2.6 Foot Spas, Linens, Waste & Products Prohibited in Washington Salons

2.6 Foot Spas, Linens, Waste & Products Prohibited in Washington Salons

Foot Spa Disinfection (WAC 308-20-110(10))

Washington defines a "foot spa" or "spa" broadly as any basin using circulating water, and then imposes three separate protocols depending on timing and equipment type. Pedicure basins are the classic source of salon-acquired mycobacterial infections, which is why the rule is this detailed.

After each client — every basin

1. Drain the water from the foot spa basin and remove any visible debris.
2. Clean the surfaces of the foot spa with soap or detergent, rinse with clean water and drain.
3. Disinfect the surface with an EPA-registered disinfectant according to the manufacturer’s directions on the label. Surfaces must remain wet with disinfectant for ten minutes or the time stated on the label.

That ten-minute wet contact requirement is the number to remember. Wiping a basin dry after thirty seconds is not disinfection.

Nightly — circulating spas

For whirlpool foot spas, air-jet basins, "pipeless" foot spas and other circulating spas, the rule adds a nightly cycle: drain and remove visible debris; clean the surfaces with soap or detergent, rinse and drain; fill the basin with clean water, add the appropriate amount of EPA-registered disinfectant, and turn the unit on to circulate the disinfectant for the entire contact time stated on the label; then drain, rinse with clean water and allow to air dry.

Nightly — spas with removable parts

Where a spa has filter screens, inlet jets or other removable parts, the nightly cycle expands: drain and remove visible debris; remove the screen, jets and all other removable parts and clean out any debris trapped behind or in them; scrub the removable parts with a brush and soap or detergent; rinse and replace them in the basin; clean the surfaces, rinse and drain; then circulate disinfectant for the full contact time, drain, rinse and air dry.

Simple basins and reusable liners

For non-circulating basins and reusable liners: drain and remove visible debris; scrub with a clean brush and soap or detergent following manufacturer directions; rinse and drain; disinfect with an EPA-registered disinfectant, with surfaces remaining wet for ten minutes or the label contact time; then drain, rinse and air dry.

The record-keeping duty

This is the part most salons miss. A record must be made of the date and time of each cleaning and disinfecting, the record must be made at the time of cleaning and disinfecting — not reconstructed later — and cleaning and disinfecting records must be made available upon request by either a client or a department representative. A client can ask to see the pedicure log, and you must produce it.

Linens, Towels, Capes and Robes

WAC 308-20-110(13) states the baseline: no towels, linens, or robes shall be used more than once without proper laundering. Subsection (14) specifies how:

• All towels, linens, capes, robes and similar items shall be laundered in a washing machine with laundry detergent and chlorine bleach used according to manufacturer directions for disinfecting purposes.
• A closed dustproof cabinet with solid sides and a top shall be provided for cleaned towels, linens, capes and robes.
• A hamper with solid sides, or a receptacle that is closed and ventilated, shall be provided for all soiled cloth items — and soiled items are never left overnight.

Related client-contact rules sit in subsection (2): a neck strip or towel must be placed around the client’s neck to prevent direct contact between a multiple-use haircloth or cape and the client’s skin, and must be in place during the entire service; and all items that come in direct contact with the client’s skin that do not require disinfecting must be discarded after each use. Subsection (1)(b) requires on-site laundry facilities to be maintained in clean condition, and (1)(c)–(d) require single-use hand soap and disposable or single-use hand-drying towels for customers while prohibiting bar soap or a common towel.

Waste and Sharps (WAC 308-20-110(5))

• (a) All waste must be deposited in a covered waste disposal container. Containers in the reception or office area that do not contain service-related waste are exempt from having covers.
• (b) All chemical, flammable, toxic or otherwise harmful waste must be disposed of as required by local hazardous waste management regulations.
• (c) All waste containers must be emptied when full, and container surfaces kept clean.
• (d) Any disposable sharp object that contacts blood or other body fluids must be disposed of in a sealable rigid (puncture proof) labeled container strong enough to protect the licensee, client and others from accidental cuts or punctures during disposal.
• (e) Licensees must have sealable rigid containers available for use at all times services are being performed.

Subsection (1)(m) adds the routine case: after service on each client, hair and nail clippings must immediately be placed in a closed covered waste container.

Product Dispensing and Wax

WAC 308-20-110(1)(g)–(j) govern how product leaves its container:

• All liquids, creams and other cosmetic preparations including paraffin wax and depilatory wax must be kept in clean and closed containers.
• All bottles and containers must be distinctly and correctly labeled to disclose contents, and containers of poisonous substances additionally and distinctly marked as such.
• Items subject to cross-contamination must be dispensed so as not to contaminate the remaining portion, using a disposable, or cleaned and disinfected, applicator. Applicators shall not be redipped in product. Liquids must be dispensed with a squeeze bottle, pump, or spray. Any product that cannot be disinfected and that contacts the client shall be discarded after use on that particular client.
• Pencil cosmetics must be sharpened before each use, and the sharpener cleaned and disinfected or disposed of after service on each client.

Subsection (3) covers wax specifically. Paraffin and depilatory wax must be covered to prevent contamination except during the service and held at the manufacturer’s specified temperature. Wax must be dispensed by one of four approved methods: use a new spatula each time wax is removed from the pot; apply wax directly onto a disposable strip; use one dedicated spatula to remove wax and a second spatula to spread it, with the first never contacting the client’s skin or the second spatula; or separate a quantity into a small single-use container, in which case double-dipping is allowed from that single-client container. Used wax that has contacted a client’s skin shall not be reused under any circumstances and must be disposed of immediately. Wax pots must be cleaned and disinfected per manufacturer directions, and no applicators shall be left standing in wax at any time.

Products and Practices Washington Prohibits Outright

WAC 308-20-110(15) — Prohibited hazardous substances: no establishment or school may have on the premises cosmetic products containing hazardous substances banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in cosmetic products. Specifically, use of 100% liquid methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer and methylene chloride products is prohibited, and no product may be used in a manner disapproved by the FDA.

MMA is the nail-product ban candidates are tested on. Its professional replacement is ethyl methacrylate (EMA). MMA polymerizes into an enhancement that is harder than the natural nail and bonds too aggressively, so trauma tends to tear the nail plate from the bed rather than pop the enhancement off.

WAC 308-20-110(16) — Prohibited instruments or practices: any razor-edged tool which is designed to remove calluses. The credo blade is banned in Washington outright. Callus reduction must be done with files, foot paddles and appropriate softening products.

WAC 308-20-110(12) rounds out the facility standard: walls, floors, and ceilings must be cleaned and disinfected as necessary and kept clean and free of excessive spots, mildew, condensation, or peeling paint.