Reader to Reader: What do you place over your terry cloth towel?

I put a paper towel down over my terry cloth towel, and during the holidays, I chose a festive design. – Kiki McNair, Kiki & Co., Toledo, Ohio

I place two attached sheets of white paper towels over a colored terry cloth towel. I change the paper towels after every client. Not only is this practice sanitary, but it is also economical. Be sure to save your receipts for the towels, because they are tax-deductible if you are an independent contractor. – Ruth Barrett, Electric Beach Tanning and Nails, Orchard Lake, Mich.

In school I was taught to put my terry cloth towel down first, then my Hands Down Towel, then my PST (Professional Service Towel) which is 100% cotton, two-ply towel. – Debbie Williams, Hot Spot Hair and Nails, Stephens City, Virg.

I place a 100% cotton, lint-free towel over my terry cloth towel because salon sanitation is very important to me. I replace both of these towels after every use. – Charolette Whitley, Charolette’s Nails & More, Cando, Texas

We place disposable PSTs over our terry cloth towels. We throw away the PST after each client. These towels are also great for wiping down your work station with disinfectant. – Kellie Dow, NailTique, Norwood, Mass.

I use a PST, which I fold in different ways. One side is for filing, prep, and application. By folding a side upward, it protects the client from coming in contact with possible monomer on the towel. At the end of the service, I flip the towel over for polishing. Throughout these steps, I shake excess filings and clippings into my covered trash can. – Rene Gliatto, Golden Shears Hair, Nails & More, Runnemedde, N.J.

I put two paper towels over my terry cloth towel, and change them after every client. They are as soft as cloth, and can be as inexpensive as one cent each. I wash my windows with the used paper towels because it’s important to recycle and reuse. – Jeri Carlson-Like, Like Your Nails!, Mascoutah, Ill.

I place disposable bibs that dental offices use over my terry cloth towels. They’re just the right size to cover the terry towel, and they hold up well to dampness becsause of their plastic backing. They are cost-effective also. – Della Accardo, The Nail Palace, Clovis, Calif.