How to Clean Your Fingernails

Co-authored by Marta Nagorska

Looking for some creative nail-cleaning tips? Fingernails are like magnets for dirt, grime, and grease. But with a little extra care, you can keep them looking healthy and feeling strong. We're teaching you everything you need to know—so read on and learn how you can keep your nails bright, shiny, and clean!

Things You Should Know

Scrape underneath your fingernails to remove dirt. Soak your fingertips in warm water for 3 minutes and scrub your nails with a nail brush.
Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and warm water in a bowl. Soak your fingertips in the mixture for 20 minutes for squeaky clean nails.
Mix baking soda and peroxide to create a thick paste and spread it on your nails. Wait for the paste to dry and harden, then wash it off to reveal whiter nails.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning Your Nails (Quick Clean)

1
Clean dirt from under your nails. Using the tip of the nail pick on a pair of clippers, clean underneath your fingernails to remove dirt and other built-up grime. Do this in the bathroom, under good lighting, so you'll be able to see your nails clearly.
- In general, it's easier to clean the dirt from underneath your nails before you wash your hands instead of after. The drier the better.
- Avoid using a pencil to clean them out, as the lead may cause them to look dirtier.
- Try using a baby wipe or moist hand wipe to clean under your nails. You can push the edge of your wipe under your nail to gently remove anything discoloring your nails.
- You can also clean beneath your nails with a manicure brush.^{[1]
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  Expert Source
  
  Marta Nagorska
  Nail Artist
  Expert Interview. 26 May 2021.}
2
Wash your hands. Use a mild, natural soap and wash your hands under warm water. You don't need to focus on your nails specifically, just wash your hands.
- It's generally better to use mild soap and wash your hands more regularly. Strong, harsh paraben-based soaps will make nails brittle, and alcohol-based hand sanitizers likewise weaken nails. Try a fingernail-specific soap, like OrigiNails Bubble White.
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3
Soak your nails in a bowl of warm, soapy water for about three minutes. Submerge the very tips of your fingers, not your whole hands, under the water and let them soften slightly. Make sure the water isn't too lukewarm or scalding hot, but a comfortable temperature somewhere in between.
- Soaking nails help to make them softer and more pliable, making it much less likely that you'll chip or break a nail during the cleaning process.^{[2]
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4
Use a nail brush to scrub the tops. After soaking, scrub your nails hard all over, including underneath your nails. When you're finished, pat your hands dry.
- If you don't have a brush specifically for cleaning your nails, use a clean toothbrush specifically for the purpose.
5
Remove nail polish, if necessary. Use a strengthening nail polish remover and cotton balls or wipes, and wet them with the polish remover. Scrub your nails firmly to strip the nail polish left on your nails, starting from the cuticle of the nail and working toward the fingertip, not forgetting to do the sides. Survey your nails afterwards for any more nail polish, and remove it if necessary.
- The remover should dry thoroughly by itself, but you can keep a tissue or dry cotton ball nearby to help scrub after applying the wet cotton ball, as well.
6
Wash your hands again. Give your hands another quick rinse and then pat them dry, don't rub them. Rub on some rich hand cream, if you want, or go about the rest of your routine.
- Make sure the nails are all completely even and file or clip them if necessary. Finish off the look with a neat coat of clear polish to strengthen the nail.^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cleaning Your Nails (Deep Clean)

1
Apply baking soda to whiten. Mix a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, using about 2 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda per tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to create a paste. Spread the paste on and underneath your nails, then rinse and pat dry.
- Applied weekly, this mixture helps to keep your nails white and luminescent, especially after having used a darker nail polish.
- Alternatively, try using whitening toothpaste in the same way. The active ingredients are essentially the same, if you're not interested in mixing up a batch of the home-made stuff.
2
Moisturize your nails every week. To keep your nails pliable and free of cracks and other problems, it's a good idea to moisturize them regularly with aloe, cocoa butter lotion, or even natural oils like olive or coconut. These natural treatments won't necessarily change the look of your nails, but will help to keep them soft and pliable over the course of the week.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
3
Treat yellow nails with lemon juice or tea tree oil. If you have yellowish nails, it can be the result of either smoking, stain from polish, or a fungal infection, which can be difficult to treat and get rid of. Tea tree oil, however, is a natural fungicide with antimicrobial and antiseptic properties, while lemon juice or lemon essential oil has citric acid which helps to whiten nails back to their original luster.
- If you have yellow nails, try using an eye dropper to drop a small amount of tea tree oil onto each of your nails and let sit for 5 minutes, then rinse. Apply lemon juice in the same way, rinse, and clean your hands normally.
4
Use denture-cleaning solution on your nails. While it might sound strange, tablets used to make denture-cleaning solutions are high in citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), which can be used to clean, whiten, and otherwise improve the look of your nails. Instead of soaking false teeth, soak your fingernails.
5
Try apple-cider vinegar. Apple-cider vinegar is rich in malic and acetic acids, which have cleansing and anti-fungal properties which can help to whiten nails and keep them from infection and discoloration. Dilute vinegar with an equal part of clean water and soak nails for up to 20 minutes.
6
Use supplements to strengthen nails. There are a lot of misconceptions about natural remedies for strengthening your nails. Biotin may strengthen nails.^{[5]
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Research source}
- Most home remedies like applying garlic or eating more protein, will not help your nails to grow faster or stronger.
7
Give yourself periodic vacations from polish. If you regularly wear nail polish, you can stain and weaken your nails in the long-term, even if you thoroughly clean them between applications. It's a good idea to let the nails build back up some strength and healthy color about once a year or so, keeping polish off them for a month or two.
- Instead of applying polish, use the chance to really pamper your nails, applying coats of homemade cleansers and whiteners to get your nails looking good again.
- It's also important to always clear-coat your nails before adding colored polish to keep them from staining as easily as they might otherwise.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I get rid of the dirt underneath my nails?

Marta Nagorska
Nail Artist
Marta Nagorska is a Nail Technician and Nail Art Blogger based in London, UK. She runs the blog, Furious Filer, where she gives tutorials on nail care and advanced nail art. She has been practicing nail art for over 5 years and graduated from Northampton College with distinction with a Nail Technician and Manicurist degree in 2017. She has been awarded the top spot in the OPI Nail Art Competition.

Marta Nagorska

Nail Artist

Expert Answer

A manicure brush is a great tool to clean the underside of your nails, especially after the debris softens during a shower or bath. Alternatively, you can use a wet wipe wrapped a manicure stick or an eyelash spoolie to clean beneath your nails.

Warnings

Be careful with cutting and cleaning your nails. Don't cut them right back to the quick so that they're sore and bleed, and don't stab the nail cleaner right into the flesh. Be careful.

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Nail polish can get a bit sticky at times. Practice painting your nails, and paint them on a rag. If you're terrible at it, get a friend to do them for you.

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When smoothing, and cutting back cuticles, take care in not jabbing your skin, as it will hurt and look different than the rest.

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