Salon cleanliness may not be one of the first things that come to mind for clients. But, when you own the establishment and witness its surroundings daily, sanitation becomes a big deal. As a salon owner, it’s your responsibility to establish and enforce cleaning procedures that comply with health and safety standards.
From infections to a tragic head lice case, the spread of bacteria and other harmful particles is relatively easy if you don’t take proper measures. That said, here’s the salon cleaning checklist for your business that can help keep operations on the map.
Gather Your Cleaning Supplies
Before starting the cleaning process, you’ll need to gather the proper cleaning supplies to ensure you and your team follow protocol.
Disinfectants and Cleaners
Barbicide
Barbicide is a disinfectant solution famous in salon environments for grooming tool sanitation. This solution is approved by the EPA, so you can count on the cleaner to kill germs and fungus.
Surface and Appliance Cleaner
Surface and appliance cleaners have incredible versatility to quickly clean stations, chairs, counters, and sink basins. Their primary purpose is to remove hair product residue and adhesives.
Mild Detergent
Mild detergents like hand or dish soaps are suitable for chair cleaning when you prefer less harsh chemicals to affect your seating’s integrity.
Disinfectant Wipes
Disinfectant wipes and sprays aim to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses by killing them.
Sanitize Grooming Tools and Surfaces
Regardless of the type of salon, you should always encourage your stylists and technicians to follow proper sanitation protocol to prevent the spread of diseases and infections. Tools like hair curlers and nail files should undergo classification and sanitation between each use.
It would help to have designated containers to separate dirty, used towels from unused cloths to prevent confusion among your team.
Chairs and Stations
You can clean your styling chairs and shampoo units using a mild detergent like dish or hand soap, warm water, and a sponge. While the detergent will remove and kill bacteria and remove grime, it does not kill viruses.
You want to use soap and water all your chairs to preserve their quality and prepare the furniture for disinfectant. To disinfect, you can use wipes or cleaner to kill viruses. Remember to avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach, ammonia, and petroleum on your salon furniture.
Sinks and Basins
For non-porous surfaces like tables, counters, sinks, and basins, wipe them down with disinfectant according to their label. You can use the same disinfectant cleaner to sanitize commonly-touched objects like door handles and reception counters.
Styling Tools
You can ensure that your tools are safe for reuse by cleaning off debris and residue. For example, use a scrub brush to clean buffers, paddles, and other abrasive files. When it comes to electronic files, consider soaking metal components in acetone. Afterward, fully immerse tools in EPA-approved disinfectant and let them air dry.
Brushes and Combs
Regarding brushes and combs, remove stuck-on hair by cutting the strands. Afterward, soak your hair tools in warm water and cleansing soap until residue lifts. It would help to allow the devices to dry completely before using them again.
Flat and Curling Irons
For flat and curling irons, allow them to cool completely before cleaning. Rub a damp washcloth over the barrel and plate to remove any built-up residue. Remember to avoid harsh cleaners since these alternatives can damage the plate and ruin your irons.
Shears and Razors
Shears and razors must undergo daily cleaning and require cleaning after each use. You can use rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball to clean and sterilize metal components and remove debris. You’ll need another cotton ball to remove the remaining moisture.
Blow Dryer
A blow dryer performs best when no particles are blocking the back vent. You can remove and open the vent to remove the dust and particles if possible.
Waiting Room Furniture
Salon waiting room furniture sees significant traffic daily, so you should consider particular care when cleaning and sanitizing these areas. You can involve all your stylists and technicians in maintaining standards by implementing a regular cleaning schedule.
A minor cleaning checklist for your waiting room and reception would involve wiping and disinfecting regularly touched areas like counters, computers, and doorknobs. However, you can minimize the spread of germs by considering any of the following:
- Switch to online scheduling instead of handing out cards.
- Encourage contact-free payment systems.
- Stagger your appointments, so fewer clients wait in your reception area.
- Remove anything that could contact germs like magazines, coffee bars, and other self-service products.
Deep Clean Floors and Surfaces
Due to their high traffic, salons often require at least two deep cleanings a week to ensure they meet maximum cleanliness and sanitation standards. Deep cleaning your salon’s surfaces includes wiping off mirrors, dusting and wiping shelves, and mopping your floors.
Remember to use disinfectant aerosols or wipes on frequently touched objects like salon chairs. For those larger jobs, it’s best to hire a janitorial service to perform thorough cleanings since your stylists can only accomplish so much during their shifts. You can schedule services after hours to avoid causing inconvenience between teams and services.
Prioritize Your Restrooms
Whether clients use your restrooms, it helps to tend to these areas and clean them regularly. Unsanitary washrooms can harbor spreadable bacteria and germs that threaten clients’ well-being. Consider stocking restrooms with the appropriate supplies to maintain cleanliness and efficiency.
You can use hospital-grade sanitizers and disinfectants to sanitize high traffic areas and objects like levers, knobs, and handles. Remember to mop and dry the floors in the bathrooms to prevent falls and slips.
Proper cleaning throughout your salon space depends on the establishment itself and the various areas needing maintenance. It helps to have a salon cleaning checklist for your business as it breaks down tasks by size and facilitates a more manageable routine.
At Salon Equipment Center, high-quality salon tools and proper care are essential. Our salon furniture is of some of the highest quality on the market and includes an unbeatable three to five-year warranty to protect your equipment.
