If you work in a nail salon or do nails in the comfort of your own home, sanitizing the supplies you work with is very important. Everything you use during treatments should be cleaned regularly.
However, you might not be sure how to clean particular articles. For example, how to clean nail polish brushes?
Continue reading this article, and we will show you how to properly clean all of your nail polish brushes before your next appointment and reveal some interesting facts as well.
Clean And Care For Your Nail Polish Brushes
Keeping your equipment clean is essential. However, washing it with just water doesn’t do the trick. There is a lot more to the cleaning procedure if you genuinely care for your brushes, and we are here to reveal how it should be done:
To begin with, your brushes should be deep cleaned.
Please start by picking up a cotton pad and putting some isopropyl alcohol on it. You should give it about 30 seconds for the alcohol to soak in thoroughly.
You can find this alcohol in any store, and you should be careful when soaking it in alcohol not to drip too much. Also, if you don’t have a cotton pad, use a nail wrap.
After you let the alcohol soak in, wipe the cotton pad over the handle of your brush. Then, put the cotton pad down and put the bristles on it. You should go back and forth about ten times. Try to do this gently, so the bristles don’t damage your brush.
If you are having trouble with the color and won’t get out, try adding some clear nail gel to your brush, but don’t let it dry on your brush because you will have even more work to deal with.
The last thing you do is wipe the brush back and forth on the cotton pad. Do this approximately 9-10 times until there is no color left on your brush.
As far as caring for your brushes goes, there are a couple of tips you should know.
After the appointment is finished, try wiping the excess gel onto a towel or a cotton pad.
Bristles are very delicate, so we recommend wiping them with a lint-free cloth after using them. You should make sure that the towel you are using is perfectly clean.
Get rid of the stickiness with isopropyl alcohol.
Most importantly, keep your brushes as far away from UV light as possible. If they are overly exposed to UV light, the gel on the bristles will stick even more, and you will have some serious problems getting it off.
Isopropyl alcohol has been mentioned a lot, but what is this substance we are using to clean out nail brushes?
This bottle of alcohol is a must-have in the house, nail salon, and laboratory. It is also called “isopropanol“. It is basically a colorless and tasteless substance that can do a lot.
It is used to wipe out the stains that water cannot. But it would be best if you were careful when dealing with this. It is very strong and when you are done with cleaning, be sure that you closed it tightly – if left opened, it evaporates quickly.
Nail Art Brushes
Nail art brushes are also a big part of your appointments, and they should also be taken care of.
You can make these brushes spotless in no time with the help of 3 acetone, alcohol, and monomer.
Firstly, you can use acetone with your detail art brushes by dipping the brushes in a bowl of acetone for 10-20 seconds and then drying them on a paper towel.
Secondly, you can use alcohol with gel brushes in a similar way. Pour some alcohol on the pad and wipe the brush with it.
Thirdly, you can use a monomer with your acrylic brushes. The monomer is a perfect substance for this type of delicate brushes.
When it comes to nail art brushes, they should also be kept away from UV light, and when you notice that your nail art brushes start to fray – it is time to replace them.
Fix The Brush
What do you do if something happens and your nail polish brush breaks? You can fix your nail polish brushes quickly and easily, and by doing that, you can also save some money.
Your brush snaps in two. What to do?
Remove the cap from the nail polish bottle.
Plug the mouth of the bottle with a plastic wrap and make a tight seal.
Clean the bristles with cotton pads soaked in acetone.
Now, glue the brush with waterproof glue and allow some time for the glue to dry.
Be careful not to allow the glue to come in contact with any fabric or other delicate materials on the table or around you.
Researching and buying high-quality nail polish brushes will definitely contribute to cleaning them and the overall care.
We have also done some research, and here are the best nail polish brushes on the market right now:
- Christian Louboutin Nail Colour
- Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer
- Essie Nail Color
- Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro
- OPI Infinite Shine
- Sally Hansen Color Therapy
Nail Polish Shelf Life
You should keep track of your nail polishes and how long have they been on your shelf.
A regular nail polish bottle that has been opened can last up to two years. However, if you leave your nail polish open for too long or don’t close the lid tightly enough, it can start to harden. If this is the case, get rid of it.
Here are the two major tips on how to fix old nail polish:
- You can use nail polish thinner – add two or three drops of nail polish thinner but don’t shake the bottle.
- You can rinse the brush – dip a nail polish brush into a glass of acetone, and the clumps from the old nail polish should fall right off.
Nail Painting
Extra advice for doing your own manicure is always a good idea. Here are some nail painting tips which can come in handy to both new and experienced workers.
- Always use a base coat – this gives the polish something to stick to and makes your nails last for a couple of extra days.
- Don’t forget the topcoat – although some skip this step, you should always remember the topcoat because this is the best way to prevent chips.
- Clean the edges – you should always clean the nail polish brush’s edges with a nail polish remover.
- Use cuticle oil – cuticle oil because cuticle oil hydrates your nails instantly. Store your nail polish wisely – keep your nail polishes away from sunlight.
- Never cut your cuticles – cuticles do a lot for your nails, and you should never cut them, but push them back with some orange sticks and some oil.
- Use non-acetone remover – you should use non-acetone remover if you want to keep your nails healthy.
- Soak before removing – you should soak your nails in a nail polish remover before taking off the glitter on your nails.
How To Clean Nail Polish Brushes – Conclusion
Keeping your salon and everything inside it clean is extremely important. For example, you should not get how to clean your nail polish brushes properly.
Please start with the process by picking up a cotton pad and putting some isopropyl alcohol on it. You should give it about 30 seconds for the alcohol to soak in thoroughly. After you let the alcohol soak in, wipe the cotton pad over the handle of your brush. Then, put the cotton pad down and wipe the bristles on it. The last thing you do is wipe the brush back and forth on the cotton pad. Do this approximately 9-10 times until there is no color left on your brush.
As far as nail art brushes are concerned, the cleaning process is more or less the same as nail polish brushes – you can work with alcohol, acetone, and monomer.
Accidents happen all the time, so what do you do if your brush snaps into two? You should glue the brush with waterproof glue and allow some time for the glue to dry.
A regular nail polish bottle that has been opened can last up to two years. However, if you want to prolong or fix your old nail polish, you can either add nail polish thinner or just rinse the brush.
Working with high-quality brushes is always recommended, so some of the best brushes out there are Christian Louboutin Nail Colour, Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer, Essie Nail Color, Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro, OPI Infinite Shine, and Sally Hansen Color Therapy.
Whether you are new to this or need some reminder when it comes to nail painting, here are some tips which can come in handy anytime: you should always use a base coat, use cuticle oil and avoid cutting your cuticles, clean the edges and soak your nails before removing them.
