How Often Should You Clean Makeup Organizers?

You probably wash your makeup sponges and brushes often (hopefully weekly), but you should also clean the containers you use to hold your makeup. This includes your makeup bag, bins, and containers. As a good rule of thumb, you should clean your makeup organizers whenever you clean your makeup tools. This prevents dust, grime, and bacteria from transferring from the containers to your hands, brushes, and sponges, and then to your face. 

Key takeaways 

• Wipe down makeup organizers about once a week, especially if they hold brushes and applicators. 
• Clean spills and makeup smears as soon as you notice them. 
• Empty organizers before deep cleaning so you can reach corners, slots, and crevices. 
• Handwash makeup bags with dishwashing liquid if the material can be washed. 
• Let organizers and makeup bags dry completely before refilling them. 
• Use cleaning day as an opportunity to toss old makeup and replace worn brushes and sponges. 

How to clean your makeup organizers 

A quick wipe-down with an antibacterial wipe or a cloth with a dab of rubbing alcohol can be enough to get acrylic, plastic, and glass bins, cups, and organizers clean.  

If you have an organizer with tiny sections for things like individual tubes of lipstick, you may not be able to get your cleaning tool down into the crevices. Here’s how to get it squeaky clean: 

1. Empty the container. 
2. Turn it upside down and shake it over a trash bin to get rid of loose lint and dust. 
3. Spritz all of the slots in the container with an all-purpose cleaner. 
4. Let it soak for a few minutes. 
5. Spray the slots with warm water. 

If there’s still gunk, use a child-sized toothbrush to scrub out each slot. 

How to clean your makeup bag 

If your makeup bag is made of leather, suede, silk, or another delicate material, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions. Handwash other fabric makeup bags with a little dishwashing liquid. This will break down makeup oils that may be clinging to the bag. Here’s how to go about it: 

1. Squirt a drop of soap onto the outside of the bag and lather it up using your hands. 
2. Give it a rinse, making sure to remove all of the soap. 
3. Turn the bag inside out. 
4. Wash the inside of the bag. 
5. Rinse the inside of the bag thoroughly.  
6. Lay the bag on a clean, dry towel and roll it up in the towel. 
7. Squeeze it gently to soak up the water. 
8. Turn the bag right side out and repeat the process with the towel. 
9. Place a cup upside down on the counter, then put the bag over it so the cup holds the bag open. 
10. Let the bag air dry. 

Be sure your makeup bag is completely dry before you put anything in it. Moisture can ruin your makeup and cause your applicators to mold. 

Before you put everything back… 

Always evaluate your makeup and applicator collection when you’re putting them back in their containers and decide if anything needs to be tossed or replaced. Use these tips to help you figure it out: 

• Are the brush’s bristles frayed or ragged? Then they probably don’t apply makeup as well as they could. Consider replacing them. 
• Is the makeup old? Has it changed color or does it smell funny? Toss it. 
• Are the sponges frayed or missing little bits? They need to be replaced. 
• Have you used this item in the last six months? It may be time to say goodbye. 
• Is the container broken or leaking? Toss products with damaged packaging if they can no longer be stored or used safely. 
• Do you have duplicates? Keep the products you actually use instead of filling your organizer with nearly identical items. 

While you’re sorting, wipe down the outside of makeup bottles and tubes before returning them to your clean organizer. Otherwise, you may put foundation smears, powder, and grime right back into the space you just cleaned. 

Clean up makeup spills right away 

You don’t have to wait until your weekly cleaning to deal with a makeup spill. If foundation leaks into a drawer or lipstick gets smeared along the side of an organizer, clean it as soon as you notice it. Fresh makeup is usually easier to remove than residue that’s been sitting there for weeks. 

The same goes for broken powder, blush, and eyeshadow. Remove loose powder before it gets ground into corners or transferred to other products. 

Makeup organizer cleaning FAQ 

How often should I clean my makeup organizer? 

A weekly wipe-down is a good routine for makeup organizers, especially containers that hold brushes, sponges, and other applicators. Deep clean your organizer when you notice makeup residue, spills, dust, or grime accumulating. 

How often should I clean my makeup bag? 

Consider cleaning your makeup bag when you clean your brushes and other makeup tools, or whenever you notice spills or buildup inside. If you carry it every day, check it regularly for leaking or broken products. 

Can I wash a makeup bag in the washing machine? 

It depends on the material and manufacturer’s care instructions. Some fabric makeup bags may be machine washable, while bags made from leather, suede, vinyl, or embellished materials may need to be cleaned by hand. Check the care label before putting a makeup bag in the washing machine. 

How do I remove makeup stains from an organizer? 

Clean spills as soon as possible because dried makeup can be harder to remove. Use a cleaning product that’s safe for the organizer’s material. A small, soft toothbrush can help loosen makeup trapped in corners and small compartments. 

Should I clean my makeup before putting it back in the organizer? 

Wipe makeup residue off the outside of bottles, tubes, compacts, palettes, and other containers before returning them to your clean organizer. This helps keep you from immediately transferring old grime back into it. 

How do I keep my makeup organizer clean? 

Wipe up spills when they happen, avoid putting dirty brushes back with clean ones, and regularly remove loose powder, hair, and dust. 

Can makeup organizers get moldy? 

Mold can grow where moisture remains and conditions allow, especially on porous materials. Make sure makeup bags, organizers, brushes, and sponges are completely dry before storing them.