How to check a salon's hygiene standards before you book

A clean salon makes the difference between a smooth, comfortable waxing experience and one where you risk infection or irritation. Before you book, you need concrete ways to verify that a salon actually maintains the hygiene standards it claims. This goes beyond a tidy waiting room — it's about sterilisation practices, staff training, and accountability.

Check their registration and insurance

Start with the fundamentals. Ask the salon for their business registration number and verify it with CIPC. A legitimate salon should also hold public liability insurance; ask them to confirm they're covered and by which provider. These aren't guarantees of cleanliness, but they signal that the business operates with proper oversight.

If the salon is part of a franchise or chain, ask which regulatory body they answer to. Some beauty councils and professional associations maintain membership directories — a quick call to verify membership shows the salon has submitted to external standards.

Ask about their sterilisation protocol

Since waxing involves direct contact with skin and can create tiny breaks, sterilisation matters. Call ahead and ask these specific questions:

• Do they use disposable applicators for each client, or reusable ones? If reusable, how are they sterilised between clients?
• What disinfectant do they use on beds and equipment, and how often?
• How often is wax pot changed or cleaned? (Reputable salons should change it daily or have separate pots for each client.)
• Are staff trained in infection control?

A salon that hesitates or can't give you a clear answer is a red flag. Write down their responses so you can check them on arrival.

Request references from regular clients

When you call to book, ask the salon if they can provide contact details for two or three regular clients willing to discuss their experience. This is perfectly normal practice. When you call references, ask about cleanliness specifically: Did they ever notice unclean equipment? Did they develop any skin reactions? Have they been going back regularly, and for how long?

If a salon refuses to provide references or says they don't have any long-term clients, that's a signal to look elsewhere. Established salons with good practices have clients happy to vouch for them.

Visit in person before your first appointment

If possible, drop by the salon without booking just to observe. A good salon won't mind — they know hygiene is a legitimate concern. What to look for:

• Are the waxing rooms clean and tidy, or do you see hair, product spills, or clutter?
• Are staff wearing clean uniforms and washing or sanitising their hands between clients?
• Do you see disposable applicators or fresh towels being used?
• Is there a hand sanitiser station visible?
• Does the bathroom look clean?

You don't need to grill staff, but a quick chat about their cleanliness routine often tells you how seriously they take it. A therapist who speaks confidently about their sterilisation process and welcomes your questions is usually someone worth trusting.

Trust your gut on their responsiveness

How a salon responds to hygiene questions before you book is itself informative. Do they answer promptly and in detail, or are they vague and dismissive? Do they seem annoyed by your questions, or do they treat them as reasonable?

Salons that understand hygiene is a health issue — not just an inconvenience — tend to maintain better standards. They're also more likely to spot early signs of infection or reaction and advise you to pause treatment if needed.

Before you commit, cross-reference everything you've learned: their registration, their protocol, what their references say, and what you observed in person. If the pieces don't fit together, or if any part of the picture feels off, keep looking. Strove lets you browse verified salons, read reviews from other clients, and contact providers directly to ask these questions before you decide. A salon worth your time will have nothing to hide.