How to Properly File and Care for Your Nails

Tools and materials:

• Nail file
• Cuticle remover 
• Cuticle pusher
• Cuticle nipper

1. File

When filing your nails, it’s important to choose the right shape. Square, unpainted nails will be a struggle, and can snag on stuff.

Instead, round them out by filing them at an angle rather than straight on.

They don’t have to be completely round or oval, but I’m going for a more oval shape. This will prevent snagging.

2. Apply cuticle remover

Clean your cuticles using a professional cuticle remover. If you don’t have a cuticle remover, you can use a bit of cuticle oil or even a water-based lotion.

Don’t soak your whole fingers. Just put the remover around the cuticle and let it sit. If you wait until after a hot shower, your skin will be nice and soft for removal.

3. Push the cuticles back

Lightly go around all of the edges and push the cuticle all the way back with a cuticle pusher. 

If you don’t have a cuticle pusher, your filed nails are nice and strong enough that you can use your nails to push the cuticles. 

If your nails are still soft and flimsy, you can also use a butter knife.

This has a nice, sharp edge that will help you push back on the cuticle. You can also use a spoon or even the edge of your tweezers.

4. Remove the cuticle

Use the edge of your tool of choice to remove whatever you’ve pushed back and severed.

It’s okay if your cuticles are harder or bigger and you can’t remove all of it in one shot. What’s important is that you do this on a regular basis as it will promote nail growth and cuticle health.

The more you push it back, the less it grows and the less dry it gets. It’s definitely going to keep your nails nice and clean.

5. Clip hangnails

If you have any hang nails sticking up, you can use a cuticle nipper or a regular nail clipper to nip off any dead skin from the nail bed.

DIY manicure: How to properly file nails

After following this process on how to clean nails, they’re going to look nice and fresh.

Let me know down below what you think about this process!

Next up, check out my post on How to Fix a Broken Nail in 6 Easy Steps.