If hospital grade disinfectant is not available, use 70% concentration rubbing alcohol instead. Or, you can also use chlorine bleach. Just make sure that you dilute the mixture with water. The breakdown should be 90% water, 10% bleach.
On the label of your disinfectant, there should be various suggested amounts for diluting. Use these to determine the amount you need to dilute your disinfectant. Impurities or additives, like fluoride, in your tap water can negatively impact the strength of your disinfectant. For this reason, you should only dilute with distilled water. [2] X Research source
Your disinfectant should be high enough in the glass to completely submerge the used part of the clippers. [3] X Research source
After your clippers finish soaking, you can wipe away excess moisture with a clean, dry cloth or a piece of paper towel, or allow them to air dry. Your clippers are ready to clip![4] X Research source
After you’ve popped the buildup free from your clippers, loose remnants might remain. Wipe the area with a dry cloth after using your toothpick to remove any remaining buildup. You may find that more rigid tools, like tweezers or a paperclip, work best to remove exceptionally stubborn buildup.
It may be most time efficient to set an hourly alarm and periodically check your clippers to gauge whether or not they need more time to soak.
By changing the angle and direction of your brushing, you’ll attack gunk and buildup from all sides, improving your chances of scrubbing it free. Since buildup has a tendency to accumulate in nooks and crevices, you may want to consider a small stiff bristle brush, like a toothbrush, to have better access to these narrow spaces. A manicure brush works well for this. [5] X Expert Source Marta NagorskaNail Artist Expert Interview. 26 May 2021.
Each sterilizer will be different, so you should follow the setup directions for your sterilizer for best results. You could also use your oven to sterilize your clippers. To do this, lay your clippers on an oven-safe pan and bake your clippers at precisely 170°C (340°F) for 60 minutes. [7] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source If you use your oven to sterilize your clippers, you should remove them with caution, as they’ll be hot after being sterilized. Plastic nail clippers, or any clippers you worry might not hold up to extreme heat, should be sanitized with another method. An autoclave is what most nail salons use. This is the best way to kill all bacteria on your clippers. [8] X Expert Source Marta NagorskaNail Artist Expert Interview. 26 May 2021.
After you finish wiping your clippers, you should wash or throw away your rag or paper towel to prevent the potential spread of bacteria or micro-organisms. A little bit of water or some cleaning agent on your cloth can add more cleaning power to your wipe down. If you get your clippers wet while wiping, be sure they are completely dry before sterilizing, especially with a bead sterilizer. The beads in bead sterilizers can become stuck to your clippers if you attempt to sterilize them while wet. [9] X Research source
Exercise caution whenever using heat to sterilize. The extreme temperatures can easily cause burns.
Heat conducts easily through metal, so you may want to use gloves or an oven mitt whenever handling tools that are freshly heat sterilized. When using a bead sterilizer, glass beads can sometimes stick to your clippers. Be careful, these will be extremely hot. [11] X Research source
