New mobile nail tech needs help

[Gemsnails]

I have spent hours looking for something to extract the fumes from the acrylic liquid i use.
I recently moved in with my fiance and he cant stand the smell. He gets a really bad headache straight away. I dont have a problem with it but this issue made me realise that my clients might be the same too - which is not a great thing.

I have found something called "Filtaire" but they are nearly £300. I need something portable as i am about to start doing nails round peoples houses.
Can anyone help?
Please.

 

[swanner]

Hi hun
My hubby moans constantly about the smell and I have found putting a small amount of scrub fresh on a wipe by the monomer helps and doesn't affect him so badly.
HTH :hug:

 

[Vetty]

I have spent hours looking for something to extract the fumes from the acrylic liquid i use.
I recently moved in with my fiance and he cant stand the smell. He gets a really bad headache straight away. I dont have a problem with it but this issue made me realise that my clients might be the same too - which is not a great thing.

I have found something called "Filtaire" but they are nearly £300. I need something portable as i am about to start doing nails round peoples houses.
Can anyone help?
Please.

Firstly your monomer doesn't makes fumes it makes vapours. There is a fundamental chemical difference - a fume is a particle carried in smoke (like a car exhaust) whereas a vapour is made when a liquid evaporates into the air (like perfume).

Secondly, the levels of monomer vapour in the air from an average set of nails is way far below any level that could be harmful, but there are some simple steps to minimise odour.

1. Only put the amount of liquid into your dappen dish when you need it and dispose of it immediately you have finished. So don't have your liquid sitting uncovered (and evaporating) while you are prepping nails.
2. During your application dampen a wipe with Scrubfresh (or equivalent) and wipe your brush on the pad. This stops the couch roll absorbing the momomer and spreading vapour.
3. Dispose of all waste in a metal bin with a lid - if you use a plastic bin the vapur will pass through the plastic, it must be metal.

If you do this you will minimise the odour to such a degree that you will not need an extraction unit as a mobile tech.

hth's

 

[heavenlyhands]

If is that bad have you thought about switching to gel as your main enhancement treatment. I now use mostly gel as my boyfriend was always complaining about the smell of the liquid, and I was also getting complaints from other clients in the hairdressers where I work.

 

[Gemsnails]

Thankyou for your advise, i will try the lint free towel things with scrubfresh on. Maybe this will help. I already only put what i need in my dappen dish so its not that.
I dont really want to move from acrylic.

Thanks all. If anyone else has any useful tips, they would definately be welcome with open arms.

 

[Gilly T]

I'm mobile and I think the amount of vapour is negligible really. Client may say it's a strong smell but with re-assurance that for the duration I will be there it is harmless, they are usually ok.

I take my own waste bag with me, dispense monomer when ready to apply, replace lid when not using and soak up and dispose of as soon as I'm finished.

It's early days for me yet but I don't feel the need to take any type of extraction with me, it's bad enough lugging my table, lamp, kit, towels, nail art.. etc...

 

[Gemsnails]

I'm mobile and I think the amount of vapour is negligible really. Client may say it's a strong smell but with re-assurance that for the duration I will be there it is harmless, they are usually ok.

I take my own waste bag with me, dispense monomer when ready to apply, replace lid when not using and soak up and dispose of as soon as I'm finished.

It's early days for me yet but I don't feel the need to take any type of extraction with me, it's bad enough lugging my table, lamp, kit, towels, nail art.. etc...

I completely agree with what you are saying, i just started panicing i think when my other half started moaning that it was giving him a headache and wondered whether clients were feeling the same. Its all early days for me too - time will tell, but having your nails done is supposed to be a nice experience a bit of pampering.

I do have too much to lug around too, its a nightmare. If scrubfresh on a lint free cloth is the answer then it will save me loads of pennies which is great because i have spent loads on all my kit!!

Thanks Gilly

 

[Vetty]

The biggest preventer IMO is having metal bin - mine is a dinky one from the home section of Dunelm Mill (£4.99 if I remember rightly!). It doesn't take up much room in your bag, but seriously prevents odour escaping......

Glad the other tips are useful!

 

[Gelly]

I also carry a lined metal pedal bin with me. Works a treat.

I dispense only what I need, when I need it.
Use a lidded dappen dish.
Wipe my brush as little as possible.
If I find that it is getting a little 'pongy' in the room, I put the tissue I have wiped my brush on into my metal bin and get out a new tissue.

If a pedal bin is too big for you to carry, what about a lidded metal tea caddy? Body and lid would both need to be metal.
I've not tried it myself, but I imagine it would work just fine.

I'm also going to give the scrubfresh trick a try.

 

[Ditzy]

I also carry a lined metal pedal bin with me. Works a treat.

I dispense only what I need, when I need it.
Use a lidded dappen dish.
Agree with these!

Wipe my brush as little as possible.
I've taught myself to do this, made one hell of a difference!

If I find that it is getting a little 'pongy' in the room, I put the tissue I have wiped my brush on into my metal bin and get out a new tissue.
Good idea too.

If a pedal bin is too big for you to carry, what about a lidded metal tea caddy? Body and lid would both need to be metal.
I've not tried it myself, but I imagine it would work just fine.
I used to do this, and it worked great! I'd empty it into a bigger metal bin in the car after each client, you only have a very small amount of waste in the clients house that way. Got mine from a local cheapie store, 99p!

I'm also going to give the scrubfresh trick a try.
Also did this, after seeing Gigi mention it, this also helps

:hug:

 

[iam34ouch]

Hi, I use gel but when I found out I was pregnant I bought a fume extractor on ebay just to be on the safe side. It also collects dust from filing and you can turn it around and use the fan in the back for drying polished nails. It would be very portable and fits on a table well also. Mine is made by a company called LURACO I think and the frume extractor is called the ChemStop but if you go to ebay and type in Fume Extractor you will find one. I just checked and there is one on there right now for 29.99 which is a deal, I paid 89.99 for mine about three months ago. Hope this helps