The Importance of Hygiene in a Salon and Spa – Safe & Hygienic Working Practises during Coronavirus
Whatever the type of beauty and hair business, every workplace must be a fully hygienic environment. This is extremely important in an establishment such as salon, spa, nail spa, makeup studios, eyelashes, waxing, skin and hair clinics that see so many different people passing through every day. On top of heavy footfall, working in a salon and spa environment also means that you and your team are exposed to many different clients and performing treatments everywhere from their hair and scalp to their fingernails and toenails, to their most intimate areas.
With all of this in mind, as a salon and spa owner, it is imperative that excellent salon and spa hygiene and good housekeeping within your business is at the forefront of your mind, not only for your staff but also for your visitors and clients to ensure that your business continues to run effectively and nobody’s health is put at risk.
Why is it so important to maintain standards of hygiene in a beauty and wellness business- Salon and Spas?
Maintaining high standards of hygiene in your salon and spa is vital to prevent the risks of cross-contamination especially during the time of the Coronavirus pandemic. Whether it’s from yourself, other clients or tools, virus and bacteria can easily spread if you don’t do your bit to put a stop to them.
Tools such as combs, scissors, tweezers are prime candidates for cross-contamination – plus, clients would probably feel a little grossed out if they knew you’d used the same scissors on all clients without cleaning them! A virus can easily spread between clients this way and can cause infections that will make them very unlikely to come back to you.
The best thing to do is to make hygiene a priority in the day-to-day running of your salon and spa. You could have a salon and spa hygiene checklist to remind the whole team of best practices and give training on the best ways to keep the salon clean.
Safe and hygienic working practices in a salon and spa…Who is responsible for maintaining a hygienic salon and spa?
It is the responsibility of everyone working within your salon and spa business to practice basic hygiene at the very least. Ensure that all hygienic responsibilities, such as sterilizing combs or keeping the floor clean after a client has had a haircut, or their nails filed have been delegated to your stylists, therapists or salon support staff. It is recommended to create a daily duties checklist to assign tasks and to keep a record of when each job has been carried out and by whom. This includes all areas, from the salon floor, to the toilet, the kitchen, the reception area and everywhere in between. This will ensure that nothing can be forgotten whilst keeping your salon running efficiently.
Keeping salon furniture clean…
It goes without saying that your salon premises should always be kept clean and hygienic. Treatment areas with a high volume of daily use, such as beauty couches and chairs, should be thoroughly cleaned between each client and/or a new covering placed over the surface.
Most salon chairs are made from PVC or vinyl, making them easy to wipe down and clean with disinfectant. However, it is important to make sure you use the right cleaning products.
It is worth noting that any disinfectant containing alcohol should be avoided as it is likely that it will react with the PVC or vinyl, making it brittle and eventually causing it to crack. Once you get a broken surface on any material, it is extremely difficult to disinfect it properly, resulting in an area where bacteria can harvest and multiply.
Avoiding cross-contamination of equipment…
It is important that any equipment is thoroughly cleaned between usage, and it is imperative that this procedure is not shortcutted. Tools that meet multiple clients such as combs, brushes, rollers, clippers and nail tools should be repeatedly cleaned between usage and be kept in a clean and dry condition when they are not required.
If a client comes in who clearly has any infection you are treating, it’s often best to err on the side of caution and not treat them. Not only will they increase cross-contamination risks, but you could also make the condition worse. However, be careful to not offend or embarrass the client – ask them if they can get advice from a doctor first, as you wouldn’t like to cause them further harm.
It is always recommended following the advice on the label of your chosen cleaning solution for any special requirements, though disinfectant and hot water is also effective in keeping tools sterile. Towels and other linen should also be washed regularly as stained, used towels not only look unsightly but could also harbor germs if left lying around damp.
Keeping the salon floor clean….
With a flow of footfall, the floor of your salon is a hive of activity and therefore always needs to remain clean. If fly away nail extensions have gone missing, or a build-up of hair has accumulated around your cutting area, for example, this needs to be cleared away quickly, not only to avoid accidents such as slips and trips but to also avoid bacteria and viruses spreading from location to location. At the end of each day, ensure that you undertake a thorough floor clean, ready for the next day!
The importance of personal hygiene in a salon…
It is important that all salon and spa staff understand the importance of personal hygiene when working in a hair or beauty salon. Firstly, it’s important to maintain a professional image that ensures your client is confident in visiting you.
Secondly, poor personal hygiene can lead to the spread of bacteria and viruses – things like dirty nails and unwashed hands and clothes can harbor germs and viruses, which could potentially transfer to clients.
For some treatments, disposable gloves might be preferable to hand washing alone when it comes to very sensitive areas and treatments, such as eyelash application and nails extensions
It goes without saying that it is your duty to ensure that your staff keeps themselves clean when undertaking treatments from client to client. Simple practices such as ensuring hands are clean and uniforms are free of any nail shavings or hair are all basic things to help your salon stay hygienic.
Keeping on top of salon hygiene isn’t tasking and is a serious practice to ensure that your salon and spa complies with the necessary regulations. It also ensures that your business not only looks more appealing but builds trust with your clients as a salon and spa that pays attention to detail.
Make sure your salon has tissue, soap, and alcohol-based hand cleansers to encourage healthful habits.
Keep your salon or spa well-stocked.
Make sure your salon has tissue, soap, and alcohol-based hand cleansers to encourage healthful habits.
Post signage and communicate with others.
Post signage at the front desk, as well as in the salon break room, reminding guests and employees about the importance of hygiene standards such as hand washing, sanitizer, wiping down stations after use, covering coughs, and hands-off policies. Also, it’s important to share with your clientele the precautions your salon is taking to do its part in helping to prevent the spread of the coronavirus—during online bookings, on the phone, via text, and in-person.
Salon hygiene products checklist…
Do you have everything you need in your salon to maintain safe and hygienic working practices? Check you have the following, and see our full salon hygiene range for more…
- Disinfectant for tools
- Disinfectant jar
- Disposable gloves
- Tissues
- Sprays
- Sterilizers and Cleaners
- Hand soap and sanitizer
- Clean towels and paper towels
- Antibacterial surface cleaner
- Beauty couch roll or clean covers
