How to Remove Nail Polish Stains

By Matt Oden | Comments | Makeup and Cosmetics Stains → Nail Polish

It can be very frustrating when you spill nail polish on your clothes or on the carpet. Luckily, there are a few common household products which can be used to remove nail polish stains.

As long as you know what you are doing when you attempt to remove nail polish stains from materials, it's easy to get rid of these stains quickly and effectively. However, you should prepare to take a hands-on approach. Furthermore, different items in your household may require different cleaning agents.

Remove Nail Polish Stain from Non-Washable Fibers

If your need nail polish stain removal from fiberglass, wool, rayon, or silk you should begin by scraping any of the excess nail polish with a dull knife. After this is done, you should apply a dry spotter to the stain and then cover the affected area with an absorbent pad.

This should be allowed to stand while the nail polish stain removal is taking place. The pad should be kept moist during this process. The stain should be flushed once this is done with a dry-cleaning solvent and allowed to dry.

Remove Nail Polish Stain from Washable Fibers

If your need nail polish stain removal from washable fibers such as nylon, linen, cotton, or spandex, then you should begin by scraping the excess nail polish from the surface. You should use acetone on the affected area but test a small area in an inconspicuous place first.

If the fibers do not change color, then the acetone should be flushed throughout the affected area using an absorbent pad. Once the stain is removed then you should change pads and flush the area well with dry-cleaning solvent before allowing it to dry thoroughly.

Removing Nail Polish Stains from Soft Surfaces

Soft surfaces include things such as vinyl tile, vinyl clothing, Plexiglas, linoleum, asphalt, cork, vinyl wall-covering, or acrylic plastic. To remove nail polish stain from soft surfaces, you should begin by immediately scraping any excess spill because the fingernail polish contains chemicals which can quickly cause permanent damage to the surface. The area should be dabbed with a cloth which is dampened with amyl acetate. Then rinse the surface.

Removing Nail Polish Stains from Marble

When you need to remove nail polish stains from marble you should wipe up any remaining excess immediately. After this, the affected area should be wiped clean with a cloth which has been dampened with acetone.

The area should be rinse with another damp cloth and then wiped dry. Should any of the stain remain on the marble, you should combine hydrogen peroxide with water and a powder detergent and apply it to the stain. Cover this with a damp cloth. Once the stain has been bleached out, you can rinse it thoroughly and dry it.

Removing Nail Polish Stains from Metal Surfaces

For nail polish stain removal from aluminum, stainless steel, iron, or tin, wipe away any excess immediately. These surfaces are not porous which means that there will not be a stain but mild discoloration which should be removed with a steel wool soap pad. Once this has been done, rinse it thoroughly and dry.

Remove Nail Polish Stains from Tile and Flooring

Removing nail polish stains from tile surfaces include things such as limestone, sandstone, slate, concrete, brick, flagstone, granite, or bluestone. Any excess nail polish should be removed from these surfaces immediately. Then, removing nail polish stains requires that you dip a cloth in acetone and dab the remaining stain until it has been removed. The affected area should then be washed with a soft-bristled brush using a combination of water and detergent. Rinse the area with water and allow it to dry.

Remove Nail Polish Stains from Carpet

Whether your carpet is synthetic or wool, removing nail polish stains can be done by first removing any excess without forcing it. Leave it in a pile and apply amyl acetate to the pile, covering it with a pad which has also been dampened with amyl acetate.

This should be left for fifteen minutes, as you blot is occasionally. Once this is done, scrape the stain loose and then carefully flush the area with a dry-cleaning solvent. Allow the carpet to dry completely.

Almost any product which contains acetone or contains methyl-ethyl-ketone will effectively remove nail polish stains. These items might include paint thinner or paint remover. However, it should be noted that these products are generally highly flammable and can rapidly dehydrate skin.

If you have pure acetone, its flash point is similar to gasoline which means that the vapors can be ignited if a flame is nearby. The vapors can also dissolve common plastic items. Consumer nail polish remover generally contains sixty percent pure acetone while the remainder is water and moisturizers for the skin, making it a safer alternative.