How to Clean Acrylic Nail Brushes

Acrylic nails can be some of the most enchanting nails you’ve ever seen, whether they’re delightful French tips or something more dramatic like ultra-long lipstick lovelies.

But you won’t get stunning results if you don’t clean your acrylic nail brushes properly.

Dirty acrylic nail brushes can result in a flawed application, not to mention it’s unhygienic. Who wants that?

The good news is that it’s a cinch to clean acrylic nail brushes, whether you simply use your acrylic liquid to wipe your acrylic brushes or want a professional brush cleaner instead.

This article shares some of the best ways to clean your acrylic nail brushes quickly and, more importantly, efficiently.

How to Clean Acrylic Nail Brushes: Three Ways

If you design your own acrylic nails at home rather than heading to your local nail salon, you likely have all the tools necessary for cleaning already on hand.

You should be cleaning nail brushes regularly with a lint-free cloth dabbed in the monomer. Then, gently wipe the acrylic nail brush after applying acrylic nails.

However, sometimes excess build-up just happens.

Use one of these simple methods to get rid of build-up and achieve acrylic brushes that look brand-spanking new.

1. Soak in Monomer (Best and Most Convenient Choice)

Acrylic nails require a monomer to create; that’s just how it is.

That said, this is one of the most convenient methods to clean acrylic nail brush products.

How to Use Monomer

To perform this cleaning process, simply do the following:

• Pour monomer into a small bowl, shot glass, or shallow dish.
• Place acrylic brushes in the solution.
• Soak for a few hours or soak overnight, depending on the level of buildup.
• Rinse with warm water, then lay flat on a paper towel to dry off.
• You may need to let brushes soak for an additional hour in the fresh monomer.
• If so, rinse once more with warm water before laying on a paper towel.

While this is touted as the best option for natural brushes, it’s technically the best option for all types of acrylic brush products as it’s 100% safe and effective.

It won’t cause any undesirable side effects, such as dried-out brushes or those that have rendered any damage.

2. Wipe With Acetone (Quick, Last Resort Option for Synthetic Brushes)

Natural nail brushes (made with sable hair, typically) are incredibly delicate, so they need to be wiped or soaked in monomer to avoid ruining the bristles.

However, a synthetic acrylic nail brush is far more durable. You don’t have to worry about ruining this acrylic brush as quickly.

How To Use Acetone

That said, you can use an acetone nail polish remover as a brush cleaner. Here’s how.

• Dab a lint-free cloth in the nail polish remover (the kind used to remove regular nail polish).
• Wipe the dirty brushes generously with the nail polish remover.
• Gently rinse the bristles with water.
• Place the brush out until the bristles are completely dry.
• Use to create more beautiful acrylic manicures!

And that’s it. No soaking is required, making this a quick and straightforward solution for cleaning brushes back to tip-top condition.

However, keep in mind that acetone can damage and dehydrate over time. Only use this method when you’re in a rush and don’t have time to fill a bowl and soak your brushes.

Note: this is an excellent option for gel brushes, too, as they are typically made of synthetic bristles and can withstand the power of acetone easily (when used sparingly).

3. Professional Brush Cleaner (Top-Notch Option, Mostly for Synthetic Brushes)

Your final option is to use a separate bottle of professional nail cleaner. But before getting started, double-check if the brush cleaners have acetone or other too harsh chemicals.

If the brush cleaner contains acetone or harsh chemicals, it won’t be safe for natural brushes made with sable hairs (always stick to the liquid monomer to clean these kinds of acrylic brushes).

Professional cleaners are perfectly safe for synthetic fibers, though.

How to Use Professional Cleaner

To use a professional cleaner to clean your nail brushes, follow these steps:

• Fill a bowl with enough solution to cover your acrylic tools.
• Swirl the brush(es) around the mixture to remove any hardened polish.
• Use a side-to-side and push-down motion so the bristles fan and get a good cleaning.
• Use a wooden tool or cuticle pusher to scrape off any stuck-on grime.
• Remove excess moisture by blotting with a paper towel, ensuring bristles facing their regular direction.
• Dip the brush bristles gently in a clean monomer to gently reshape.
• Place nail brush on a towel to completely air dry.

Yes, this method of cleaning a nail brush is the most time-consuming and uses the most materials, but it also offers a wonderful clean for the bristles that you can depend on.

FAQs

How do I keep my acrylic nail brush from getting hard?

Acrylic nail brushes becoming hard is an issue for everyone that considers themselves a nail artist, whether they’re a professional nail technician or prefer to get creative at home.

If you’re struggling with dried-out and hard acrylic nail brushes, the best thing to do is to soak the brush bristles in liquid monomer for about an hour.

Then, remove the brush and wash the bristles under hot water. You can gently loosen up the bristles with your fingers, but be careful not to damage them.

Damaged bristles will not be able to create acrylics properly, so it is imperative to be gentle during this process.

You may need to do an additional soak. Whether or not it’s necessary, ensure the brush is entirely dry before using it to make more acrylics.

Can I clean my gel brush with acetone?

A synthetic gel brush is robust and not susceptible to ruin when cleaned with acetone.

However, acetone should always be used as a last resort. It’s better to use some form of alcohol to clean any kind of gel brush.