Sterilizing Equipment Pre Autoclave

Catie · 11 Apr 2019

If you wanna skip the background the actual questions are in BOLD below.

Ok, so I apprenticed to be a piercer(need to work on a lot before I start tattooing) for just under a year at a shop near me but they weren't making enough and cut me loose not long after I was done apprenticing.
I'm now doing piercings out of my house and will hopefully find a new shop after we move to San Antinio in a few weeks. Although almost all of the shops there seem to want 5 years experience, which I dont have yet. So if anyone is in the San Antonio area and can help me out find a shop again that would be amazing. I dont mind starting back under apprenticeship again. So, my questions are:

1. What is a good but affordable solution to clean them in pre autoclave? My shop used ammonia. I researched before I decided to do it alone and, of course, no one ever mentioned using that. I have Cavicide and Cavicide1 but I read that it wont sanitize equipment(I mean pliers etc), just surfaces. I've spent more than I should starting this and am close to broke. Please help me out.

2. Also, should I autoclave my jewelry before using it or is a ultrasonic ok? What solution should I put them in for an ultrasonic?

Any help is extremely appreciated

marked 4 life · 12 Apr 2019

Any reusable tool which has been in any form of contact with broken skin must be steam autoclaved, hollow objects must be vacuum autoclaved, solid objects can be non vacuum autoclaved.

Chemical disinfectants, hot cupboards or dry heat sterilisers are not recognised to carry out the job of steralisation satisfactorily.

If you use an ulteasonic cleaner then solutions such as Rapidex is a good cleaner before autoclaving, regarding steralising jewellery, you can purchase pre steralised items and pre steralised single use disposable tools also, be very aware about infection control, if you havent already done an infection control course then it is a must if you are serious about piercing/tattooing.

If you are on a budget then non vacuum autoclaves can be picked up relatively cheaply but you must do regular spore tests to ensure they are working satisfactorily and you should have them serviced annually.

TexasPT · 12 Apr 2019

it's surprisingly hard to to find a piercer...the shop I'm at now and then looked for over a year before we got one. If the shop you apprenticed under is willing to be a reference you shouldn't have much trouble finding a shop that wants to take you on. it's great money for a shop. You have to be HONEST about your capabilities...and don't be a dick. so many people walk in trying to be "cool" and it is a huge turn off for the shop...just be you. (unless you suck, then be someone else)

Your selling yourself...remember that. I was a part of a few interviews with piercers and you didn't wan to even be in the room with them...why would you want to work 50 hours a week with them??

Take pictures of your work, and start walking in shops.

The job below took me 2 seconds to find.

Live through this tattoos is looking for a full time professional body piercer that is experienced and you can also be a tattoo artist as well. I do pay 50/50 commission splits and daily pay. We are located next door to Our Lady of the Lake University and on a busy street with potential to make a lot of money. Call or text James 210-777-7942 at any time.

troub1edsou1z · 12 Apr 2019

You will need an ultrasonic cleaner. We use Organisol in ours. All of our tubes and piercing instruments get a 20 min soak in the ultrasonic, then they are moved to another container where we hand scrub everything in a bleach/hot water mix. Then once they are rinsed and dry they go into sterilization pouches and get run through the autoclave for 25 mins.

Catie · 12 Apr 2019

TexasPT said:
it's surprisingly hard to to find a piercer...the shop I'm at now and then looked for over a year before we got one. If the shop you apprenticed under is willing to be a reference you shouldn't have much trouble finding a shop that wants to take you on. it's great money for a shop. You have to be HONEST about your capabilities...and don't be a dick. so many people walk in trying to be "cool" and it is a huge turn off for the shop...just be you. (unless you suck, then be someone else) Your selling yourself...remember that. I was a part of a few interviews with piercers and you didn't wan to even be in the room with them...why would you want to work 50 hours a week with them??

Take pictures of your work, and start walking in shops.

The job below took me 2 seconds to find.

Live through this tattoos is looking for a full time professional body piercer that is experienced and you can also be a tattoo artist as well. I do pay 50/50 commission splits and daily pay. We are located next door to Our Lady of the Lake University and on a busy street with potential to make a lot of money. Call or text James 210-777-7942 at any time.

Thank you. Where did you find that? I haven't looked in the last month because we've been going back and forth and packing. As far as skills I would say I'm still inexperienced but I can actually do a lot few that other shops in my current area apparently reject because it's difficult. I'm still new but I love doing it

Catie · 12 Apr 2019

marked 4 life said:
Any reusable tool which has been in any form of contact with broken skin must be steam autoclaved, hollow objects must be vacuum autoclaved, solid objects can be non vacuum autoclaved.

Chemical disinfectants, hot cupboards or dry heat sterilisers are not recognised to carry out the job of steralisation satisfactorily.

If you use an ulteasonic cleaner then solutions such as Rapidex is a good cleaner before autoclaving, regarding steralising jewellery, you can purchase pre steralised items and pre steralised single use disposable tools also, be very aware about infection control, if you havent already done an infection control course then it is a must if you are serious about piercing/tattooing.

If you are on a budget then non vacuum autoclaves can be picked up relatively cheaply but you must do regular spore tests to ensure they are working satisfactorily and you should have them serviced annually.

I have a real vacuum autoclave. I'm just not sure what to clean my pliers in before autoclaveing them. Thanks for answering everyone!

Catie · 12 Apr 2019

troub1edsou1z said:
You will need an ultrasonic cleaner. We use Organisol in ours. All of our tubes and piercing instruments get a 20 min soak in the ultrasonic, then they are moved to another container where we hand scrub everything in a bleach/hot water mix. Then once they are rinsed and dry they go into sterilization pouches and get run through the autoclave for 25 mins.

Thank you, that's what I really need. The names of the cleaners. My ultrasonic is to small to clean my pliers to my satisfaction, even as a pre autoclave measure. So assuming I cant use the ultrasonic, what should I soak and scrub everything in?

Catie · 12 Apr 2019

TexasPT said:
it's surprisingly hard to to find a piercer...the shop I'm at now and then looked for over a year before we got one. If the shop you apprenticed under is willing to be a reference you shouldn't have much trouble finding a shop that wants to take you on. it's great money for a shop. You have to be HONEST about your capabilities...and don't be a dick. so many people walk in trying to be "cool" and it is a huge turn off for the shop...just be you. (unless you suck, then be someone else) Your selling yourself...remember that. I was a part of a few interviews with piercers and you didn't wan to even be in the room with them...why would you want to work 50 hours a week with them??

Take pictures of your work, and start walking in shops.

The job below took me 2 seconds to find.

Live through this tattoos is looking for a full time professional body piercer that is experienced and you can also be a tattoo artist as well. I do pay 50/50 commission splits and daily pay. We are located next door to Our Lady of the Lake University and on a busy street with potential to make a lot of money. Call or text James 210-777-7942 at any time.

I have started to collect pictures of my work. I probably have enough to give a potential employer an idea as to it's general quality, I think.

TexasPT · 12 Apr 2019

Catie said:
I have started to collect pictures of my work. I probably have enough to give a potential employer an idea as to it's general quality, I think.

Awesome...best of luck.

The Texas contingency is taking over

Raskal 1220 · 14 Apr 2019

TexasPT said:
Awesome...best of luck.

The Texas contingency is taking over

I wish I had more time to work and put pics of it up.

balooka · 14 Apr 2019

Catie, this is not directed at you personally but...

Just a question... How come there are people on this forum that have a mentor or are an apprentice in a shop but lack a lot of (basic) knowledge which should be readily available in the shop they work in/for?

Sterilizing Equipment Pre Autoclave

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