Outbreaks of non-tuberculous mycobacteria from foot spas are pretty common nowadays. Lack of proper cleaning and disinfecting process help in accumulating dirt and debris on the foot basin surfaces. These accumulations provide a suitable environment for bacteria to their growth. So, you need to properly clean your foot spa after use.
Then, how to clean a foot spa properly? After every use, you have to wash the basin with soapy water. Then, you need to disinfect it with disinfectant. But, at the end of the day, you must clean all the removable parts before cleaning and disinfecting the whole appliance.
In this article, we will discuss the necessity and frequency of cleaning and disinfecting this appliance. You will also know about the cleaning process and considerations while choosing the disinfectant. Hence, let’s start without further ado.
Table: Quick Overview of Foot Spa Cleaning Process
Check this table about the cleaning process depending on the types of the foot spa:
| Types Of Foot Spa | Cleaning Process | |
| After Every Use | At The End Of Day | |
| Normal non-circulating foot basin | Drain the basin and then scrub. After rinsing the surface, use disinfectant. | Clean the accumulated debris again before putting the basin away. |
| Circulating foot spa | Drain the basin, then scrub and rinse the surface. Add water and disinfectant, and circulate the system. | Remove all the removable parts to clean them properly. Then reattach them with the foot bath. Circulate the system with water and detergent for cleaning. Next, circulate the system again with water and disinfectant. |
How To Clean A Foot Spa?
Generally, the cleaning process may not be the same for every foot bath or pedicure machine. It’s always better to follow those requirements as told in the manuals of those appliances.
But, if you couldn’t find that manual, you still can follow the typical procedure for cleaning this appliance. Now, get an idea about how to clean a foot spa:
1. Normal Non-circulating Foot Basin
There is no circulation system in this type of foot basin. Here are the steps for cleaning this type of foot bath:
After Each Use
- Step 1: Drain the foot bath after one use
- Step 2: Clean all the visible debris from the basin
- Step 3: Now, scrub and clean the basin surface with soapy water. You can use a soft and clean cloth for scrubbing
- Step 4: Rinse the basin properly with water
- Step 5: Take the right amount of water and add intermediate disinfectant. Keep the basin in the solution for around 10 minutes
- Step 6: After 10 minutes, drain the basin and rinse the foot spa again with water
At the End Of The Day
- Remove the disposable liners and clean the basin at the end of the day
- Dry the basin properly
2. Circulating Foot Spa
This type of pedicure machine comes with several removable parts and a circulating system. Here is the cleaning and disinfecting process of this type of foot-spa:
After Each Use
- Step1: Drain the basin and clean all the visible debris accumulated on the basin
- Step 2: You have to clean the basin by scrubbing it with detergent and water
- Step 3: Rinse the basin surface with water
- Step 4: You have to fill the basin with water until the water reaches the jet
- Step 5: Put in the right amount of disinfectant to the basin filled with water
- Step 6: Switch on the circulating system and let it circulate for 10 minutes
- Step 7: After 10 minutes, switch off the machine and drain the basin again
- Step 8: Dry the surface of the basin properly
At the End Of A Day
- Step 1: Remove all the removable parts from the foot basin
- Step 2: Sink those parts in hot soapy water
- Step 3: Scrub those components with a scrubbing brush to remove dirt
- Step 4: Rinse them with clean water
- Step 5: Add all of those parts again with the basin
- Step 6: Fill the foot bath with hot water and add detergent
- Step 7: Switch on the circulation system for 5 minutes. After this period, rinse the foot spa with clean water
- Step 8: Again, refill the basin with warm water and add an appropriate amount of disinfectant
- Step 9: Activate the circulation for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, drain the basin and rinse again with clean water
- Step 10: Lastly, dry the surface of the foot bath properly
Why Is It Necessary To Clean A Foot Spa?
To maintain the hygiene and functionality of a foot spa, it is necessary to clean it regularly. Here are several necessities for cleaning it:
- When you leave the foot bath or pedicure machine, unclean dirt and dead skin cells remain there. We all know microorganisms like bacteria can grow in dirty and moist environments. Pedicuring in this bath or machine will cause bacterial infection in your foot
- This bacterial infection may cause boils and eventually will turn into painful sores
- Also, persons with infection in their feet may spread the infection through the foot spa
- Bacterial infections in feet are painful, difficult, and money-consuming to cure. That’s why it’s essential to keep the machine clean and dry to prevent bacterial growth inside the machine
- After the pedicure, there will be leftovers of debris, Epsom salt, and essential oil. These can cling to the walls of the spa and may form scales.
- Hence, it will reduce the aesthetics and appearance of the walls. Also, these may cause clogging or rusting of the pedicure machine
- If the ventilation pores get clogged with debris, it may reduce the functionality of the machine
How Often Do You Need To Clean A Foot Spa?
The interval and frequency of cleaning mainly depend on the number of users. Here is the cleaning routine according to the number of users:
1. Foot Spa In A Parlour
You should clean the machine after pedicuring each customer. At the end of the day, you must disinfect the machine again. That means you may need to wash the machine multiple times daily. Besides, you also need to disinfect it more effectively every week.
2. Home Foot Spa
It’s safe to use the used machine without cleaning as long as you are the only user. But still, with time, various microorganisms can grow inside the machine.
That’s why you have to clean the machine at least once every week. This will provide you with a safe spa. But, if multiple family members use this machine for a pedicure, you have to clean it after every use, even if it is the best home foot spa.
What Type Of Disinfectant Can You Use For Cleaning A Foot Spa?
You should be careful while choosing the proper disinfectant for your foot basin. The reason is not all types of disinfectant will be suitable for the foot basin. Some disinfectants can be pretty sensitive to the skin. Any residue of those disinfectants on the basin may cause skin issues for clients.
Here are some essential aspects of choosing the suitable disinfectant:
- The disinfectant should have to be EPA registered. In this case, the label will contain an EPA registration number
- It has to be a hospital disinfectant, which means it has to be able to prevent microorganisms. For example, HIV-1, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, etc.
- The label of the disinfectant will specify healthcare-related uses site
- If you are the only user of your home foot spa, you can also use 5% chlorine bleach as a disinfectant
Several Considerations While Cleaning A Foot Spa
To obtain better and more effective cleaning outcomes, consider the following aspects:
- Always check the disinfectant’s label before applying it. For some disinfectant, you might have to soak the basin in the disinfectant once a week overnight
- Check the cleaning manual for your respective foot spa. Because sometimes not following the requirements manual may cause damage to your pedicure machine
- Avoid using chlorine bleach with ammonia products. The reason is they will react with each other to generate chloramine gas. This gas is toxic and harmful to your health
- Hot water gives better cleaning results than cold water while rinsing
- If you leave the foot basin unclean for an extended period, it will be harder to wash later. Hence, it’s wise to wash it frequently
- You must remember to dry the basin surface properly to avoid risks of water spots and rusting
FAQs
In this section, we will answer several most asked questions people ask about foot spa cleaning.
1. Is Only Wiping Can Be Enough For Cleaning A Foot Spa?
No, wiping the foot bath after draining the water won’t be enough to clean it properly. The reason is it will still retain some dirt and micro-organism. To remove those altogether, rinse the foot bath with detergent and disinfectant.
2. Can I Use Soap For Cleaning the Foot Spa?
Yes, you can use soap for cleaning the foot bath, but we won’t recommend it. The reason is soap can clog the ventilation hole of those spas, which come with a ventilation pipe. This clogging will reduce the functionality of the spa.
3. Which Is Easier To Clean Between A Normal and Circulating Foot Spa?
Cleaning the normal one is more straightforward between these two types of foot baths. But circulating one provides better cleaning, ensuring uniform cleaning throughout the foot spa.
Conclusion
Proper cleaning of the foot bath is necessary for ensuring hygiene. But, this cleaning process is a matter of concern as insufficient cleaning may result in bacterial outbreaks through the food basins. Also, you will have to select the disinfectant properly for safe cleaning.
Throughout the article, we tried eliminating all the perplexities regarding “how to clean a foot spa?” If you follow those cleaning steps correctly, you can ensure the hygiene and better performance of the appliance. You will get a better outcome if you follow the considerations we mentioned before.