FOOT notes

A focus on autoclaves

Award-winning pedicurist & advanced footcare practitioner, DENISE SPRAGG, shares insights to elevate your treatments

ABOUT DENISE SPRAGG

Denise set up a tai chi and yoga retreats company with her husband in 2005, which sparked an interest in holistic and beauty treatments. She has practiced manicure and pedicure services since 2011, is trained in advanced pedicure techniques and is an accredited Footlogix practitioner.

If you’ve been in the nail industry for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard the word 'autoclave' spoken with a reverence usually reserved for ancient artefacts or mythical creatures. We learn about them in our basic training, usually accompanied by a grainy textbook photo and the underlying message: ' This is the gold standard of sterilisation – but don’t worry, you’ll never actually need one .' And for many of us, that proves true.

Once qualified, most techs never see an autoclave again. They drift into legend – like a one-to-one with Kirsty Meakin while Chris Hemsworth makes the tea, or a client who actually reads aftercare instructions – often spoken about, rarely spotted in the wild. But what exactly is an autoclave? Let’s find out.

Alongside her husband, Denise runs health and wellbeing centre, The Sangha House, in Taunton, Somerset. She offers lacquer and gel pedicure treatments, as well as footcare services for clients with diabetes. In 2023, Denise won the SOS Beauty Award for Footcare Practitioner of the Year, and she is the founder of the Elevate Pedicures website.

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What is an autoclave?

An autoclave is a sterilisation device that uses pressurised steam at high temperatures to destroy all forms of microbial life: bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. This isn’t a quick spritz of sanitiser or a wipe down with a disinfectant; this is hospital-grade sterilisation – the kind that operating theatres and podiatrists rely on. There are different types of autoclave, but the most suitable for salon use is usually a Class B unit. This includes vacuum and drying cycles, ensuring even hollow instruments (like some E-file bits) are fully sterile.

Disinfectants are great for cleaning and reducing most pathogens, but they’re not guaranteed to eliminate everything. Spores and certain resilient microbes can survive disinfectants, especially if tools aren’t cleaned properly first. Autoclaves, on the other hand, sterilise. That means no viable microorganisms left on your tools. It’s the difference between ‘mostly clean’ and ‘surgically sterile’. This matters because tools, such as nippers, pushers and E-file bits, come into contact with skin and sometimes (extremely rarely) blood.

‘‘ Even if clients don’t understand the technical details, they know ‘autoclave = safe’. ‘‘

Why aren’t autoclaves used by all nail businesses?

I believe there are three reasons for this: cost, confusion and complacency.

1. Cost. A professional-grade autoclave isn’t cheap. One can cost between £600 and £3,000, plus there is the ongoing cost of sterilisation pouches and regular maintenance to consider.

2. Confusion. There is a lot of misinformation about autoclaves. Some techs think UV sterilisers are sufficient, while others don’t realise that tools need to be cleaned before being placed into an autoclave. An ultrasonic cleaner is helpful, but not a replacement.

3. Complacency. In the absence of strict enforcement in our industry, it may be felt that a surface wipe and soak in disinfectant is ‘good enough’, especially when busy. Clients aren’t always aware of the differences, so there’s little incentive to go the extra mile – unless you choose to make it your unique selling point.

A point of difference

Having an autoclave doesn’t just protect your clients; it can elevate your brand. Imagine this: a client books with you after a series of appointments elsewhere. They walk in, and you open a sealed, sterile pouch containing the tools for their treatment. Their eyes widen. You explain: ‘I use a medical-grade autoclave to sterilise all metal implements after each client – it’s the same process hospitals use.’ Instant trust. Instant wow factor.

‘‘ In a sea of sameness, an autoclave can become your reputation machine – quietly working in the background while exuding professionalism.

Use this in your marketing. Show it on your Instagram. Educate your followers. In a sea of sameness, an autoclave can become your reputation machine – quietly working in the background while exuding professionalism.

Even if clients don’t understand the technical details, they know ‘autoclave = safe’. It’s become a buzzword, and not always for the right reasons. Some salons throw it around without actually owning one; others have an autoclave but don’t use it correctly. So if you do, and use it properly, you become renowned not only for your hygiene standards, but for your honesty and transparency.

It’s not about fear; it’s about excellence

Sterilisation shouldn’t be about scaring clients into thinking nail spaces are cesspools of infection. It should be about raising the bar. When you choose to use an autoclave, you’re not just ticking a hygiene box – you’re making a statement about your standards, professionalism and respect for your job. So yes, autoclaves are rare in salons, but maybe it’s time to stop seeing them as mythical and start seeing them as magical. Not because they give us immunity, but because they give us integrity.