As a professional tattoo artist, your tattoo machine is your most important work tool. With this in mind, you need to make sure you spend time cleaning and sterilizing this machine to keep it in good condition. Whether you work independently or in a studio with other artists, you need to make sure you keep bacteria at bay and avoid cross-contamination. By keeping your machine clean at all times, you will help ensure it is ready for each individual customer. Here are a few top tips to help you keep your tattoo machine clean and hygienic.
Cover Up to Avoid Contamination
Covering up your gear is an effective way to avoid splash-back while you are working on a client. The way you cover up your tool will depend on the type of tattoo machine you have. Barber DTS offer different types of high-quality tattoo machines. The machines they sell suit different types of artists and can offer accuracy and precision. Machine bags are great for covering angled rotary and coil machines, while you can slip a fitted sleeve over pen-style machines. All reusable grips should also be covered to avoid contamination. Use a cohesive bandage or a rubber band to seal the plastic bag properly. Should the plastic bag break or become leaky, clean your tattoo machine thoroughly after the session and replace it with a brand-new bag. When not in use, store all of your tools in a hygienic, dry place to ensure they stayclean.
Get into the Habit of Cleaning Everything Before and After a Session
After each session, you should always replace the plastic bag and your gloves, clean your workspace, and clean your tattoo machine. It is essential that everything used during a session is properly cleaned. To thoroughly clean your tool, you should take apart your machine and use disinfectant and paper towels to thoroughly clean the various parts of your machine. To ensure you get into the hard-to-reach areas, use a disposable cotton-tipped applicator. Following this, use a disinfectant spray on every individual component of your machine and allow it to dry. Make sure you spray the backs and sides of each part of your machine. When handling your equipment, make sure you wear a fresh pair of gloves. Once everything is dry, wipe off the disinfectant residue using a paper towel and an alcohol-based solution.
Use an Autoclave
An autoclave can help you reduce the risk of contamination and can be used to sterilize all non-disposable tattoo equipment. It uses a combination of heat, steam, and pressure to clean your tools. Although some machines cannot be cleaned using an autoclave due to the motor, you can remove the motor and sterilize the components of your machine that are compatible with the autoclave.
Cold Sterilization
Machines with motors that cannot be removed can be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner. Cold sterilization using an ultrasonic cleaner involves the combination of a chemical cleaning solution and high-frequency sound waves. When transmitted through the solution, the ultrasonic cleaner can scrub the surface of the submerged tattoo machine.
