An acrylic nail brush is a very important tool in your manicuring kit. You need it to clean and shape acrylic nails, but sometimes it can get hard. Hard acrylic brushes can be very frustrating and ineffective when they are being used.
It’s not that the brush isn’t doing its job anymore; it just needs to be cleaned and reshaped. To help you keep your acrylic nail brush soft and working properly, here are some tips for how to clean and store your brush.
2 Methods to Keep Your Acrylic Nail Brush From Getting Hard
1. Clean with Acetone
Take a small bowl and fill it with acetone
To begin, you’ll need a bowl that’s large enough to submerge your nail brush in but small enough to fit on a work surface. Pour the acetone into this bowl and make sure it’s enough so that you can submerge your brush.
Keep the brush in acetone for 5 minutes
At this point, you have effectively removed the acrylic from your nail brush. To keep it soft and flexible, place the brush into a small container of acetone. Acetone is a solvent that will dissolve any remaining acrylic in your brush. Keep this container closed so that no water or other liquids can get into it and dissolve any of the acetone; otherwise, you’ll be forced to start over again.
Remove the brush from the acetone and dry it with a lint-free cloth
Now that your acrylic nail brush is clean, it’s time to dry it. Make sure you use a lint-free cloth so you don’t leave any fibers behind. Do not use towels or paper towels; they’ll leave behind lint and residue on your brush.
Your stiff acrylic nail brush will be soft and ready to use again
Place the acrylic nail brush in a container with a lid. The stiff brush will be soft and ready to use again. Be careful not to leave your brush in the solution too long, as this can damage it.
2. Clean brush with brush cleaner
Soak the bristles in a small bowl
If you want to keep your acrylic nail brush clean, the first thing you need to do is clean it. If you’re not cleaning your brush regularly, then bacteria and other germs will build up on it over time. This can cause serious infections in the skin around your nails if they come into contact with the dirt and oil that has accumulated on the nail brush.
To prevent this from happening, always wash off any excess nail polish before using a new bottle of polish by soaking the bristles in a small bowl filled with brush cleaner for several minutes.
Soak the brush in the brush cleaner gently for 2 minutes
Soak your nail brush in the brush cleaner for two minutes. The cleaner will dissolve acrylic residue and dead skin, which can prevent the brush from spreading evenly over your nails. If you leave it in longer than two minutes, though, it can cause damage to the bristles and ruin them completely.
Scrape the acrylic off the brush bristles gently
The next step is to scrape the acrylic off the brush bristles gently. If you use a sharp object, such as tweezers, to remove your acrylic manicure, you can damage the bristle material and break it in half. Using your fingers to scrape off the acrylic is not recommended because they may get stained or damaged by acetone if they are not dry.
Use towels to gently reshape your brush
There are a few steps you can take to keep your acrylic nail brush from drying out. The first step is to use towels to gently reshape your brush after each manicure, and cleaning, and dry it with another towel. This will help remove any remaining product from the bristles.
Make sure not to tug too hard or bend the bristles too much; doing so could cause them to break off prematurely or even snap off completely.
After you’ve removed any acrylic left in the brush, place it under warm water for 30 seconds and reshape it using a towel until all of its original shape returns. Then let it air dry overnight before using it again.
What Happens When Your Acrylic Nail Brush Gets Hard?
When your acrylic nail brush gets hard, the bristles will be stiff and will not be able to spread the acrylic evenly. This results in an uneven application of the acrylic and could also cause flaking or peeling problems later on. Additionally, if a lot of liquid is needed to soften up the brush again (like acetone), then it can become expensive to maintain as well as unsafe to use over time because it may have been exposed longer than recommended.
Things That Can Make Your Acrylic Nail Brush Hard?
Now that you know what can make your acrylic nail brush hard, let’s discuss some of the things that can make your acrylic nail brush hard.
1. The brush is old
One of the most common reasons for a stiff-bristled brush is age. A lot of people don’t realize how quickly acrylic brushes go bad, but they do. If you’ve been using your normal polish remover and towel to clean them every day, then it’s likely that over time they’ll become harder and harder until they’re almost impossible to use at all.
2. The brush has been used too much
If your acrylic nail brush is very dry and hard, it means that it has been used too much. This can happen if you use the same brush for a long time or if you apply acrylic nails frequently. If this happens, then it’s time to replace the brush with a new one so that you can continue working on your clients’ nails without any problems.
3. The brush has been left out in the sun
If your acrylic nail brush has been left out in the sun for too long, it will dry out and become hard.
If you use your acrylic brush on a regular basis (at least once every two weeks), there’s no way it would get hard like this. But if you’re using it less often, then this might happen to you someday.
You’ll know that your brush is dry when it won’t hold any liquid and feels stiff when you try to clean your nails. If this happens, don’t worry. There are some easy ways that will help loosen up the bristles so they can work properly again.
4. The brush has been stored incorrectly
If your acrylic nail brush has been stored without a cap, it may get hard and you will have to soak it in acetone to loosen the bristles.
If your acrylic nail brush has been stored for an extended period of time in a place that is too hot or cold, the bristle on your brush will dry out which makes them stiff and hard to use. You can fix this by soaking in acetone until it softens again then gently removing any excess glue with towels before brushing on your first layer of polish.
If you find that the brush is too dry, quickly run cold water over it until the bristles loosen up a bit, soak it in monomer, and air dry before storing again.
How Often Should You Clean Your Acrylic Nail Brush?
How often you should clean your acrylic nail brush depends on how often you use it. If you use it every day, then we recommend cleaning it once a week. If you don’t use your brush very frequently or if you’re someone who likes to change their nail color often and use different colors, then we would recommend only cleaning the brush every 2 weeks or so.
How Do I Keep My Brushes From Drying Out?
1. Store them in a cool, dry place
To keep your brushes from drying out when they’re not in use, store them in a cool, dry place like a drawer or cabinet. This will prevent the bristles from getting damaged and cracking over time. You should also wash your brushes regularly as well as replace them often if you see any signs of wear and tear on them.
2. Store your brushes in a container with a lid
Acrylic brushes can become hard if they are not stored properly. If you have acrylic nail brushes, you should store them in a container with a lid. You should keep the brush dry and away from direct sunlight for storage. This will help your brush stay soft and usable for as long as possible.
3. Use the brush cleaner to keep your brushes clean and sanitary
In order to keep your acrylic nail art brushes from getting hard, you need to clean them with a gentle brush cleaner. Brush cleaners are products that will clean the acrylic from the bristles without damaging the metal part of the brush. It’s very important that you use only a brush cleaner for this purpose because other kinds of cleaning solutions may damage or ruin your brushes.
You can use any type of brush cleaner on your acrylic nail art brushes as long as it doesn’t contain ammonia or alcohol in its ingredients list. You should also look for pH-balanced products so they don’t irritate your skin and cause any problems while applying polish or removing it later on down the road.
How Should I Store My Acrylic Nail Brush?
If you’re storing your acrylic nail brush in a hot place, the bristles can get hard. Store it somewhere that’s not too hot, like a closet. If you have to store it in a drawer or cabinet where there’s no ventilation, go ahead and use a little bit of softener (like baby oil) on the bristles before you put it away. This will keep them from drying out and getting hard when they’re stored in this way for an extended period of time.
Should You Use Acetone to Clean Acrylic Nail Brushes?
Yes, you can use acetone to clean acrylic nail brushes. Acetone is the best solvent for cleaning acrylic nails. However, it can spoil your brushes if you are not careful. It depends on whether the brush is a natural or synthetic acrylic nail brush.
Acetone dries quickly and hardens in a short time so it’s important to use this solvent sparingly and with care. If acetone is left on too long, it can dry out your nail brush which may cause cracking or even breakage of its fibers.
Conclusion
The acrylic on your brush can dry out, causing it to harden and become unusable. The best way to prevent this from happening is by cleaning your brush regularly and storing it properly. If you have already had an acrylic nail brush that has gotten too hard, there are still steps you can take in order to restore its softness.