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Don't toss your favorite cosmetic tool! Get it looking almost like brand new with these helpful hints.

Most of us absolutely could not do without our makeup brushes. After all, they help us apply (and blend) everything from powders to creams with precision and maximum control, helping to keep our look more natural than it would otherwise. But let's be honest: for such an important beauty tool, most of us treat our brushes pretty terribly. We stuff them down in cosmetics bags and, even worse, we hardly ever (or never) clean them. That's why we went straight to experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute for directions on how to clean your makeup brushes.

Why is cleaning them so important? Because when you don't your beloved brushes become little bacteria farms, which can lead to acne, dermatitis, and more skin problems no adult should have to handle (didn't we get enough of that stuff in high school??). Luckily, cleaning your makeup brushes is a fairly simple process, according to the experts at the GH Institute.

Before we get started on the hows of cleaning your brushes, we should look at brushes that (sniff sniff) can't be saved. Basically, if the bristles have begun to fall out, or are starting to stick out in different directions, it time to let go and get a replacement.

Want to extend the life of your brushes? Follow our rules for cleaning and drying them, and get them out of that jam-packed cosmetic bag—just keep them in a coffee cup, handle down. Or, check out our list of the best makeup storage ideas. Your brushes should last years with proper care!

Ah, the eternal question. Well to start with, you know all your well-meaning friends who suggests using either olive oil or vinegar? Our pros at the GH Institute say both ingredients are better left in the pantry than used on your brushes. Otherwise, good options include:

Fret not, makeup lovers, the best rule, the most important rule, is pretty darn simple—don't get the base of the brush, where the bristles come together, wet. Eventually, if you keep doing it, you'll find bristles shedding as the glue at the base starts to break down. Then you'll have to pitch it, unless you enjoy picking bristles off of your face.

Beauty takes time, and you'll need to spend a bit of it everyday (or everyday that you use makeup) to keep these crucial tools in tip-top shape. You can get away with cleaning your powder brushes just once, maybe twice a week. However, according to GH Institute experts, for brushes that are used to apply creams and liquids, as well as sponges, daily cleaning is necessary. In fact, sponges should be cleaned right after use because they are used damp, and so bacteria can start gaining a foothold on your sponge right away.

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