Sterilising Manicure Tools: A Complete Guide for Nail Technicians

To sterilise manicure tools correctly, you need a consistent routine: disinfect the tools immediately after use, clean them (by hand or in an ultrasonic bath), rinse and dry them, then sterilise them with dry heat or in a steam steriliser – an autoclave – usually after sealing them in sterilisation pouches with an indicator. In Lithuania, these requirements are set by the hygiene standard HN 117:2007 "Health and safety requirements for beauty services".

Cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation – what's the difference

• Cleaning – removing dirt, skin residue and dust. Without it, neither disinfection nor sterilisation works reliably.
• Disinfection – according to HN 117, this is the destruction of many or all microorganisms, except bacterial spores.
• Sterilisation – the destruction of microorganisms and their spores. A sterile instrument is one with no viable microorganisms or spores on it.

What the HN 117 hygiene standard says

The key concept in the standard is the service category:

• Category A – services during which the skin is broken and the tool may be contaminated with blood. The standard explicitly places manicures and pedicures here when the cuticles are cut. For such services, only sterile single-use or sterile reusable instruments may be used, and packaged sterile tools must be unpacked in front of the client.
• Category B – services during which the skin is not broken, for example manicures and pedicures where the cuticles are not cut. For these, single-use or properly cleaned and disinfected reusable instruments are enough.

The standard also requires:

• a separate room or area for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising instruments, with a sink;
• enough instruments to allow them to be processed properly;
• instructions for using disinfectants at the workstation;
• technical documents and user manuals for equipment in Lithuanian;
• declarations of conformity and user instructions from the manufacturers of packaging materials and indicators;
• a steriliser operation control log – it and the chemical indicators are kept for 1 year.

The standard allows Category A instruments to be sterilised by a sterilisation service provider as well – in which case the contract is kept at the workplace. On request, a client has the right to find out how you clean, disinfect and sterilise your tools. Public health safety supervision in Lithuania is carried out by the National Public Health Centre (NVSC). We covered other premises requirements in the article nail room requirements.

Step 1: disinfection, cleaning and the ultrasonic bath

The Category A instrument processing routine described in the annex to HN 117 starts with disinfection immediately after use:

1. Immerse used tools in the disinfectant solution straight away. Open hinged tools such as nippers and scissors.
2. The tools must be completely submerged and the container tightly covered.
3. After soaking, clean them with a soft brush or cloth.

For mechanical cleaning, the standard provides for an ultrasonic device used according to the manufacturer's recommendations and with the cleaning agents it recommends. Ultrasonic baths are especially good at cleaning the flutes of e-file bits and the joints of nippers, where a brush can't reach. We wrote about how to look after bits day to day in our article on e-file bits.

Step 2: disinfectant solution – concentration and contact time

• The right product. The standard requires products that are effective against bacteria, viruses, tuberculosis bacteria and fungi and are approved for use in accordance with legal requirements.
• Concentration and soaking time – only as specified by the manufacturer. A stronger solution or a shorter soak is not a shortcut.
• Container labelling. On the container with the prepared solution, write the name of the solution, its concentration and the date it was made up.
• Rinsing and drying. After disinfection, rinse the tools under running drinking-quality water and dry them on absorbent, lint-free fabric or paper towels.

You will find disinfectants, baths and sterilisation pouches in the sterilisation and disinfection section.

Step 3: dry heat or autoclave sterilisation

HN 117 does not specify a single temperature or duration – the sterilisation cycle is determined by the instructions from the steriliser and instrument manufacturers. They must be followed exactly: set the specified temperature and time and, in a steam steriliser, the pressure as well.

• Dry hot air steriliser – a simpler and cheaper option for metal tools. For example, the NV-210 hot air steriliser reaches up to 220 °C and has a timer. The sterilisation time is usually counted from the moment the chamber reaches the set temperature – the manufacturer's instructions will say.
• Autoclave – sterilises with pressurised steam. Class B autoclaves have a pre-vacuum cycle, so they suit both packaged and hollow instruments. Many models have a printer for cycle data, which is handy when filling in the log.

Technical maintenance of the steriliser is carried out at the intervals and in the ways specified by the manufacturer.

Sterilisation pouches and indicators: how to prove a tool is sterile

Tools are sterilised in packaging so that they stay sterile until use. The packaging material must match the type of steriliser: for example, sterilisation pouches for autoclaves are intended for steam sterilisation, so always read the packaging description.

Chemical indicators are either printed on the pouches or supplied separately. Under HN 117, the person carrying out sterilisation must:

1. Monitor the sterilisation process and the readings on the steriliser's control instruments.
2. After the cycle, check that the indicator has changed colour to the one specified by the manufacturer (the reference).
3. Mark the date, their signature and the result (+ or –) on the indicator, and either stick the indicator into the steriliser operation control log or collect and store it.
4. Record in the log the date, the names and quantity of instruments, the packaging method, the start and end of the cycle, and the settings – temperature and, for a steam steriliser, pressure.

Tools must not be used if the packaging is damaged, the storage period specified by the packaging manufacturer has expired, or the indicator shows insufficient processing. Sterile packs are stored in a dry, clean, closed place.

What to sterilise and what to use as single-use

The HN 117 rule is simple: instruments that cannot be properly disinfected or sterilised must be single-use, and reusing single-use items is prohibited.

A convenient solution is a metal base with disposable adhesive files: the abrasive is changed for every client, while the base is processed together with your other metal tools.

Common mistakes: UV cabinets and bead "sterilisers"

• A UV cabinet instead of a steriliser. HN 117 calls a UV device a sanitiser and allows it to be used only to disinfect cleaned Category B instruments that cannot withstand chemical disinfectant solutions and heat. Tools do not become sterile in a UV cabinet.
• Bead (quartz) "sterilisers". They only heat the part of the tool inserted into the beads, and a packaged tool cannot be sterilised in them. They are no substitute for a dry heat steriliser or an autoclave.
• Sterilising without cleaning. Dirt left on the tool interferes with sterilisation.
• Pouches opened in advance. Sterile tools are unpacked only just before the procedure, in front of the client.
• Filling in the log retrospectively. The entry is made after every cycle.

Frequently asked questions

How do you sterilise manicure tools?

Immediately after use, immerse them in disinfectant solution, clean them with a brush or in an ultrasonic bath, rinse, dry, seal them in a sterilisation pouch and sterilise them with dry heat or in an autoclave using the cycle specified by the manufacturer. Check the indicator and record the cycle in the log.

What is the difference between disinfection and sterilisation?

Disinfection destroys most microorganisms but not bacterial spores. Sterilisation destroys both microorganisms and their spores.

Does an ultraviolet steriliser sterilise tools?

No. HN 117 treats a UV device as a sanitiser, in which you can only disinfect cleaned Category B instruments that cannot withstand chemical solutions and heat.

Which steriliser should I buy for a nail room?

A dry hot air steriliser suits metal tools, while if you sterilise a lot, or packaged or hollow instruments, a Class B autoclave is the better choice. In both cases you will need suitable pouches, indicators and a log.

Do e-file bits need to be sterilised?

If the bits are used for Category A services, during which the skin is broken, they must be sterile. After every client they must be cleaned and disinfected, and sterilised according to the bit manufacturer's instructions.