How To Get Nail Glue Out Of Clothing

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You wanted to give yourself a DIY manicure, maybe with acrylics or press-ons. Each year, some company comes up with a great new type of fake nail, and TikTok and Insta go wild.

Most of them use some form of nail gue to apply the tips to your natural nails.

Nail glue works quite well at securing your fake nails to your real ones, but what if you get some on your clothes?

In this article, we’re going to go over how to get nail glue out of clothing.

One of the best ways to remove nail glue from clothing is to use acetone. As we all know, it breaks down the glue. But it’s possible that may harm the fabric.

We’ll explain it all below. 


Contents

How To Get Nail Glue Out Of Clothing

Nail Glue

Nail glue is known for its strength and durability. That’s a good thing because it keeps the fake nails or tips secured on the nails! 

However, the stickiness of this glue can also backfire when it gets into something it isn’t supposed to, like your skin or your clothes. 

In case you get glue on your clothes, here are a few products to use and ways to try and remove them.

1. Use Acetone 

Acetone

One of the best things that you can use to remove the nail glue is Wisdompark UV LED Nail Lamp, Professional Light for Nails 36W with 3 Timers Lamp Gel Polish Curing Dryer Portable Manicure Art Tools Auto Sensor, LCD Display . Most people who do their nails have this readily available.

It is used to remove nail polish and acrylic nails but it could be useful in removing nail glue from your clothes. 

One of the best things that you can use to remove nail glue is acetone.

Acetone can break down the nail glue so that it can loosen the grip.

Are There Concerns Using Acetone on Clothing?

Acetone can damage clothing, particularly clothing not made of natural fibers. If your clothing is made of cotton, it will be fine. But polyesters, nylon, etc. may be damaged by acetone.

That said, if you’ve got nail glue on your blouse, it’s already damaged, so it may still be worth a try.

Additioanlly, acetone may cause colors to lighten. 

When removing the nail glue from clothes, make sure that the glue is dry. Use a cotton swab with acetone to gently rub off the area where the nail glue is. 

When removing the nail glue from clothes, make sure that the glue is dry. Use a cotton swab with acetone to gently rub off the area where the nail glue is. 

Don’t forcefully try to remove the glue. Just wait for the acetone to react and soften the glue. When the nail glue is already soft, you can use an old toothbrush to rub it off before rinsing it out with cold water. 

There might still be residue left, which you can easily remove when the clothing goes through the warm wash. However, if the nail glue remains, you should repeat the procedure. 

2. Soapy Water

If you currently don’t have any acetone, you can try soapy water as an alternative. It works on nails and skin too! This is a good alternative because it is gentle enough to use on colored clothes and on artificial fabrics like nylon and polyester.

It doesn’t cause discoloration. 

To use this, simply place the clothes that have nail glue in a basin of cold soapy water. Let the clothing soak so that the glue can soften. 

An old toothbrush is used to scrub the area before you rinse it out with cold water. You can rewash the clothes after this procedure. 

3. Vinegar

Another product that you may have at home is white vinegar. This is acidic and can remove the nail glue. However, it is not as effective as acetone.

White vinegar is good to use for those who only have a small drop of nail glue on their clothing. To use white vinegar, you simply have to put some of it in a bowl and dip the portion of the clothing that has nail glue in the vinegar. 

Then gently rub the affected area to help the vinegar do its thing. When the nail glue is soft, you can use your fingernails to carefully scrape off the glue. Then, you can wash it in the washing machine as normal. 

4. Rubbing Alcohol

There are active ingredients in alcohol that could break down the nail glue. This loosens the bond so that you can remove the nail glue from the clothing.

To do this, you simply need to get a paper towel and soak it in rubbing alcohol. This paper towel is then placed over the area where it is left for 30 minutes. Afterward, the softened glue is rubbed off using a cotton ball.

5. Bleach

Bleach is a cleaning agent that can be used on clothes to remove stains. Additionally, it is also capable of removing nail glue stains since it has strong chemical properties. 

Just remember that you should only use this technique on white clothing, and only if the other options work. If your clothing is colored, you can try to use the other substances in this guide or you can try to find bleach that’s specifically made for colored clothing. 

To use bleach, you should soak the clothes in warm water first for about half an hour to help loosen the nail glue. Then, use ½ cup of bleach with your regular washer to wash the clothes. This will usually remove the nail glue. 

6. Metal Spoon

Another simple way to remove the nail glue on your clothing is to scrape it off dried nail glue with a spoon. This works because the spoon isn’t sharp enough to puncture a hole in your clothing while using it. 

Just remember to not use this method when you are dealing with nail glue that hasn’t completely dried. If you do, you’ll just be spreading the wet glue everywhere.

7. Salt Water

You can create your salt solution at home by simply mixing salt in a small amount of water. This solution should be created in a bowl where a toothbrush can easily pick the solution. 

All you have to do is to dip the old toothbrush in the salt solution and use it to rub against the area where the nail glue is. Afterward, you need to rinse the clothes and wash them as you would usually do. 

8. Mineral Spirits

Mineral spirits can be used to remove the nail glue on clothes as well. The ”mineral  are usually used to clean paintbrushes and are milder as compared to paint thinner. 

To use this, you simply need to use a cloth that has been wet with the mineral spirit. You simply dab the wet part on the affected clothing. This helps soften the glue but could take some time. 

When the glue is already soft, you can physically scrape it off before rinsing the clothing in cold water. The clothes can then be washed as you regularly would. 

Mineral spirits may destroy fabric and colors, so use this only as a last resort.


Conclusion

The best way to remove nail glue stains from clothing is with acetone. But remember that acetone may stain or damage clothing itself, so be careful. If you don’t have or don’t want to use acetone, we’ve given you several other options that don’t work as well, but may still get the job done.

Written by Kayla Young

Kayla is the founder of LuxeLuminous. She has worked professionally in the tanning industry for years. She has been interested in esthetics since childhood, and has tried every hair, skin, and makeup product ever produced (more or less).