Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Disinfection Reminders for Shops, Salons + Spas
All personal care and professional beauty industry services always carry some risk due to the nature of the services provided and the inability to maintain social distancing. This is one of the reasons why the individuals performing the services—as well as the locations in which the services are performed—are required by law to be licensed by the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology.
Licensees have been trained to mitigate these risks through the use of proper infection control standards as required by Virginia regulations. Board regulations require licensees to take sufficient measures to prevent transmission of communicable or infectious diseases.
To address the unique circumstances presented by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency, the Board offers the following general reminders for proper disinfection.
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4 STEPS TO DISINFECT
- Remove Debris – Remove any visible dirt or debris from the tool or implement.
- Clean/Sanitize – Thoroughly wash the implement with soap and hot water.
- Disinfect – Submerge implement in an EPA-registered disinfectant.
- Rinse, Dry, and Store – Rinse the implement in hot water, dry, and store in a closed container.
- Disinfectants must be EPA-registered and labeled as bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal.
- No product will be labeled for COVID-19 yet, but many will have human coronavirus efficacy either on their label or available on their websites. The EPA has approved any product that has tested as effective against human coronavirus to make a claim for COVID-19 at this time.
- Disinfection only works on a clean item, so cleaning before disinfecting is always the first step. Methods to clean include soap and water, chemical cleaners, or wipes.
- Disinfectant for immersion must be made fresh daily and replaced if it becomes contaminated sooner. (For example, if hair or debris is present or the solution is cloudy.)
- Contact time listed on the label must be observed for disinfectants to work. The contact time refers to how long the surface must stay visibly wet with the disinfectant to inactivate or destroy all of the pathogens on the label. Typical contact time for immersion/sprays is 10 minutes, for wipes is 2-4 minutes.
- Disinfection is for hard, non-porous surfaces—typically, items made of glass, metal, or plastic or referred to as synthetic materials.
- Porous/soft surfaces cannot be disinfected, but can be cleaned. This would include items such as towels, chairs covered in a porous material, and your hands and body.
- Spray and wipes are allowed for disinfecting commonly touched surfaces. However, Board regulations require immersion to disinfect multi-use implements. Follow manufacturers’ contact time instructions for commonly touched items.
- Throw away any used items that cannot be disinfected. This includes emery boards, nail buffers, facial sponges, wax sticks, etc. These should be NEW for every client.
If it’s touched, disinfect it:
- Reception Desk
- Phones/Computer
- Pens/Pencils/Markers
- Credit Card Machines
- Retail Products
- Light Switches
- Door Handles
- Sink and toilet handles
- Soap Bottles
- Hair, Nail, Skin Care Equipment
- Cabinets and Drawers
- Microwaves and Refrigerators
- Towel Dispensers
- Swatchbooks
Cleaning and storing linens
- Wash soiled linens in hot wash cycle with detergent
- Immediately dry linens on high heat
- Store clean linens once completely dry and hot to the touch in a clean, pre-disinfected cabinet, drawer, or covered container
Proper handwashing
- Wet your hands with running water and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together.
- Scrub all surfaces of your hands including the palms, backs, fingers, between your fingers, and under your nails for at least 20 seconds.
- Rinse your hands under running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dryer.