The Easiest Way To Clean Your Vanity Drawer Without Harsh Cleaners

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You're organizing your beauty room, and you look over at your beautiful vanity drawer. However, the once-pristine wood vanity is now covered in various smudges, swipes, and fingerprints. Even the insides of the drawers are riddled with stains from spilled powders and broken eye shadow palettes. The good news is that there is a way to remove the makeup stains from your vanity drawer without harsh chemicals — and you might already have it on your vanity. Enter micellar water. A wipe-down with micellar water may be the vanity-saving grace that you never knew you needed.

Though only recently receiving more attention in the United States within the past few years, micellar water has been around for about 100 years and originated in France. Yes, it is "real water," but it also contains small molecular clusters of surfactants (aka oils) that essentially attract and trap oils and dirt, drawing them away from the surface. It has become a staple in many makeup stores and is often recommended by professional makeup artists and beauty publications as a go-to makeup remover. 

But you can also use it on your vanity drawers, which means no more scrubbing so vigorously that you accidentally remove some of the paint, and no more dealing with nausea-inducing cleaning products. You can buy a bottle of Garnier micellar cleansing water for around $4 and a pack of Cliganic cotton pads for $9 — it's an expensive way to have your vanity looking brand new in a matter of minutes.

Like many simple cleaning hacks, this one can be done quickly and requires only a few items. First, use a dampened cotton pad to spot test the water on a small, unnoticeable area to ensure that no adverse reactions or damage occur. If none occur, slightly dampen another cotton pad or microfiber cloth with the micellar water. Be sure not to add too much at once, as you don't want to soak the vanity. Excessive amounts of water can actually seep into the wood. 

Then, starting from the top of your drawer, rub each stain in a circular motion using the cleaning pad. Got caked-up lipstick on your drawer? No problem. Go over it with a dampened pad a few times to break down the oils, and then use another pad to remove the remaining residue. Finally, wipe the dresser down with a dry cloth, and you're good to go! 

Also, if you're looking to repurpose old beauty supplies and need to clean those dirty makeup brushes, this oil-clearing water can do just that. To do it, pour about ¼ cup of micellar water into a disposable cup, and toss in all your dirty brushes. Let the brushes sit for about a minute or two. Next, remove the brushes and run them under the faucet to help loosen any stuck makeup. Once you no longer see colors dripping from them, set them aside to air dry.