Between clients, how should you handle reusable instruments?

• A. Wipe with a cloth
• B. Sanitize and sterilize between clients
• C. Use same tools for multiple clients
• D. Store dirty tools with clean tools

Answer: (B)

Controlling cross-contamination between clients comes from proper decontamination of reusable instruments. After cleaning to remove all debris, you should sanitize or disinfect to reduce the microbial load, and then sterilize to eliminate all microbes, including spores, when the tool is heat-stable or capable of being sterilized. This sequence is essential in nail services because tools contact skin and nails and may be exposed to bodily fluids. Wiping with a cloth doesn’t reliably remove microbes or spores, and using the same tools for multiple clients without proper decontamination risks transmitting infections. Storing dirty tools with clean tools can spread contaminants, defeating the cleaning process. The correct approach is to sanitize and sterilize between clients.