How to Get Nail Glue Off of Clothes

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Nail glue is great for sticking on acrylic nails, but it’s pretty annoying when you get it on your clothes. Luckily, removing nail glue is a quick and easy process. Simply wait for the glue to dry, scrape off any loose glue with a toothbrush, and then use acetone to dissolve the rest of the stain. Remove any remaining residues with stain remover and a warm machine wash.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Removing the Dried Glue

1
Wait for the glue to dry. It is much easier to scrape the nail glue off once it is dry. The nail glue is dry once it is clear and hard. This normally takes about 20 minutes.^{[1]
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- Avoid removing the glue when it is wet, as this can cause it to smear across the clothing.
2
Scrub off as much of the dry glue as you can with a fresh toothbrush. Pick off any loose chunks of glue, and then firmly agitate the top layer of the nail glue with a clean toothbrush. If your clothes are made from delicate fabrics, such as chiffon, lace, or silk, skip this step to avoid damaging the fibres in the garment.^{[2]
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- For best results, use a stiff bristled toothbrush. If you don’t have a toothbrush, use a nail brush instead.
- Don’t scrub the toothbrush more than a dozen times over the glue, as this can damage the fabric.
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3
Place a drop of acetone on the inside seam of the fabric as a test patch. Acetone is a strong chemical and can sometimes bleach or discolour fabric. Find a hidden area of fabric inside the garment to use as a test patch. Wait 30 minutes for the acetone to dry and then check the area for any signs of discolouration.^{[3]
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- If you don’t have any pure acetone, use nail polish remover that contains acetone instead.
- Use a cotton bud to transfer the acetone onto the fabric.
4
Dunk a cotton ball in acetone and wipe it back and forth over the stain. Tap the cotton ball over a sink to remove any drips of acetone. Wipe the cotton ball over the stain to dissolve the glue. Continue to rub the acetone over the soiled area until the hard lump of glue is gone.^{[4]
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- This may take a few minutes, as the acetone can only dissolve 1 layer of glue at a time.
- If the cotton ball gets dry, dunk it in acetone again.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Washing off the Residue

1
Rinse the acetone off the garment with cold water. Hold the stained area of the garment under a running tap to remove the acetone from the fabric. This helps to prevent the fabric from becoming discoloured.^{[5]
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- Squeeze the garment to remove the excess water.
2
Cover the glue residue with stain remover and leave it to soak in for 5 minutes. Choose a stain remover that doesn’t contain bleach. Avoid products that are marketed as “whitening” or “bleaching” if you’re removing the glue from coloured garments, as these may alter the colour of your garment.^{[6]
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- Purchase a stain remover from a supermarket or cleaning store. Stain remover pens, sprays, and wipes are easy to apply to the stain; however, in stain removal product will work.
- Read the instructions on your bottle of stain remover for product specific information.
3
Place the garment into the washing machine on a warm wash. Add washing powder or detergent to the washing machine and select a regular warm cycle.^{[7]
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- If your garment is made from delicate fabric, set the machine to a gentle wash cycle or wash it by hand. If your garment is a dry clean only item, take it to the dry cleaners to be washed.
- Follow the washing instructions on the label of your garment.
4
Wait 12 hours for the item to air-dry. Avoid placing the garment in the dryer, as this can cause any remains of the stain to set into the fabric. If there is still nail glue residue on the item, repeat the above steps to remove the rest of the stain.^{[8]
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- In winter, leave the item for 24 hours to dry.