What the rule covers
Four sections, one per kind of equipment: §980.1 whirlpool foot spas and air-jet basins (anything that circulates water through pipes or jets); §980.2 pipe-less foot spas (a footplate, impeller or propeller, no pipes); §980.3 non-whirlpool foot basins and tubs (“any basin, tub, footbath, sink, or bowl” plus any non-electrical equipment that holds water for a client’s feet); §980.4 disposable foot basin and tub liners. The first two share the same three procedures. The last two take a shorter one. All four end the same way: a log entry with the date, time and the initials of the person who did it.
The disinfectant the rule means
Every disinfecting step below uses an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant whose label says bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal, mixed and used per its label, for at least ten minutes of contact. The rule’s own words are an “EPA-registered hospital-liquid disinfectant that is labeled as a bactericide, fungicide and virucide”, with the mixing taken from the manufacturer’s label. “Hospital-grade” is the label claim, not a brand. Household bleach is not what §980.1 names for the foot spa; the product’s EPA registration number and its label claims are what an inspector checks against the rule.
After each client
For a whirlpool foot spa or air-jet basin, §980.1(c) sets these steps, “in the following sequential manner”:
- Drain all the water from the basin.
- Scrub the inside walls of the basin clean of all visible debris with a clean brush, liquid soap (labeled as such on the soap product) and water.
- Rinse the basin with water.
- Refill the basin with clean water.
- Circulate the correct amount of the EPA-registered hospital-liquid disinfectant (read the manufacturer’s label for mixing instructions), labeled as a bactericide, fungicide and virucide, through the basin for at least 10 minutes.
- Drain, rinse, and wipe the basin dry with a new, clean paper towel.
- Record it in the pedicure equipment-cleaning log: the date and time of the cleaning, the initials of the person who completed the procedure, and that the cleaning was done after a client.
The ten minutes is contact time with the disinfectant circulating, not the time the whole procedure takes; start the clock when the pump is running with the product in the water.
A pipe-less foot spa (§980.2(b)) takes the same cleaning with its parts out: drain all the water; remove the footplate and any other removable components according to the manufacturer’s instructions; scrub all visible debris from the impeller, the footplate, the inside walls of the basin and the other components, and the areas behind or under each, with a clean brush, liquid soap and water, then rinse with clean water; reinsert the cleaned footplate and components; refill with clean water and circulate the disinfectant for at least 10 minutes; drain, rinse and wipe the basin dry with a new, clean paper towel; and log it the same way, as done after a client.
At the end of each day
“At the end of each day and after the last client”, §980.1(d) sets these steps for a whirlpool foot spa or air-jet basin:
- Remove the screen and any other removable parts.
- Scrub all visible debris from the screen, the inside walls of the basin, any other removable parts, and the area behind them with a clean brush, liquid soap and water.
- Reinsert the clean screen and the other removable parts.
- Fill the basin with warm water and detergent (labeled as such on the detergent product) and circulate it through the spa system for at least 10 minutes, following the spa manufacturer’s instructions.
- Drain the detergent solution and rinse the basin.
- Refill the basin with clean water and circulate the correct amount of the EPA-registered hospital-liquid disinfectant, labeled as a bactericide, fungicide and virucide, through the basin for at least 10 minutes.
- Drain, rinse and wipe the basin dry with a new, clean paper towel, and allow the basin to dry completely.
- Record it in the log: the date and time, the initials of the person who completed the procedure, and that the cleaning was done at the end of the day.
A pipe-less foot spa (§980.2(c)) runs its end of day after the after-client steps and after the last client, so its parts have already come out and been scrubbed; the rule then asks for the two circulations: fill with warm water and detergent and circulate it for at least 10 minutes; drain and rinse; refill with clean water and circulate the disinfectant for at least 10 minutes; drain, rinse and wipe dry with a new, clean paper towel; allow the basin to dry completely; and log it as done at the end of the day.
Once a week
“At least once each week”, §980.1(e) picks up after end-of-day steps 1 through 6 above, with the disinfectant still in the unit, and says not to drain it:
- Do not drain the disinfectant solution. Turn the unit off and leave the disinfecting solution undisturbed in the unit for at least 6 hours.
- After the solution has sat at least 6 hours, drain and rinse the basin with clean water.
- Refill the basin with clean water and flush the system.
- Record it in the log: the date and time, the initials of the person who completed the procedure, and that the cleaning was done weekly. No End of Day row that night.
A pipe-less foot spa (§980.2(d)) does the same after its end-of-day steps 1 through 3: the unit off and the solution left undisturbed for at least 6 hours, then the basin rinsed and wiped dry with a new, clean paper towel, and the row logged as weekly.
Set a fixed night for it. Our guide to how often to clean a pedicure foot spa in California explains how the weekly interval is counted and why the sheet should show it at regular intervals.
Plain basins and tubs
The same after-client idea without the pump (§980.3(b)): drain all the water; scrub the inside surfaces clean of all visible debris with a clean brush, liquid soap and water; rinse with clean water; refill with clean water and the correct amount of the EPA-registered hospital-liquid disinfectant, and leave the solution in the basin or tub for at least 10 minutes; drain, rinse and wipe dry with a new, clean paper towel. No end-of-day or weekly procedure. Log After Client every time.
Disposable liners
A new liner for every client: a single-use liner “shall be disposed of immediately after each use and may not be disinfected or reused” (§980.4). After the service, discard the liner, then scrub the basin under it clean of all visible debris with a clean brush and liquid soap and water, rinse with clean water and wipe dry with a new, clean paper towel. The rule asks for no disinfectant on the basin when a liner was used, but it does ask for the log entry (After Client), and it asks the shop to keep at least five liners per foot tub basin on hand at all times so a basin is never reused without one.
Writing it down
Each procedure above ends in the same sentence of the rule: a log with the date and time of the cleaning, the initials of the person who did it, and which cleaning it was. One sheet per unit; one row per cleaning; initials, not a signature. A unit with no pedicures that day is logged “no services performed”; a whirlpool or pipe-less unit out of use is noted “not in service” with a sign on the chair. Our guide to the California BBC 14 log covers the form box by box, and the California page has the rule next to the app.
What to keep at the chair
A brush and liquid soap for the scrub; the disinfectant mixed at label strength, with its label (or the EPA registration number written on the bottle) where it can be read; a timer for the ten minutes; paper towels; the chair’s log or the tablet that holds it; a Not in Service sign in a drawer for the day a pump fails. ReadyPedi’s three taps at the chair log each cleaning’s completion with the time it was actually finished, and the printed BBC 14 carries the initials from the roster. A shop can start a free trial today.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the disinfectant have to circulate?
At least ten minutes, with the pump running, after each client and again at the end of the day. The weekly clean leaves it in the unit at least six hours.
Can I use bleach in a California pedicure spa?
The rule names an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant with bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal label claims, used per its label. Check the product’s label and EPA registration against that; the label, not the chemistry, is what the inspector reads.
Do I disinfect a basin after a disposable liner?
No disinfectant step is required when a liner was used (§980.4): discard the liner, scrub the basin with soap, rinse and dry, and log it. Keep at least five liners per basin on hand.
Does the end-of-day cleaning count as the after-client cleaning for the last customer?
No. The last client’s after-client cleaning is done and logged first; the end-of-day procedure is a separate, longer breakdown of the unit and its own row.
What if I forget a step?
The log is a record of what was done, not of what should have been. If a cleaning was missed, do it now and log the real time; a log that says every step was done at 9:00 pm every night is the thing that fails an inspection.
This guide explains California’s foot-spa cleaning procedure in plain language and is not legal advice. The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology’s rules are the authority on California foot-spa cleaning and recordkeeping requirements.