Ohio State Board Nail Technician Practice Exam

The recommended alcohol concentration for sanitizing tools is at least 70%. This concentration is considered optimal because it strikes the right balance between effectiveness and evaporation rate. Alcohol solutions of 70% are more effective because they contain sufficient water to slow the evaporation process, allowing the alcohol to remain in contact with the surface for a longer time and thus enhancing its ability to kill bacteria and viruses. This prolonged contact time increases the disinfectant’s efficacy against a variety of pathogens, including viruses and bacteria.

When alcohol concentrations are lower than 70%, such as 50% or 60%, they may not be as effective for disinfection purposes; the lower concentration may evaporate too quickly to provide the necessary contact time to achieve proper sanitization. Higher concentrations, like 80%, while potentially effective, can also evaporate too quickly and may not allow for the same level of disinfection as the 70% solution. Thus, 70% alcohol is the standard concentration recommended for effective tool sanitization in nail care and other hygiene practices.