Iowa Requires Sterilization for Cuticle Nippers

Earlier this year, Iowa mandated the autoclaving of certain implements in the salon. As of March, cuticle nippers (along with tweezers and comedone extractors) must be sterilized by steam, dry heat, or other sterilization equipment.

 

The regulations read as follows:

645—63.15(157) Sterilizing instruments. Before use upon a patron in schools and salons, cuticle nippers, tweezers, and comedone extractors shall first be cleaned with detergent and water and then sterilized by one of the following methods:

1. Steam sterilizer, registered and listed with the FDA and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions;

2. Dry heat sterilizer, registered and listed with the FDA and used according to the manufacturer’s instructions; or

3. Sterilization equipment, calibrated to ensure that it reaches the temperature required by the manufacturer’s instructions.

Several years ago, Texas became the first state to require the use of autoclaves to sterilize all metal manicuring and pedicuring instruments, including pushers, files, cuticle nippers, scissors, tweezers, nail clippers, and electric file bits.