California Cosmetology Written ExamSafety and Infection ControlHard
A pedicure technician asks why a wooden orangewood stick or foam pumice board must be discarded after one client instead of being disinfected and reused like a metal nipper. What is the regulatory reasoning?
- APorous items absorb liquids unevenly and cannot be reliably disinfected, so California requires they be single-use or given to the client
- BPorous items only need a shorter contact time in disinfectant, so reuse is unnecessary
- CPorous items are always more expensive than metal tools, making reuse impractical
- DPorous items corrode when placed into quaternary ammonium solution
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Porous items absorb liquids unevenly and cannot be reliably disinfected, so California requires they be single-use or given to the client
Porous, non-metal items like wood, foam, and emery boards absorb liquids inconsistently, so an EPA-registered disinfectant cannot fully penetrate and disinfect them. California Title 16 therefore requires such items be single-use, disposed of after one client, or given to the client to take home.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Porous items don't get a shortened contact time; they simply can't be disinfected at all.
- C. Cost is not the regulatory basis for the single-use rule.
- D. Corrosion applies more to metal tools, not the porous-item rationale.
Porous vs. Nonporous Implements
Nonporous items (metal, glass) can be disinfected and reused; porous items (wood, foam, some files) absorb liquid unevenly and must be single-use.
- Wood, foam, and cardboard emery boards are porous
- Metal and glass implements are nonporous and reusable after disinfection
- Porous items must be discarded or given to the client
Memory trick: Porous = 'pours' liquid unevenly, so it can't be trusted to disinfect.