Even though you were careful when you used super glue, it somehow found a way to get stuck on your skin. First thing’s first: there’s no need to panic about the glue sticking to your skin forever. Whether it’s fresh or already dry, there are tons of pain-free ways to get super glue off using common household items. Keep reading to learn all the best ways to remove super glue quickly and safely. Just be sure to see to contact a doctor if you have an allergic reaction or get super glue in a sensitive spot, like your eyes or mouth.

Things You Should Know

  • Try rubbing an oily or greasy product, like vegetable oil, petroleum jelly, or hand lotion, on the super glue.
  • Apply acetone nail polish remover or lemon juice to eat through the super glue. Keep acetone and lemon juice away from sensitive areas.
  • Soak the area in warm soapy water or with a warm compress for 10 minutes to soften and break apart the super glue.
  • ​​Use an abrasive, like coarse salt, an emery board, or a pumice stone to gently rub away residual dried glue. Stop using them if you feel any pain.
2

Vegetable oil

  1. Oils break down super glue so it doesn’t stick on your fingers. Apply vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil to a cloth or a paper towel. Rub the patch of skin in a circular motion with the cloth. Within a couple of minutes, the super glue will begin to soften and peel off easily.[2]
3

Petroleum jelly

  1. Petroleum jelly is greasy and makes it easier to get glue off of your skin. Dip the corner of a cloth in petroleum jelly and rub it over your skin where there’s super glue. Massage the jelly into your skin until the super glue starts to flake off. Just wash the excess off your hands when you’re finished.[3]
    • Alternatively, you can massage mineral oil onto the patch of skin since it’s also petroleum-based.
  2. Advertisement
4

Acetone nail polish remover

  1. Acetone eats through super glue to completely break it down. Wet the corner of a cloth or paper towel with the acetone and hold it against the super glue for about a minute to dissolve the glue. Try gently rubbing the super glue to help lift it off of your skin. Just wash and moisturize your hands when you’re finished since acetone can dry your skin out.[4]
    • Avoid using acetone near your eyes, mouth, or any open wounds.
    • Acetone and super glue fumes can irritate your eyes and lungs, so use it in a well-ventilated space.
5

Warm soapy water

  1. The soap and water will help loosen the glue’s bond. If you’re removing super glue on your hands or fingers, fill a large bowl or sink with warm water and a squirt of liquid soap. If you can’t easily use a bowl or sink, hop in a warm bath with some suds. Soak the affected area for around 10 minutes to help soften the glue. Rub the glue with small gentle circles to help it lift off of your skin.[5]
    • You may need to try washing your skin multiple times before all the super glue comes off.
    • If your skin is stuck together, avoid pulling it apart. You could accidentally rip off layers of skin along with the glue and cause a lot of pain.
  2. Advertisement
6

Warm compress

  1. Heat softens super glue so it’s easier to get off of your skin. Get a washcloth damp with hot water and wring it out completely. Lay the compress over the super glue and leave it there for about 10–15 minutes. After that, try rubbing the glue in small circles to gently peel it away from your skin.[6]
    • If your fingers are stuck together with super glue, try to separate them by rubbing a flat blunt object, like a credit card or butter knife, against the glue on your fingertips. Stop using it if you feel any pain and avoid using any sharp knives or razors.
7

Lemon juice

  1. The acids in lemon juice remove dried glue still stuck on your fingers. Put lemon juice into a bowl or wet the corner of a cloth with it. Soak your skin with the lemon juice for about 10 minutes to help loosen up the dried glue. Then, wet a soft toothbrush in the juice and gently scrub your skin to lift up the rest of the glue.[7]
  2. Advertisement
8

Salt

  1. Coarse salt rubs off any leftover glue that dried to your skin. Wet your skin with water and sprinkle some coarse salt onto the area. Gently rub the salt in to break apart the super glue and help it peel off of your skin. Rinse off your skin with warm water to clear off the rest of the salt and glue.[8]
    • Only apply gentle pressure since pressing too hard could damage your skin. Stop using salt if your skin starts hurting.
10

Pumice stone

  1. Use a pumice stone with warm water for stubborn dry glue. Soak your skin in warm water for 10 minutes first to help soften the hardened glue. Wet your pumice stone and gently rub it over your skin in a circular motion. The glue residue will catch in the abrasive stone and peel off of your skin.[10]
    • Stop using your pumice stone if you feel any pain while you’re removing the super glue. Try soaking your skin to warm up the glue again.

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    Will the nail polish remover make your skin dry?
    Mark Spelman
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Expert Answer
    Nail polish remover is drying for the skin. However, your skin will return to normal soon, especially if you apply a moisturising cream afterwards.
  • Question
    Is super glue on your nails harmful?
    Mark Spelman
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Expert Answer
    It is not harmful on your nails. You can use superglue to repair a broken nail.
  • Question
    I got superglue on my arm, which has hair and I tried peeling it but now it really hurts whenever I try a method. How can I get it out without it hurting?
    Mark Spelman
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.
    Mark Spelman
    Construction Professional
    Expert Answer
    Apply one of the products suggested to loosen the glue from your skin. Continue to apply the product until the glue comes off. If you are patient, the glue will eventually come off with the help of the product you chose.
Advertisement

Warnings

  • Talk to a doctor right away if you get super glue on a sensitive part of your body, like your eyelids, nose, or lips, or if the super glue causes pain. Avoid trying to remove the glue on your own so you don’t hurt yourself.[12]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Avoid fumes from super glue since it could irritate your eyes and lungs.[13]
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
Advertisement

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about removing glue, check out our in-depth interview with Mohiba Tareen, MD.

About This Article

Mohiba Tareen, MD
Co-authored by:
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist
This article was co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology. This article has been viewed 5,391,075 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 153
Updated: March 12, 2023
Views: 5,391,075
Article SummaryX

To easily get super glue off skin, start by washing your hands with warm soapy water, which will help loosen the glue. Then, rub some vegetable oil or petroleum jelly into your skin with a cloth until the glue comes off. You can also use lotion. If the super glue still won't come off, apply an acetone-based nail polish remover to the super glue and then peel the glue off once it dissolves. If you want to learn how to use WD-40 to remove super glue, keep reading the article!

Did this summary help you?
If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Advertisement