Updated May 12, 2021
With the outbreak of COVID-19, many people have stopped going to hair salons and barbershops, and have turned to "COVID haircuts" at home. Even though everyone is in desperate need of their usual hairdresser, their concerns about the spread of the virus in these types of establishments keep them from going back.
Now that businesses are gradually opening back up across the province, the question is what can be done in hair salons and barbershops to make sure both customers and staff feel safe? This article shows you the best ways to clean and disinfect hair salons for everyone’s peace of mind.
Best Practices to Disinfect Hair Salons
Disinfecting a hair salon does not only mean using a disinfecting solution to mop the floors and wipe chairs; it means that all high-traffic areas, tools, equipment, and even the air should be disinfected. High-traffic and high-touch areas in hair salons include the front desk, retail area, work stations, shampoo bowls, pedicure bowls, back bar, treatment rooms, and washrooms. Tools and equipment include combs, brushes, scissors, clippers, flat irons and blow dryers.
The general recommendation to clean, sanitize and disinfect in hair salons is to start off by removing excess hair from surfaces, then clean with floor cleaner and hot water. This can then be followed by drying the surface before disinfection, and finally apply a disinfectant solution for the appropriate contact time, according to the manufacturer’s specification. A step further that can be taken, is using a disinfecting fogger device to disinfect the atmosphere.
Best Practices to Disinfect Barbershops
To properly clean, sanitize and disinfect barbershops, the same recommendations for hair salons should be applied, but since these places use other sharp tools and equipment like electric razors and straight blades, there are a few extra considerations.
Non-disposable shaving blades and razors should be sterilized between each client to ensure no cross-contamination is occurring between different people. Also, if someone is accidentally cut, barbers should provide first aid wearing disposable gloves. They can also apply styptic powder or liquid with a disposable applicator to stop the bleeding. After the situation is under control, they should be mindful of possible blood spills on surfaces or items, which should be disinfected immediately.
In addition to the mentioned high-touch areas, barbershops should also disinfect styling chairs, massage tables, and credit card devices, between clients. If reusable chair covers are used, they should also be disinfected after each client, but single-use tools and supplies are what is recommended and the spread of the virus can be eliminated.
We know following all these recommendations is a lot of work and very time-consuming, but that is only due to the idea that disinfecting can only be done through the spray-and-wipe method using a toxic disinfectant solution. However, there are more effective, accessible, and practical ways to disinfect your hair salon and barbershop that can eliminate the time-consumption aspect while retaining the same results excluding the harmful toxins. Let us introduce… Disinfecting Foggers.
Disinfecting Hair Salon and Barbershops with Foggers
Handheld foggers such as the Nano Atomizer or Mini Thermal Fogger, allow you to disinfect all of these areas quickly and effectively and anytime, including when clients are present in your establishment. These devices combined with non-toxic disinfecting solutions will cause no harm to individuals while performing at the same level of efficiency as other disinfecting solutions. They are safe to disinfect the air, seating areas, tools, and any equipment used, plus doors and window handle.
Additionally, maintaining a clean air environment within your barbershop and hair salon is extremely important. As CDC recently announced, COVID-19 is more airborne than we had anticipated, creating a large room for the spread through the atmosphere if not properly disinfected often.
Creating and Maintaining a Clean Air in Barbershops
One of the best ways to ensure that the air within your salon and barbershop is being circulated properly is to have a window or a door open every once in a while or even keeping a fan/ air conditioner on to ensure air is not being recycled by different clients for long periods of time.
However, this does not necessarily create a disinfected environment for the clients. To ensure the air is properly disinfected, using a disinfecting device such as the Nano Atomizer with a non-toxic disinfectant solution such as the Ultra-Lyte Disinfectant can go a long way to preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses within your space.
Disinfecting foggers spray out disinfectant at high levels and powers and work extremely quickly to eliminate the atmosphere of bacteria and live viruses in minutes. The emission of disinfectant creates a circulation, breaking the cycle of reusing air, especially in high traffic areas such as hair washing stations, and waiting rooms.
Foggers work very effectively and efficiently in both disinfecting surfaces and the air. Along with that, using disinfecting foggers makes the disinfecting process much quicker than traditional disinfecting procedures of spraying and wiping. Furthermore, you must make sure your customers follow good personal hygiene including wearing a mask within your facility and using hand sanitizer upon entering the salon.
Step by Step Guide to Disinfect Hair Salons
- Set up a hand sanitizing station for customers entering and exiting your salon
- Guide them directly to their chair/ designated waiting areas
- After the customer has left, use a handheld fogger to quickly disinfect the chair, any nearby surfaces, tools, and air. Be sure to spray all high-touch areas.
- After only a few minutes, you're ready for your next customer!
We hope that this post showcased how to easily disinfect and sanitize your hair salon or barbershop during the COVID-10 pandemic. Ensure your customers know of the measures you are implementing to ensure their peace of mind. They will be very thankful that you care about their safety and will keep coming back.
Read More: Best Ways To Disinfect and Sanitize Gym Equipment
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Stay safe out there!
