That client who insisted I skip sanitizing between services still haunts me

Had a walk-in about 8 months ago in Portland, lady in her 50s, wanted a quick brow wax. She got annoyed when I started wiping down the table and told me 'just do it, I'm the only one here.' Straight up said she didn't care about germs. I told her I couldn't skip it, and she huffed out the door mumbling about how I was wasting her time. Anyone else run into clients who think sanitation is optional?

3 comments

3 Comments

drew5512d ago

Used to think the whole sanitation thing was overblown myself. Back when I first started cutting hair I'd skip wiping down clippers between people if I was in a hurry. Then I had a client come back two days later with a nasty scalp infection. Doctor said it was staph. Felt like a real jerk and now I don't skip a single step no matter how much someone complains.

the_faith12d ago

Right? It's one of those things that seems harmless until you see the consequences firsthand. My cousin used to work in a salon and told me about a guy who came in complaining about a rash. Turns out it was ringworm from contaminated clippers at some barbershop. The whole shop had to get inspected and the guy lost a patch of hair for weeks. You'd think people would learn from stories like yours but some still act like you're being dramatic for spraying clippers between cuts. Really makes you wonder how many infections get passed around cause someone was in a rush to get to the next chair.

the_amy12d agoMost Upvoted

And @the_faith your cousin's story just confirmed why I bring my own clippers to the barber now. Not even kidding. Saw a guy at my old shop use the same blade on three dudes in a row and just wipe it on his pants. Like congrats, you saved ten seconds and gave half the neighborhood a free skin infection. People really out here treating hygiene like it's optional.