You probably know the saying “Hygiene is two-thirds of health” by heart. If you did not learn it as a child, you probably memorized it this year thanks to the Coronavirus.
Keeping your hands clean is no easy task, but it is even harder for people with acrylic nails. If you too cannot do without acrylic nails, you probably already know how easy they get real dirty underneath. They seem to collect dirt from everything you touch. Therefore, it is highly useful for you to learn how to clean underneath acrylic nails.
When clean, your nails will look and feel better. A nice set of acrylics needs proper maintenance to preserve that salon-perfect look you have spent your hard-earned money on!
Why Do Your Acrylics Get Dirty so Quickly? How To Prevent It?
Acrylics are attached to your natural nails with the help of the dried gel coating. They are fixed securely, and there is no possibility to remove them temporarily for cleaning purposes.
Unfortunately, acrylic nails are quite prone to dirt collection. You do not have to go gardening or anything else as drastic as that – your usual daily activities will suffice. You will be surprised at how much dirt your nails can collect while you do usual day-to-day stuff, even if you do not leave your home or your office for the entire day.
Can You Prevent This?
Washing your hands as often as possible can help. You can also try wearing gloves whenever you can – it is an excellent preventive measure that can save your nails from dirt but also help prevent their damage.
No matter what preventive measures you apply or how careful and neat you are, your acrylic nails will still get exposed to some dirt and thus need to be cleaned at some point. Since we have established that cleaning your acrylic nails is inevitable, you must now stay with us to find out how to do it properly.
The sooner you remove the dirt, the lower the chances of developing a bacterial infection or fungus-related problem. Both bacteria and fungus are generally associated with dirt and can cause numerous issues you will have a hard time dealing with.
We hope we have not scared you too much. We are on your side as always and have already prepared some great tips on how to keep your acrylic nails clean. If you follow through on our advice and recommendations, you can enjoy having dazzling acrylic nails without having to give up on any of your normal daily activities.
Check out the next section to find out which methods to apply in order to keep your acrylic nails clean!
Top Methods to Clean Underneath Your Acrylic Nails
Your acrylic nails should not interfere with your normal daily life or prevent you from fulfilling your commitments. They should be your beauty allies and enhance your look – that’s it! For this reason, we have collected all the internet wisdom and made a list of top methods to keep your acrylic nails clean. Choose one and get your nails to their glistening best
1. The Antibacterial Soap Method
- Antibacterial soaps are cheap and effective. Acrylic nails or not, you should use the antibacterial soap since it destroys both bacteria and fungus. It would be best to buy the one that is natural and chemical-free. You can use any regular soap, too; there is not too much difference.
- How can you clean the acrylic nails with a bar of antibacterial soap? Here is an easy-to-follow step by step guide:
- Soak your hands in lukewarm water.
- Take the bar of antibacterial soap and apply it underneath your acrylic nails. The best way to do this is to scratch the surface of the soap with your nails. Make sure to get the chunks of soap underneath your nails.
- Rinse the soap thoroughly.
- Use a towel to dry your acrylics thoroughly. Make sure no moisture remains hidden since it can cause your nails to rise and fall off. If that does happen, here is how to fix gel nails that have lifted.
2. The Toothbrush And Toothpaste Method
- Before we start talking about this excellent do it yourself method, we must warn you that a designated nail brush would be a better choice than a toothbrush. However, we have tried to make our methods simple and easy to apply and thus made an effort to include only the products and tools you already have at your home. If you already own a nail brush, it is a plus, and make sure you use it!
- Both the nail brush and a soft toothbrush are excellent tools to get to all the hard-to-reach places underneath your acrylics and remove the dirt.
- The step by step process goes as follows:
- Apply a little bit of toothpaste on the brush. It would be best to lightly dampen it before using it.
- Gently push the brush underneath your nails and clean the area with a slow brushing motion. Go through each of your nails.
- Rinse your nails well.
3. The Rubbing Alcohol Method
- You can use this method on its own, but you can also combine it with any of the two previously mentioned methods. It is always a good idea to disinfect the area underneath your nails, and there is no better way to do it than using rubbing alcohol. Alcohol is still the number one antibacterial product you can purchase at a bargain price. The virus season is the perfect time to make a habit of using it regularly.
- The step by step process:
- Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton bud or a cotton ball. Try not to waste too much alcohol during the process. Little alcohol can go a long way, so you do not need much in the first place.
- Use the ball or a bud to apply the alcohol underneath your nails. Gently rub all the corners as well as the area around your nails to make sure you remove all the dirt. There is no need to press hard; just gently sweep the bud back and forth (the same goes when you use a brush).
Once your nails are clean, you can try to make them even more beautiful. Find out: Can You Paint Over Acrylic Nails?
The Bottom Line
Acrylic nails look great and make your hands look well-cared for, but only if they are always clean! Dirty nails do not only look bad but can endanger your health since they make an ideal environment for bacteria and fungus growth.
It is always better to prevent something than to have to cure it. Therefore, our advice is to make sure you set out enough of your time to regularly clean your acrylics. You can also make an effort not to get them too dirty by wearing gloves whenever possible. Washing dishes, gardening, or any other house chore calls for gloves – remember that, and you’ll be able to clean your acrylics less often.
Washing your hands with antibacterial soap and warm water should already be a part of your hygienic routine whenever you use the bathroom, pet animals, eat, cook, or touch anything dirty. There is no need to wash them more often than that – if you expose your acrylic to water too often, you might weaken the glue and ruin them. Simply dedicate a bit more time to make sure you wash the area underneath the nails, and that’s all.
Do you have some additional advice or know a method we failed to mention? Please share it with us; we are always eager to learn!
