How to Set Up a Tattoo Workstation

Setting up a tattoo workstation in a professional environment starts with one important requirement−sterility. Having a clean, sterile environment is always the top priority. Beyond that you'll need everything required for the tattoo procedure ready to go and within easy reach.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sterile environment
• Disinfectants
• Décor
• Disinfected, cling-wrapped worktable or area
• Disposable gloves
• Tattoo machines
• Tattoo power supply
• Sealed sterilized or disposable needles & tubes
• Barrier film
• Cling wrap
• Paper plate
• Ink caps
• Ink
• Petroleum jelly
• Paper cup
• Distilled water
• Spray or squeeze bottles
• Disposable razor
• Stencil & applicator
• Green soap
• Paper towels

1. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and put on disposable gloves. You should change your gloves prior to prepping the client for their stencil and again before beginning the actual tattoo work.

2. Wipe down all surfaces with a good disinfectant. In a typical workstation this is going to include all counter space, any movable table or tray where inks or tattoo equipment will be held and the tattoo furniture the person being tattooed will be placed.

3. Use barrier film or cling wrap to cover areas in your workstation. Anywhere the tattoo procedure will take place should be covered. This includes tattoo furniture, especially arm or foot rests that will be utilized during the procedure and the area where you'll be setting your tattoo machines, inks and other supplies.

4. Set up sterilized tattoo machines with power supply, foot switch, clip cords and cover any of these as needed. Place your rubber bands and grommets next to your tattoo machine to put on once you're ready to load your needles and tubes.

5. Place new, unopened needles and tubes next to your tattoo machine. These may either be reusable items that are sterilized and sealed in an autoclave bag or disposables still sealed from the manufacturer.

6. Dispense ink. Take individual, one-time use ink caps and put the various colors of ink required in individual caps. The number of caps will vary depending on how many different colors will be used.

7. Get disposables ready. You'll need items such as a disposable, one-time use razor for shaving the tattoo area, paper towels for wiping away excess ink and a disposable paper cup with distilled water for rinsing between color changes all within easy reach on your disinfected, cling-wrapped worktable.

8. Cover spray bottles. Tattoo artists generally use a spray bottle or squeeze bottle to dispense green soap, distilled water or other product they will use to clean excess ink off the skin throughout the tattoo. These bottles should be covered to keep contaminated fluids from getting directly on the bottles.

9. Apply a stencil. You should already have your stencil ready to apply and your choice of stencil applicator nearby. This is where you'll start on the customer.

Tips & Warnings

• If the state you tattoo in requires licensing, always be sure your license is hanging in your tattoo workstation and clearly visible to your clients.
• Set your tattoo power supply within easy reach, but out of the way of potential harm. You may even want to wrap it in cling wrap to keep liquids from getting on it and down inside it.
• You can decorate your workstation however you like, but be sure none of these personal items are in the way of the immediate tattoo area or are close enough to get contaminated.
• Tattoo artists should never smoke or eat at their tattoo workstation. Always keep the area clean, even if you don't have a client in there at the time.
• Never refill inks from your main bottle while wearing the gloves you've been tattooing in. If you need more ink, put a fresh pair of gloves on first.
• Always have a Sharps container readily available to place used tattoo needles and biohazard bags for anything to be disposed of that came into contact with blood during the procedure.

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