How to take care of your living room post COVID-19?

To take care of your hair salon, it is recommended to maintain impeccable hygiene at all times, but when an epidemic such as COVID-19 affects the population, measures are essential. These measures must be respected by both hairdressers and clients. They may seem drastic, but in times of health crisis, it is a duty to impose them, especially after a 2-month lockdown and a de-confinement that heralds a very significant influx of clients.

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1. Signage

First of all, we recommend that clients be informed of hygiene and behavior measures before entering the salon. Of course, we advise you to post these measures on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, for example. By doing this, clients will be aware and can anticipate.

Indeed, it is advisable for clients to clearly see a sign on the entrance door with certain instructions. Mandatory mask wearing, no accompanying persons, no personal effects such as rings, bags, jackets (as the cloakroom should not be accessible, with coats and bags touching, making the cloakroom a virus nest). We advise you to put up a sign including the text "Toilets not accessible", "Hand disinfection upon entering the salon". And also the mention "please wait outside if you are early" (to maintain safe distances between people).

2. Essential hygiene equipment to deal with the epidemic.

Surgical mask

Here is a non-exhaustive list of hygiene equipment. Products that would be good to have in your hair salon to prevent the spread of viruses or bacteria.

Surgical masks : whether disposable or reusable, they must be worn by hairdressers and clients. If the client's mask elastic bothers the hairdresser, we advise you to arm yourself with surgical tape, for example, to tape the fabric to the sides of the face. This way, the elastic will no longer touch the hair.
You can also wear a protective visor, which will protect your entire face, including your eyes.
Hand sanitizer : also essential, it should be used by the client upon entering the salon. Place it on a table as close as possible to the entrance, so it is clearly visible and the client cannot avoid it. For you, the hairdresser, it is recommended to disinfect your hands with this gel before and after each client.
Disinfectant spray or disinfectant wipes : these will be used everywhere. On the door handle whenever a client enters or exits. It is also recommended to use these products on the shampoo bowl before and after each client, as well as the workstation: chair and armrests, and the counter. Remember to also disinfect your equipment, scissors, combs, etc.
And of course, all the disposable products needed. Towels, capes, and aprons too, not to mention gloves.

3. Barrier gestures to adopt against the epidemic.

To counter an epidemic, you must implement new routines. This will be a new way of managing your salon to protect clients and yourself.

No handshakes, no kisses on the cheek. This is part of our culture, but during these times, avoid it.
Review the cash register. Place a transparent plexiglass in front of the cash register, to prevent any projection of infected droplets. The payment terminal should be disinfected before and after each client. Prioritize contactless payment. As little cash as possible.
As mentioned above, no more cloakroom available. Everything inside touches, and the virus spreads more easily.
Only 1 in 2 shampoo bowls should be available, and the same for styling stations, unless they are far enough apart.
Access to toilets should be prohibited. It seems obvious that disinfecting toilets after each use is complex and time-consuming.
Magazines should be removed. Indeed, they can potentially be a vector for the virus as they pass from hand to hand.
We advise you not to distribute coffee or other beverages.
Finally, at closing, systematically clean the floor, every evening, with a product designed for floor disinfection.

As you can see, during an epidemic like COVID-19, the entire way of doing things, of working, needs to be re-evaluated to minimize virus circulation. Many people who doubted it, no longer do: hairdressing is an essential profession that we cannot do without. So take care of yourselves and your clients.