How to Clean Gel Nail Polish Brushes

Co-authored by Kristin Pulaski and Hannah Madden

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.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Doing a Deep Clean

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.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- 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.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- Wiping down the handle will get rid of any sticky residue that could get on your hands the next time you use your brush.
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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.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- 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.^{[4]
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- 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.^{[5]
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Warning: Some nail technicians recommend soaking your brush in alcohol for 1 minute, but this has the potential to dry out your bristles.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Caring for Your Brushes

1
Brush the excess gel onto a towel after each use. Lay down a lint-free towel and brush any leftover gel off the brush. Make sure you wipe off as much of the gel as you can to make cleaning easier.^{[6]
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Did You Know? Gel nail brushes are usually made out of synthetic fibers, which is why they don’t need as intense cleanings as acrylic nail brushes.
2
Wipe the bristles with a lint-free cloth after you use them. Pick up a clean towel that doesn’t have any lint or hair on it and gently swipe your brush through it. Go from bristles to the end of the handle to take off any residual gel on the brush.^{[7]
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- Make sure your towel is super clean so that you don’t get anything stuck to the gel on your brush.
3
Get any stickiness off the handle with isopropyl alcohol. Pour some alcohol onto a cotton pad and let it soak in for about 30 seconds. Gently swipe the pad onto the handle of your brush so you can use it again without getting gel on your hands.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- The bristles of your brush don’t need to be cleaned with alcohol every time you use them. Using alcohol less will make your brush last longer.
4
Keep your brush away from UV light. Since you aren’t cleaning your gel brush off all the way, it will still have residual gel in the bristles. If it is exposed to UV light, the bristles will harden and be super hard to unstick. Make sure you keep your gel brush away from any UV lights as you work on your nails.^{[9]
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Expert Q&A
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Question

Can I clean my gel brush with acetone?

Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist
Kristin Pulaski is a Professional Nail Artist and the Founder of Paintbucket, a self-owned and operated nail salon based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She has over five years of experience running Paintbucket and is licensed as a nail technician. Paintbucket offers nail art manicures, pedicures, and soft gel extensions along with customized packages for wedding and bridal parties. She holds a BA in Managerial Science from Manhattan College.

Kristin Pulaski

Salon Owner & Nail Specialist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

This is actually a really bad idea. Acetone will ruin the bristles on your brush. I know it seems counterintuitive since we use acetone to clean our nails, but you can't use it on a nail brush. You shouldn't use nail polish remover, either. Just wipe the brush down with some alcohol to clean it.