it needs to be non-toxic and cannot leave a film or residue behind after drying. In addition, the solution must not destroy the plastic in the goggles or cause the plastic to fall below FDA standards.

One thing salons often neglect to disinfect is the tanning pillow. If the vinyl on a pillow is split, bacteria and viruses can live inside the warm foam. Any split or cracked pillow should be replaced immediately.

Who is responsible for cleaning is another aspect of sanitation to take into consideration. Tanning salon employees must be responsible for disinfecting the entire tanning room. Do not leave it up to your customers—they don’t know the proper methods of disinfection. And, in some states, regulations prohibit customers from cleaning the tanning room altogether.

Related Content:

Salon Operations: Regulation And Inspection

Salon Inspection: Common Violations