Proper Sterilization Procedure for Tattoo Equipment

Tattoo equipment sterilization is just as important as medical equipment sterilization, because it comes into contact with human skin and blood. The equipment may be exposed to diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS, and the only way to keep the tattoo artist and his clients safe is to kill all bacteria using sterilization. The one piece of equipment essential to tattoo artists is an autoclave, a machine that sterilizes the equipment with heat and steam. Following correct sterilization procedures is a necessity for maintaining a safe, clean tattooing environment.

Clean Equipment

• Wear gloves to avoid contamination. Next, sterilize the tattoo equipment. After each use, the tattoo artist should place the nondisposable equipment into an ultrasonic cleaning machine to remove leftover ink and other waste. Sterilize the ultrasonic machine every day if you run a tattoo parlor. This prevents the growth of bacteria. Also soak the equipment in a disinfectant approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for hospitals. The equipment should be soaked for 20 minutes and then scrubbed clean.

Sterilization

• Once the equipment has been cleaned, it is ready to go into the autoclave steam sterilizer. The autoclave manual should be consulted to learn how to use the machine and see how much water needs to be added. The equipment is placed in autoclave sterilizer bags and put into the autoclave. The equipment goes into the autoclave for 15 to 30 minutes, and the pressure is set at 15 pounds per square inch. The temperature should be set at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The process indicator will change colors when the proper level of sterilization is achieved. The autoclave operator should also have a sterilization indicator, which will measure the conditions in the autoclave to make sure they meet the standards for proper sterilization. The colored indicator will remain on the sealed autoclave bag to prove that the equipment inside was sterilized.

Storage

• Once the equipment has been properly sterilized, the sterilizer bag should be removed from the autoclave. The bags should then be placed in a container with a lid or a storage cabinet. The areas where the sterilizer bags containing equipment are stored should be kept clean and free of contamination at all times. The equipment should remain in the sterilizer bags until immediately before it is to be used again. The person cleaning and sterilizing the equipment should keep a log stating the date and time of the sterilization and the name of the person who performed it. The log should be kept for at least two years.

Maintenance

• The autoclave should be tested for proper functionality. A maintenance record should be kept to show what was checked or fixed and when it was completed. If at any time the indicator shows that the autoclave is not sterilizing to the appropriate standards, the machine should be examined, repaired or replaced.