3: Vault: Your nail salon might be dirtier than you think

Summary

The Bert Show Podcast Summary

Episode: Vault: Your nail salon might be dirtier than you think
Date: May 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this engaging and eye-opening episode, The Bert Show discusses a topic that’s often overlooked: nail salon hygiene and safety. Hosts Bert, Jen, Adam, Jeff, and a rotating cast dig into what really goes on behind the scenes in nail salons, whether regulatory oversight is enough, and how consumers can protect themselves from unsanitary conditions. With investigative anecdotes, frank listener interactions, and some humorous side chatter, the hosts pull back the curtain on a beauty industry many take for granted.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Concerns About Nail Salon Hygiene

• Background: Jen shares her long-standing discomfort with nail salons, referencing public incidents of infection, like Paula Abdul’s case. She describes the anxiety many women feel about the cleanliness of tools and the risk of infection. (00:37)
• Quote:
  “Nail salons have always freaked people out...remember when Paula Abdul had that thing where she almost lost her thumb because of an infection?” – Jen (00:37)

2. Oversight and Inspection Realities

• Inspections: Adam outlines how salons are inspected, emphasizing there's no letter or number grade system for cleanliness—unlike restaurants. Annual inspections are standard, but the state’s resources for checks are limited. (01:04 – 01:46)
• What to Look For: Inspection reports (listing 28 items) should be publicly displayed. If a salon has violations (e.g. unlicensed workers, improper sanitization), they’re fined, but there’s no easy rating system for customers. (01:46 – 02:31)

3. Common Regulation Violations

• Unlicensed Technicians: A frequent infraction is having staff members performing services without proper licenses, which signals lack of training in sanitation and safety. (02:34 – 03:19)
• Proper Display: Every technician’s license should be visible, either on a wall, at their desk, or in plain view with their photo attached. (03:34 – 04:03)
• Quote:
  “Each technician should have one [a license]. And it’s either on the wall, like I said, or like Jen said, on their little desk wherever they’re doing it.” – Adam (03:42)

4. What Customers Should Do

• Vigilance at Entry: Adam encourages patrons to check both establishment and individual technician licenses and recommends searching the Secretary of State’s site for licensing history and disciplinary actions. (04:54 – 05:20)
• Awkward Confrontations: Jen admits it would be uncomfortable to confront an unlicensed worker directly and suggests instead discreetly alerting the owner if an issue arises. (05:21 – 05:53)

5. Serious Violations—Real Examples

• Case Studies: Adam highlights several local salons recently fined for a range of infractions—unlicensed employees, failing to sanitize tools, and receiving cease and desist orders.
  • City Nails and Spa (Snellville) – fined $2,000+ for unlicensed staff and unsanitized utensils
  • Nifty Nails (Buford), Azar Salon (Atlanta), Anna Nails (Fayetteville) – all cited for unlicensed techs (06:09 – 09:03)
• Investigation Footage: Undercover investigations caught staff using tools on themselves and placing used tools back into communal bins without sanitizing—posing huge risks. (07:31 – 07:51)
• Quote:
  “She took out of the little bucket of utensils... started filing her toes. After she was done, she just dropped it right back in the bucket. Did not actually go and clean the stuff.” – Adam (07:51)

6. Debate on Licensing & Language Barriers

• Listener Call-In: Julie calls to argue that licensing everyone isn’t “realistic,” as some workers can’t pass English-language exams but “have talent.” Hosts and Adam push back strongly, pointing out public health trumps “talent” alone. (09:12 – 10:46)
• Quote:
  “That’s like saying that a heart surgeon, you just have to have talent to be a heart surgeon...” – Blaze (12:28)
• Adam’s Reasoning: If workers can’t pass the required exams, they shouldn’t be exempt from laws meant to protect health. (10:46 – 11:12)

7. Risks of Injury and Infection

• Drill Dangers: Jen and Bert discuss how acrylics and electric file tools, if used improperly, can cause burns or injuries. (11:12 – 11:28)
• Medical Extremes: Adam recounts a podiatrist’s story where a woman lost her toe to a nail infection in Atlanta, inviting listeners with similar stories to get in touch for further investigation. (11:30 – 12:21)
• Quote:
  “A local podiatrist... had to amputate a woman’s toe because of a nail infection here in the metro Atlanta area.” – Adam (11:36)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You’ve got to be your own advocate when you walk into these places and be looking.” – Adam (01:08)
• “Would you have the guts to get up and go to somebody else?” – Host, on dealing with unlicensed techs (05:21)
• Caller Julie’s argument that “talent” is as important as licensing sparks an immediate, incredulous reaction from the group, leading to Blaze’s memorable analogy about heart surgeons. (12:28)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Concerns about infections and Paula Abdul story: 00:37
• Inspection processes and what's posted: 01:42 – 02:31
• Most common violations (licensing, sanitation): 02:34 – 03:19
• How to check technician and salon licenses: 04:54 – 05:20
• Awkward scenario—what if your tech isn’t licensed?: 05:21 – 05:53
• Real cases of fined and cited salons: 06:09 – 09:03
• Conversation with listener Julie regarding licensing: 09:12 – 10:46
• Discussion about professional standards, licensing, and public health: 10:46 – 12:21
• Extreme case: toe amputation from infection: 11:36

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Conclusion

The Bert Show delivers a lively, informative, and at times, hilarious discussion on the hidden risks of nail salons. With clear advice (check for licenses; observe sanitation), real-life cautionary tales, and strong views on professional standards, listeners are better equipped to look out for their own safety during a routine beauty ritual that could have unexpected consequences.

For further information or to share a related story, contact Adam at AdamGetsAction (via Facebook/Twitter) or through the contact info provided during the episode.

Transcript

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[Host]

You're on the Burch show. So Jen brought this to our attention like a week ago. Man, nail salons started to freak her out a little bit.

[Jen]

Well, nail salons have always freaked people out. And you guys remember when Paula Abdul had that thing where she almost, like, lost her thumb because of an infection, and that was an infection that she got at a nail salon that was not using, you know, hygienic tools to do the manicures and pedicures. And so I think it's on women's minds a lot, especially if you're somebody like me who has to have the manny and pedicure.

[Host]

Hey, Adam, for the most part, are they safe, are they clean, or do you really gotta know where you're heading?

[Adam]

Well, I mean, it's just like anything. And we talk about restaurants on this show. Some are, some aren't. And really, I think the best advice is to be your own officer or your own patrol when you walk into these places, because there are nine board members on the state board of cosmetology, all right? And they're all appointed by the governor. There are not that many inspectors out there. And the state tries to to go and inspect these places on a regular basis, which, if you're lucky, is once a year. So you've got to be your own advocate when you walk into these places and be looking. And if you see something, of course, you got to go to the state board of cosmetology and let them know so that they can send somebody out to check it out.

[Host]

But there's no rating system like there is in restaurants.

[Adam]

There's not a number score or a letter grade score. No, I mean, they go in, they do an inspection, and that inspection is posted right when you walk in. It should be on the wall in plain view when you walk in a salon and you can look at it and it's got a list of 28 things they're looking for. Everything from cleaning the supplies to Making sure that everybody is licensed. They go down this list, and if you're in violation, then you get fined. I found a couple of places this week, and I pulled some of the most recent inspections, and one of them in particular was fined over $2,000 because they had several different infractions when the inspector actually walked in. So you should look for the inspection. When you walk in, you're not going to see a letter grade or a numerical score.

[Host]

What are the infractions that they could get busted for?

[Adam]

Just looking at some of the infractions that are on the list. Like I said, they want to make sure that the place is currently licensed. They want to make sure that the people working there are properly licensed. There's a pretty lengthy process. They have to take exams and things like that in order to get the right license. That's one of the infractions I see come up often when I look at these inspections at nail salons are people that are working there without a license. And if they don't have a license and you know you're getting a mani, pedi or whatever. That's kind of a concern as far as I see it, Just because these people should know exactly what to do, especially when it comes to sanitizing the utensils and stuff like that. And if they're not licensed, they may not know what to do to actually make sure that everything is safe.

[Jen]

Or when it comes to waxing.

[Adam]

Yes.

[Jen]

Because a lot of these places do waxing treatments where. And you don't want anybody.

[Adam]

I've had that done before.

[Jen]

Doing your brows. They can come in close to your eye with hot wax. That's not licensed. Right, right.

[Host]

So what are you supposed to do? Have you heard each individual say, let me see your license?

[Adam]

No, they should all have a license also posted on the wall when you walk in.

[Jeff]

What does that license mean?

[Adam]

So you can ask their name.

[Jen]

They each have them on their desks.

[Adam]

Yeah, a desk or on the wall or whatever. Right. When you go in. So you'll see the inspection, and then you should see a license not only for the establishment, but for that is there. Each technician should have one. And it's either on the wall, like I said, or like Jen said, on their little desk wherever they're doing it.

[Jen]

And it kind of looks like a driver's license, but a little bit longer, like the size of a check and their picture is on it.

[Host]

Okay.

[Jen]

So you can tell if they're the one whose license is sexual.

[Jeff]

Yeah, as long as you're in one. Where all the employees don't look the same.

[Adam]

Here's good to go. Here's another thing that I would suggest, too.

[Julie]

What?

[Adam]

Did I miss something? I wasn't paying attention.

[Jeff]

Well, I'm just saying, usually you go into the nail salons. I think the one Jen goes through, and you have a whole staff of all people from the same country, and they all have long black hair and they're all skinny and.

[Host]

And they all look the same if they're not from our country. Is that what you're saying?

[Jeff]

Yes.

[Host]

All right, Hannity.

[Jeff]

Gotcha.

[Blaze]

Really?

[Jen]

You are really winning friends today.

[Host]

Wow.

[Jeff]

Don't make me.

[Jen]

You are mad about being old, Jeff. Today's Jeff Watts. Hate me all day.

[Jeff]

I'm mad about Jen for bringing it up. I'm fine with being old as long as none of us acknowled.

[Caller or Guest]

Sorry, Adam.

[Blaze]

Hey.

[Jen]

Welcome.

[Adam]

Welcome.

[Jen]

Thank you.

[Adam]

Where was I? Oh, yeah. I got a great suggestion, though. You can actually go online and look up the Secretary of state's website. So just Google that. Secretary of state's office in Georgia. And if you look around, you can actually look up the salon that you go to to see if they have an active license. You can also find out the most recent actions taken by the board of cosmetology. So there's a lot of good information on their website. And if you just want to check the background of the place that you

[Jen]

go to, I'll be doing that.

[Host]

Would you do that? Let's say you sit down, right? You go to your mani. Petty place, right? You sit down at a station or whatever, and the woman that's just about to work on you doesn't have a license. Would you have the guts to get up and go to somebody else?

[Jen]

That would be uncomfortable in that moment. It would be uncomfortable. But I think at my place, I know the owners, so I think I would just pull the owners aside and talk to them about it and have them switch the person.

[Host]

Before or after you got it done?

[Jen]

Before.

[Host]

Before.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Host]

Okay.

[Adam]

Yeah, I've never.

[Jen]

But I wouldn't tell them directly. I'm not good at confrontation like that.

[Adam]

You're a roach experience, Jen. I've never heard of that. I've heard of that in restaurants, but I have heard of that.

[Jeff]

Roach was trained to sterilize the utensils, possibly analyze it.

[Adam]

They needed some additional help.

[Host]

Right.

[Jen]

Roaches are just nasty.

[Adam]

Yeah, they're very nasty. So let me tell you about a couple of these that I pulled real quick. Like, for example, there was. Well, there were violations at a place that is in Snellville. It's called City Nails and Spa. And they are on Scenic Highway. And they actually were fined over $2,000. They had folks that were working there that were not properly licensed. Actually, two of the six people working in that salon did not have a license. They were fined $500 for not properly cleaning the utensils and disinfecting them. I looked up and did a little research.

[Jen]

It'll give you an infection.

[Adam]

Yeah. And I did some research on that to find out what do they have to do to make sure everything's properly disinfected. The deal, they've got to. They can do it several ways, but they can take the utensils and soak them in like a hospital grade disinfectant. But they got to do it for at least 10 minutes. And they can also use the autoclave, which looks like the little toaster that we talked about. And then they're supposed to, after every single person, properly clean out the little bowl where you put your feet. And they've got to thoroughly clean it. And between each customer, the techs that are working there must wash their hands. I don't see a lot of that happening when I go and even question these places or send somebody in undercover to investigate. I don't know about you, Jen or Melissa or Wendy. When you guys go in there, I don't know what you see, but they should be doing this. It should be cleaned, and you should be getting.

[Caller or Guest]

I don't pay attention.

[Jen]

I've never paid attention that much.

[Adam]

I'll tell you this. We did an investigation a couple of months ago. We went undercover to a place near Sidney Marcus called Nail First. Interestingly enough, our undercover camera caught a woman. She worked there. She took out of the little bucket of utensils, a couple of. Some of the utensils, whatever, and started filing her toes. Cleaning her toenails.

[Julie]

Oh, no.

[Adam]

After she was done, she just dropped it right back in the bucket. Did not actually go and clean the stuff. We caught that on camera. It just goes to show. And she was doing her own feet. She was doing her own feet, yes. She didn't have a customer, so she grabbed the stuff.

[Host]

It's called practice.

[Caller or Guest]

Out of the bucket.

[Jen]

It's called practice.

[Adam]

Practicing on herself. Yes, yes. And a couple of other places I was gonna tell you about too. In fact, this place is called the Nifty Nails and it's on Coming highway in Buford.

[Host]

Did they spell nifty correctly or is it with like two e's at.

[Adam]

No, we Got it correctly.

[Host]

Okay. And the F was backwards.

[Adam]

Well, they had three different people working there that were not properly licensed. And the Board of Cosmetology issued cease and desist orders on those three individuals. So three of the techs that were working there, not properly licensed. We found this also at a couple of other salons, like Azar Salon in Atlanta on north Fulton Drive. They had a nail tech working unlicensed at their salon as well. And then I found another one at Anna Nails, which is in Fayetteville on Glenn Street. A nail tech working without a proper license. So it seems to happen.

[Host]

Julie here wants to defend the unlicensed mani Petty technicians. Hey, Julie.

[Julie]

Hey.

[Host]

Hey.

[Julie]

Yeah, I just think it's not really realistic to get everyone in this license. Some of them cannot actually go to an American whatever and get licensed. I think it just takes talent. Maybe they can have a class where they get taught how to clean or whatever, but to get all of them licensed, honestly, you're not gonna get that.

[Host]

I'm not sure what your point is. They can't get licensed. For what reason?

[Julie]

Not all of them, not every specific person can get licensed in a nail shop.

[Host]

Why?

[Julie]

Because I think it takes down. There's a reason why there's not a lot of American nail salons. So, you know, we do need to be a little bit realistic with these. With the people, you know, that are more talented in this area.

[Host]

I have no idea what you're saying.

[Julie]

But not mandatory that everyone in their, you know, license. Because they're not. They're not gonna, you know, they're not gonna meet that requirement.

[Adam]

Why? Is it because they can't speak, like, the language or understand what the exam says?

[Julie]

Not all of them, but some of them actually cannot speak the language? Yes.

[Host]

Well, then if you can't pass the test, then you can't be licensed. That's the law. Then you can't work.

[Julie]

Okay, well, they keep working. I mean, even if we don't want them to work, they keep working. Somebody's gonna hire them if I have a salon because they have the, you know, ability to do it. But the thing is, they can have classes.

[Jen]

She's censoring where they get taught.

[Host]

That's where she wanted to curse. That's where she wanted to curve.

[Jen]

She was cussing and she was kind

[Host]

enough to censor herself.

[Jeff]

I'm confused by her remarks.

[Adam]

Kind of.

[Host]

I think what she's saying is it's not realistic because a lot of people that work in the salons don't speak English, so they can't pay, so they can't pass the tests.

[Adam]

Well, yeah, if you're too bad. Everybody's in the same game.

[Jeff]

Your law or whatever.

[Adam]

Yeah, everybody's playing the same game. So it's not fair if some people are exempt and others aren't. I mean, if you're doing this as a career and you are actually dealing with other people and their health and not. You don't want them to get infections. And you need to be able to pass the exam and play by the rules, as I see it.

[Jen]

And a lot of women get those acrylic nails. You've seen those, right? I mean, and they are, like, working on your hand with, like, a drill bit.

[Host]

It's a sharp tool, man. They're cutting you open.

[Jen]

It's like it almost could burn your skin if they touch your skin. Surgery. Yeah. If they don't do it correctly, it could really, really hurt you.

[Host]

All right, Adam, as we wrap it up, what else do we need to know?

[Adam]

Okay, well, coming up, actually, Monday, November 23rd, I've got another investigation I'm working on, actually on CBS Atlanta News about this. And interestingly enough, I gotta tell you this. I talked to a local podiatrist. He told me that he had to amputate a woman's toe because of a nail infection here in the metro Atlanta area. And the thing is, he's looking for her chart to try to find this lady. I would love to talk to this lady. If anybody knows of someone like this that's had something as severe as a toe being amputated, it's really not a laughing matter or another serious infection, you have got to contact me. Please let me know because we want to hear your story. We want to investigate some of these salons. So it's pretty simple. You email me. You can do that. Adam.murphybsatlanta.com or even easier, just hit me up on Facebook. I'm now on Twitter and the Twitter name is AdamGetsAction.

[Host]

Why don't we put all that information up on our website?

[Adam]

Sounds good.

[Host]

Q100ATLANTA.com hey, Blaze, we've got about 15 seconds here. What do you got?

[Blaze]

No, I just got a problem with the lady that just called in about saying that it just takes talent. I mean, that's like saying that a heart surgeon, you just have to have talent to be a heart surgeon, that you don't, you know, it's okay. You don't need a degree or anything.

[Host]

Shouldn't make any sense there.

[Julie]

It's insane.

[Adam]

You don't have to convince us, right?

[Host]

We're on your side on that one. This is the Birch show, so you're

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