How to Clean Gel Nail Polish Brushes

If you love fake nails or do them professionally, you’ve probably dabbled in the world of gel nail application. Doing gel nails is an art and can be hard to master, so it’s important to take care of your tools. You can use a few simple cleaning solutions to keep your gel nail brushes hygienic and free of gel so they are ready any time you want to switch up your own nails or work on a client.

1. Saturate a cotton pad in isopropyl alcohol. Dab a small amount of alcohol onto a cotton pad and wait about 30 seconds for it to soak in. Only use a small amount so that your cotton pad isn’t dripping wet.

You can find isopropyl alcohol at most grocery and home goods stores.

If you don’t have a cotton pad, you can also use a nail wrap.

2. Wipe the cotton pad over the handle of your brush. Gently swipe the pad from the end of the handle to just above the bristles. Don’t use the cotton pad on the bristles of your brush just yet.

Wiping down the handle will get rid of any sticky residue that could get on your hands the next time you use your brush.

3. Set the cotton pad down and wipe the bristles on it. Lay your cotton pad soaked in alcohol flat on a table or countertop, then gently swipe the bristles of your brush over it. Go back and forth about 10 times until the majority of the gel is gone.

Be gentle as you clean your bristles so you don’t damage your brush.

4. Add clear nail gel to your brush if you are having trouble getting the color out. Dab a small amount of clear gel onto a flat surface and pick it up with your brush by swiping it back and forth over the gel. The colored gel that is stuck in the bristles will start to pull out toward the surface.

Don’t let the clear gel dry on your brush, or you will just have more to clean up later.

5. Wipe your brush back and forth over the cotton pad. With your cotton pad sitting on a flat surface, gently swipe the bristles back and forth over it. Do this 9 or 10 times until there isn’t any color left on your brush and it looks clean.

Warning: Some nail technicians recommend soaking your brush in alcohol for 1 minute, but this has the potential to dry out your bristles.