Disinfection & hygiene in the nail salon – What you should know

Cleanliness and hygiene are paramount in every professional nail salon. But which products and measures are truly essential to ensure a safe and hygienic environment for clients and employees? In this blog post, you'll learn everything you need to know about proper disinfection and hygiene in nail salons – from the daily routine to the legal minimum standards.

Why is hygiene in the nail salon so important?

✔ Protection against infections – Germs, bacteria and fungi can easily spread if hygiene is neglected.
✔ Professional appearance – A clean studio creates trust and shows that you value quality.
✔ Longer durability of materials – Regular cleaning keeps router bits, files and tools in good condition for longer.
✔ Comply with legal regulations – Hygiene is not just a recommendation, but also a legal requirement for studios.

Especially with returning clients, sloppy hygiene stands out quickly – and it's one of the most common reasons clients switch salons. A visible, consistent hygiene routine is therefore also a piece of customer retention.

The most important hygiene measures for your studio

Area	Measure	Frequency
Work surfaces & UV lamps	Disinfect	After every treatment
Router bits & metal instruments	Clean, ultrasonic bath, sterilise	After every client
Files & buffers	Disposable or replaceable-blade system	Fresh per client
Hands & gloves	Disinfection, disposable gloves	Before every treatment
Room air	Ventilation, dust extraction	Ongoing
Sterile tools	Closed storage	Until next use

1. Disinfecting work surfaces & tools

After every treatment, tables, armrests, UV lamps and tools should be thoroughly disinfected. Wipe surfaces with a suitable surface disinfectant and observe the contact time stated by the manufacturer – if the product is wiped off too soon, its effectiveness isn't guaranteed.

2. Cleaning & sterilising router bits & instruments

Router bits and metal tools such as pliers, scissors and cuticle pushers must be cleaned and disinfected after every client. The best method is sterilisation in an autoclave or hot air steriliser.
➡ Tip: Clean router bits with a brush first, then place them in an ultrasonic bath before sterilising.

3. Use hygienic disposable products

Files, buffers and wooden sticks should be used individually for each client. An even more hygienic solution is replaceable-blade files, where the file blade is changed after each treatment.

4. Don't forget hands & gloves!

Both nail technicians and clients should disinfect their hands before each treatment. Wear disposable gloves while working, especially when handling router bits or skin.

5. Fresh air & regular cleaning

A good ventilation system or dust extraction for filing dust not only improves air quality but also protects against dust particles and chemical fumes.

6. Choosing the right disinfectant

Not every disinfectant is suitable for every purpose. As a rule, you distinguish between surface disinfection (tables, lamps, handles), instrument disinfection (metal tools before sterilisation) and hand disinfection. When purchasing, look for recognised approval – for example a VAH or RKI listing – and stick strictly to the concentration and contact time stated by the manufacturer; that's the only way to guarantee effectiveness.

7. Storing tools correctly

Storage matters just as much as sterilisation itself: keep sterile instruments in closed, labelled containers or a UV sterilisation cabinet. Tools left lying around openly can become contaminated again through room air and contact, even if they were correctly sterilised beforehand.

Legal basics for nail studios in Germany

In Germany, the Infection Protection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz, IfSG) and the Biocidal Products Regulation, among others, set the legal framework for hygiene in cosmetic businesses. Disinfectants used should carry a recognised listing, and many local health authorities recommend – and some require – complete documentation of your hygiene measures, for example in the form of cleaning and sterilisation logs. This protects you not only during official inspections but also legally, should a client ever report a reaction. If in doubt, it's worth checking with your local health authority or trade association, since requirements can vary slightly by federal state.

My tip for your studio:

Cleanliness and hygiene are crucial to the success of your studio. In our files & buffers collection and our Staleks range, you'll find everything you need for a hygienic, professional studio.

Anela's Pro Tip

"As an INJA judge, I always look at the hygiene foundation of a nail set at competitions – worn, unsterile tools stand out immediately. In my own studio, I consistently rely on replaceable-blade systems for files and a fixed disinfection routine between every client." – Anela Mucic, Nail Design World Champion 2023 & INJA Judge

Frequently Asked Questions

Is disinfection enough, or do I need an autoclave?
For metal instruments such as pliers and scissors, full sterilisation is the gold standard. Surfaces can be treated with a suitable disinfectant.

How often should I sterilise router bits?
After every single client, without exception.

Are replaceable-blade files really more hygienic than classic files?
Yes. With replaceable-blade files, only the abrasive blade is disposed of per client, while the board itself remains sterilisable.

Which disinfectant is suitable for a nail studio?
A product with recognised VAH or RKI approval, matched to its purpose (surface, instrument or skin) – and always used according to the manufacturer's stated concentration and contact time.

How do I store sterilised tools correctly?
In closed, labelled containers or a UV sterilisation cabinet, so they stay germ-free until their next use.

Want to learn more about proper hygiene in the studio? Then join one of my training courses, where I'll show you how to set up your studio for optimal hygiene!