As a nail technician or a professional working in a salon, taking care of your nail brushes is very important. Acrylic nail brushes can experience a build-up of product and residue, which is why it is so important to clean the brushes regularly to make them more effective. Dirty nail brushes are not just unhygienic; they also look unprofessional in front of your clients.
They make it harder to create your best work and cause difficulty in controlling the acrylics. In most cases, after cleaning your brushes before and after use, there are times when the product gets stuck within your bristles. When this happens, you will need to have a deep clean, and to help with the process, we have listed a guide on how to clean your acrylic nail brushes.
How To Clean Acrylic Nail Brushes
1. Monomer
Generally, the best way to clean acrylic nail brushes is by using a monomer called acrylic liquid or monomer liquid. However, it is used as a formula to create acrylic nails and can also be used to clean your nail brushes.
Things You’ll need
- Monomer
- Paper Towel
- Lint Free Cloth
- A small glass of jar or container
How To Use
Step One
Pour a small amount of monomer into a small jar or container.
Step Two
Gently dip each acrylic nail brush into the jar or container and let it soak for an hour or two or overnight, depending on how much dirt has clung to the brushes.
Note: Soaking the brushes for a longer period will make the build-up easier to wash out of the bristles.
Step Three
Remove your brushes and gently rinse the bristles off with warm water. You may fill a cup with warm water and swirl the bristles around inside the cup. Whichever way you prefer, remember to do it gently and not to scrape, pull or scrub the bristles.
Step Four
Air dry the brushes on clean paper towels. Once they are dry, put some new quantity of liquid monomer in a jar or container and soak your brush for another hour or two.
Step Five
Remove the brushes and leave them to dry on the towel. This time, do not rinse the brush off.
2. Acetone
You can also use acetone to clean your nail brushes, depending on the type of brushes you are using. Avoid using acetone if you use natural hair acrylic nail brushes, as it might be too harsh on them.
Things you’ll need
- 100 percent pure acetone
- Paper towel
- A small glass jar or container
- A metal scraping tool like a cuticle pusher
How To Use
Step One
Pour a small amount of acetone into a small glass jar or container.
Step Two
Dip your brush inside and let it soak for 10 minutes.
Step Three
Place your brush on a paper towel and push down the bristles to remove any excess liquid.
Step Four
Grab your metal cuticle pusher and scrape off any acrylic residue.
Step Five
Dip your brush in acetone, take it out and repeat steps three and four.
Step Six
Repeat steps three to five until your brush is acrylic-free. Then take time to remove all the acetone residue from the brush.
Step Seven
Let the brush air dry for about two hours before using it again.
3. Soap and Water
Another method you can use to clean acrylic nail brushes is by using soap and water.
What you’ll need
- Soap
- Water
- Paper towel
How To Use
Step One
Apply soap to the bristles of the brush and massage thoroughly. Rinse it off, soak the brushes in a bowl of water and leave for a couple of hours, then dry using a paper towel. Finally, use a mascara brush or a brow brush to comb through the bristles of the acrylic nail brushes carefully.
How To Take Care Of Acrylic Nail Brushes
Taking proper care of your acrylic nail brushes can prolong their longevity. When cleaning, always take time to be delicate and do not pull out the bristles forcefully. To avoid disheveling the brush, reshape the bristles after cleaning them, and always wear gloves to avoid contact with your bare hands.
Brushes should be stored with the bristles facing downwards to prevent any liquids from running back and causing damage, including breaking the adhesive used to hold the bristles. Moreover, the safest and recommended place to store your brushes is in a brush case that can prevent dust from contaminating the brushes or any other tools damaging the bristles.
Final Note
When acrylic nail brushes are properly cleaned and well taken care of, they can last a long time. But if they aren’t, they can become easily contaminated and pose serious risks to your nail health.
In addition, acrylic nail brushes have a limited lifespan. Therefore, you should change your brushes once they are completely worn out, or you can choose to buy a high-quality new set of brushes.