Hygiene in a beauty clinic: daily protocol for cosmetic, tattoo, and micropigmentation offices
Hygiene in a beauty, tattoo, or micropigmentation salon directly influences customer safety, reputation, and business continuity. The primary normative act establishing the standards for hygiene, sterilization, facility organization, and instrument handling is Ministry of Health Order no. 1648/2024. This has replaced and definitively repealed the old Order no. 1136/2007. Inspectors verify documents as well as how you concretely apply the protocol.
A well-organized daily protocol helps you to:
- reduce the risk of cross-contamination;
- demonstrate compliance during Public Health Directorate (DSP) and National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) inspections;
- protect staff exposed to blood or biological fluids;
- choose disinfectants correctly, according to the surface and procedure;
- efficiently manage reusable instruments.
Discover the steps of a daily protocol, adapted for beauty, tattoo, and micropigmentation cabinets!
Check the legal framework and mandatory documentation!
Ministry of Health Order no. 1648/2024 mandates the possession and daily completion of a written hygiene plan, sterilization register, staff training records, and contracts for hazardous waste. These documents are essential for procedure traceability and sanitary safety in beauty, tattoo, and piercing salons.
For invasive or semi-invasive procedures, such as tattooing and micropigmentation, you need a dedicated sterilization space and must respect the clean–dirty functional flow. DSP inspectors frequently request proof of autoclave tests performed (chemical and biological indicators) and verify instrument traceability.
Update the hygiene plan periodically! Include the list of used products, working concentrations, contact times, and EN standards declared by the manufacturer (e.g., EN 1276 for bactericidal, EN 14476 for virucidal). You must use exclusively disinfectants approved by the National Commission for Biocidal Products, in accordance with Regulation (EU) no. 528/2012.
Organize the space and workflows correctly!
Clearly delineate the reception, treatment area, washing and disinfection space, sterilization room (where mandatory), and separate storage for clean materials versus contaminated ones.
It is necessary to organize a space into two distinct zones: dirty and clean. You cannot mix them, and you cannot sterilize instruments in the same room where you work with the client.
Store sterilized instruments in sealed packaging, in a closed, dry cupboard with controlled access and minimal handling. Open the bag in front of the client; this practice offers transparency and strengthens trust.
Cleaning utensils (mops, buckets, brooms, cloths) must be dedicated to each zone and marked with different color codes to avoid cross-contamination.
Apply the clinic opening protocol!
General cleaning is performed at the beginning and end of the schedule, as well as whenever necessary, by designated personnel. At the start of each day, follow a standardized routine:
- Ventilate the space and check the functioning of installations.
- Check the stock and expiration dates of biocides.
- Check the autoclave parameters and record the data in the sterilization register.
- Prepare disinfectant solutions according to the manufacturer's instructions: note the preparation date and concentration; containers used outside the original packaging must be labeled with the product name, batch number, concentration, and preparation date.
- Disinfect work surfaces before the first client.
For surfaces such as countertops, armchairs, lamps, or instrument trays, use products from the disinfectants for beauty salons category, declared compliant with European standards. Choose formulas compatible with plastic, stainless steel, or glass and respect the contact time indicated on the label. If the manufacturer specifies 5 minutes for virucidal activity, do not wipe the surface earlier.
Do not dilute the product "by eye." If you use a concentrate, prepare the solution according to the technical data sheet and note the preparation date.
Respect disinfection between clients!
After each procedure, interrupt the flow and immediately apply hygiene measures.
- Remove disposable materials and collect them in special containers; these are used exclusively for a single client and are removed immediately after use.
- Collect reusable instruments in a separate tray for the dirty zone.
- Disinfect all touched surfaces: chair, armrest, equipment, switches.
The level of disinfection is chosen according to the surface type and contamination risk, in accordance with MS Order no. 1648/2024:
- critical items (needles, blades, microblading holders, cuticle scissors, extraction tweezers) — high risk; require mechanical cleaning, disinfection, and mandatory autoclave sterilization after each client;
- semi-critical items (standard eyebrow tweezers, reusable files, pedicure tubs, spatulas) — medium risk; require complete cleaning and medium or high-level disinfection (with products having virucidal, bactericidal, fungicidal spectrum), after each client;
- non-critical work surfaces (work bed, chairs, countertops, lamps, switches) — low risk; low or medium-level disinfection, after each client;
- any surface splashed with blood or body fluids — immediate decontamination (applying a virucidal disinfectant directly to the stain), removal of organic matter with disposable wipes, followed by a medium or high-level disinfection.
In tattoo and micropigmentation cabinets, any contact with blood requires the use of a disinfectant with proven efficacy in the presence of organic matter. For such situations, you can use a high-level product, such as Sterisol, formulated for bactericidal, yeasticidal/fungicidal, mycobactericidal, virucidal, and sporicidal activity. Respect the contact time and do not combine the product with other substances.
Store needles and blades in containers for sharp/piercing objects (puncture-resistant, yellow, made of rigid plastic, marked with the "biohazard" pictogram). Do not recap needles manually. A single accidental prick can generate exposure to bloodborne viruses.
Clean and sterilize reusable instruments correctly!
| Reusable object type | Requires sterilization? | Recommended method |
|---|---|---|
| Reusable sharp/piercing items (curettes, razors, scalpels, bits, microblading holders) | Yes | Sterilization by physical methods |
| Items that come into contact with mucous membranes or damaged skin | Optional if not sharp, but recommended | Cleaning → high-level disinfection → rinsing → drying |
| Reusable manicure/pedicure instruments, tweezers, files | Yes, mandatory if they can cause lesions (scissors, nippers) | Cleaning; Disinfection; Autoclave sterilization |
| Plastic/metal spatulas, trays | No | Low, medium, or high-level disinfection |
Instruments that penetrate the skin must be sterilized in a saturated steam autoclave under pressure, usually at 121°C for 15–20 minutes or 134°C for 3–5 minutes, depending on the validated cycle.
Follow these steps:
- Mechanical cleaning: removal of visible dirt and organic/inorganic residues with a detergent with surfactant effect and mechanical action.
- Disinfection: according to the risk level and object type, respecting the concentration and contact time.
- Verification: integrity and working condition of the instruments; immediately replace rusty or damaged instruments.
- Rinsing and complete drying.
- Packaging in self-sealing bags approved for sterilization, labeled with the date and the person responsible for sterilization.
- Autoclaving and recording parameters in the register.
- Storage in a closed, dry, clean cupboard with controlled access.
Perform chemical tests at each cycle and biological tests periodically, according to the autoclave manufacturer's recommendations and DSP requirements.
Do not reuse instruments if the packaging is damaged or wet. Restart the sterilization process.
Also read this hygiene and disinfection guide for beauty salons!
Ensure proper hand hygiene and staff protection!
Wash hands with water and disinfectant liquid soap before and after each client, and if hands are not visibly dirty, apply a disinfectant based on 70–80% ethyl alcohol. Ethanol acts by denaturing microbial proteins and destroying the lipid membrane of enveloped viruses.
Rub hands for at least 20–30 seconds, until complete evaporation. Do not apply disinfectant over gloves!
Wear disposable gloves, a mask, and a protective gown. In procedures with a risk of splashing, add eye protection. If you have lesions on your hands, cover them appropriately or avoid invasive procedures. Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for exposed staff.
Manage waste correctly!
The collection, storage, transport, and neutralization of hazardous waste are carried out according to MS Order no. 1226/2012. Collect medical waste and household waste separately:
- all bins must be equipped with a lid and pedal for hands-free opening;
- disposable utensils: eliminated immediately after each client, in special containers;
- sharp or piercing objects (needles, blades, contaminated metal spatulas): exclusively in rigid containers labeled according to hazardous waste regulations; do not overload containers, they are definitively sealed and replaced when they are filled to a maximum of 3/4 of their volume;
- hazardous waste: storage in specially arranged, secured, clean, and ventilated spaces, with restricted access; contract an authorized company for transport and neutralization.
Disinfect reusable containers daily and do not overload containers for sharp objects. In case of an inspection, inspectors request proof of waste disposal and verify the temporary storage method.
Keep the protocol updated, constantly train staff, and periodically review the used products. Analyze the professional range available and adapt the selection to the type of procedures you offer. Consistently apply the described steps and document each stage.
