When would you use high-level disinfection in a salon?

• A. For items that never touch mucous membranes.
• B. For surfaces that are clean and intact.
• C. For disposable gloves after use.
• D. For items that contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin and cannot be sterilized.

Answer: (D)

High-level disinfection is used for semi-critical items that come into contact with mucous membranes or non‑intact skin when those items cannot be sterilized. These items pose a higher risk of transmitting infection, so you need a level of disinfection strong enough to kill most pathogens, even though it may not completely destroy bacterial spores. This is chosen because some tools can’t withstand sterilization methods like autoclaving, or they’re designed in a way that makes sterilization impractical, yet they still contact delicate tissues or broken skin.

Items that never touch mucous membranes or skin that isn’t intact can be cleaned and sanitized with less-intensive methods. Surfaces that are clean and intact only require cleaning, not high-level disinfection. Disposable gloves are single-use and discarded after each client, rather than being disinfected for reuse.