Acrylic makeup organizers are a trendy choice as they easily store lipsticks, foundations, concealers, brushes, and other makeup products. They help to declutter your space and make organizing your makeup products convenient – they’re transparent, affordable, and lightweight.
Even though acrylic is a durable see-through plastic with incredible rigidity and clarity, this material is susceptible to scratching. Any scuff marks, spots, and scratches on your acrylic makeup organizer are sure to become more prominent without proper care.
Acrylic organizers can also cloud due to internal spillage or damage to the acrylic material, which looks unappealing and can affect transparency.
To ensure that it stays clean and in good condition for a long time, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to help you learn the most effective and safe cleaning methods for your acrylic makeup organizer. Let’s get to it!
1. Remove the Contents
The first step to cleaning your acrylic makeup organizer requires you to remove all of your makeup products from every single compartment. Since this is an extensive cleaning process, your makeup products, and the acrylic material may get damaged if you clean the organizer without removing all items.
It also allows you to access the internal and external surfaces of the acrylic organizer more conveniently during the cleaning process. If your makeup organizer has lids, covers, or drawers, be sure to remove or detach each component so that you can clean each individually.
2. Select an Appropriate Cleaning Solution
There are a few ways to clean acrylic effectively and safely, without damaging it. We have compiled two of the most suitable cleaning solutions for you below – one using an off-the-shelf product and the other using a homemade cleaning solution.
Using an Acrylic Cleaning Product
Since abrasive cleaning agents and harsh chemicals can lead to scratching and clouding, it’s important to make sure that you use non-abrasive solutions to clean acrylic.
The most convenient way is to use a dedicated acrylic cleaner. We prefer using the Blue Ribbon Plexi-Clean Acrylic and Plastic Cleaner for cleaning acrylic makeup organizers since it has a proven anti-static formula is non-abrasive and is specially designed to clean acrylic.
Not only does it help to remove scuff marks, grime, oils, dust, and other impurities from any acrylic surface effectively, but it also coats it with a protective layer and helps to prevent further damage.
Whether you’re cleaning marks from a spilled concealer or smudges left behind by pigmented lipsticks, an acrylic cleaner is able to remove any tough stains from your makeup organizer without much effort.
Any type of dedicated cleaner is able to lift creamy formulas and clear your acrylic makeup organizer without leaving any streaks or damaging its surface.
Using a Homemade Acrylic Cleaning Solution
If you don’t want to use a dedicated acrylic cleaning product, you can simply make an effective cleaning solution at home.
To prepare the solution, you will need the following:
- 1 tsp. of mild dish detergent
- 2 cups of water
- Spray bottle
To create the mixture, simply add 2 cups of water to the spray bottle along with 1 teaspoon of any mild dish detergent. Then, start mixing the solution by lightly shaking the bottle, without creating bubbles.
The dish detergent in the formula will readily break down any dried makeup, smudges, oils, dirt, or grime from your makeup organizer.
3. Clean the Acrylic Makeup Organizer
Once you have selected the appropriate cleaning agent, it’s time to get started. You’ll need to clean the exterior, interior, and all of the additional components.
Cleaning the Exterior
After having removed all of your makeup items and all of the interior components you should start by cleaning the exterior of your acrylic makeup organizer first.
Gently blow away all dirt or dust from the exterior surface. Once it’s free from dust, spray it with your choice of cleaning solution – an off-the-shelf acrylic cleaner or the homemade dish detergent solution that we prepared in the previous step.
Since any abrasiveness can cause scratches on the acrylic surface, you will need a cellulose sponge or soft microfiber cloth to clean it. We prefer using a microfiber cloth over sponges, as they are one of the least abrasive cleaning tools available.
After the solution has been applied to the acrylic exterior, let it set for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then, rub away any dirt and makeup residue with the microfiber cloth or the soft cellulose sponge.
We also suggest that you use light pressure while cleaning the acrylic surface to prevent scratching the material. Be sure to clean the underside of the acrylic organizer as well as any nooks, drawer handles, and corners properly before moving on to the interior.
Cleaning the Interior
Your acrylic makeup organizer’s interior is the most vulnerable part, as it is prone to get smudged and stained from spilled makeup products or careless storage practices.
Similar to cleaning the exterior of your makeup organizer, you need to gently blow in all drawers, compartments, or sections to draw out any loose dust, powders, or debris. Shake them upside down lightly to get rid of excess particles.
Once the interior is free from all impurities, spray it with the cleaning solution and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Use a fresh microfiber cloth to clean the inside of the makeup compartments and sections until they are completely spotless. Always remember to use light pressure, so that you won’t damage the acrylic surface.
Be sure to never scrub or scratch tough spots with your nails since they can cause scratches. Instead, add more cleaning solution and rub the interior with increased pressure in small circular motions. This should get rid of tougher stains.
Cleaning Removable Components
Some acrylic makeup organizers have removable lids, covers, and special storage sections for makeup kits which should be removed and cleaned thoroughly.
Gently blow away any excess dust before spraying them with the cleaning solution. Once the cleaning solution has had a few minutes to set, gently rub each acrylic component with a soft microfiber cloth.
These components often have specific holders and knobs that can trap dust underneath them. Whenever possible, hold onto these knobs and rotate the components around for better access.
We encourage you to be thorough and remove all particles and other types of impurities from each corner to ensure that your acrylic makeup organizer is spotless inside out. You should also make sure that your makeup products are inspected and cleaned accordingly.
4. Let It Dry
After the acrylic makeup organizer is completely clean, blot out the excess solution and water gently using a dry microfiber cloth. Then, let it dry naturally by placing a fan near your makeup organizer or using a hair dryer in a non-heat setting to speed up the drying process.
5. Place the Contents Back Inside
Once your acrylic makeup organizer is spotless and looks as good as new, you can start assembling the components again. After that, you can reorganize your makeup products and kits by placing them inside the organizer.
We encourage you to check the caps and lids of all makeup products to ensure that there won’t be any leakage or spillage during storage.
The Dos & Don’ts of Cleaning Acrylic Makeup Organizers
Need some tips for cleaning your acrylic makeup organizers? Don’t worry, we’ve got some for you. Make sure to follow these best practices for optimal results.
- Clean Your Acrylic Makeup Organizer Regularly – We highly recommend cleaning your acrylic makeup organizer at least once a month to maintain its appearance and avoid any makeup stains from hardening on the acrylic. Regular cleaning also helps you reorganize your makeup and eliminate any expired or broken makeup products timely.
- Don’t use Abrasive Materials or Harsh Chemicals – Abrasive materials and harsh chemicals that include acetone or alcohol can dull the shiny appearance of acrylic and develop a cloudy effect on its surface. If the cleaning solutions are abrasive or harsh, they can also cause the material to scratch and crack, ruining the look of your acrylic makeup organizer.
- Only Use Microfiber Cloth – We recommend only using a microfiber cloth to clean acrylic surfaces (or a cellulose sponge if you don’t have any other option). As microfiber is incredibly soft and non-abrasive, it manages to pick up fine dust particles while preventing scratches to the acrylic material.
- Never Heat Dry – We also recommend against heat-drying. Drying your acrylic makeup organizer using heat (with a hair dryer on a heated setting, for example) the acrylic material may bend, become misshapen, get damaged, or even melt.