What is the recommended process for sanitizing a comb with wooden handles?

• A. Clean with soap and water; disinfect with an appropriate solution; air dry; avoid prolonged soaking of wood.
• B. Soak in shampoo, rinse, and air dry in sunlight.
• C. Wipe with alcohol and dry with towel.
• D. Boil for 5 minutes then air dry.

Answer: (A)

Sanitizing a wooden-handle comb works best when you clean, then disinfect, then dry, while protecting the wood. Cleaning with soap and water removes dirt and oils that can shield microbes, so the surface is truly ready for disinfection. Then use an appropriate disinfectant to reduce the microbial load without soaking the wood, since wood is porous and sensitive to moisture. Finally, let the comb air dry completely to avoid moisture lingering in the wood, which can cause swelling, cracking, or finish damage. Prolonged soaking is avoided because it invites water absorption and structural harm to the wooden handle, which defeats sanitation in the long run.

Other methods fall short because they either don’t clean first, rely on sunlight or generic wiping that may not fully disinfect, risk drying or damaging the wood with harsh chemicals, or involve boiling which would warp or ruin the wooden handle.