I have an upcoming article on repairing broken salon equipment, and I got some good pointers from Medicool’s Steve Wallace on how to take care of your e-file so you’ll maximize the lifetime and limit repair costs.

• Manicure and pedicure files need to be run dry and kept dry at all times.
  

• After sanitizing the bits, liquid sanitizers need to be entirely cleaned off. Left on sanitizer, as well as other liquids, creams, and lotions, can rust and seize the motor.
  

• Excessive dust (whether nail, acrylic, or gel) can clog and seize the motor and drive train of the wand.
  

• To keep the wand clear of dust, compressed air should be used to blow dust out of all openings.
  

• An air compressor (120psi max) is best for clearing dust. A can of compressed air used for cleaning computer keyboards also works well on e-files.

Wallace recommends techs send their machine in once per year for maintenance, and to try to schedule it when you go on vacation so you are not without a machine.

This is an e-file that had the motor seize because it was clogged with too much dust.

— Tim