When fixing nails, nail glue is a basic requirement for the process, however, if this adhesive drops on your clothes, it can be a real issue. To make matters worse, it can’t be simply washed off, no matter how much you wash it.
10 Ways to Get Nail Glue Out of Clothes
The good news though, is that there are common chemicals and household products that can aid the removal of the ugly stain. Here are 10 ways to get nail glue out of clothes.
1. Use Acetone
Being a core ingredient in nail polish remover, acetone is quite an effective chemical for getting nail glue out of clothes.
You get the best from acetone when you’re trying to remove nail polish from white synthetic clothing because it can discolor colored clothes.
To do this:
Step 1: Wait till you’re sure that the glue on the cloth is dry then, dip a cotton bud in some acetone and rub it carefully into the glue-stained area
Step 2: When you’ve done this, the nail glue will soften after a few minutes. Rub it off using a swab or small brush, then put the cloth in cold water and rinse
Step 3: Warm-wash and tumble dry the clothing for a good while.
For colored clothes, ensure the acetone doesn’t touch other parts of it. You can peel off the nail glue instead of brushing it off as with white clothes. Perform these steps over again if the nail glue remains on the cloth.
This also works for removing nail polish stains from clothes.
2. Use Soapy Water
Unlike acetone, soap can be used for colored clothes as it won’t affect the color. When removing nail glue with this method, laundry detergent is the best choice.
Here is how you do it: soak the glue-stained clothing in cold water and allow the glue to soften. When you notice it has softened, scrape or scrub off the glue from the area carefully. Wash the cloth like a regular wash and rinse
In case a scrubbing requires much energy from you, be more meticulous by using a toothbrush dabbed in soap to scrub. This will add to its effectiveness.
3. Use White Vinegar
For much fewer glue stains, using white vinegar is another way to get nail glue out of clothes. It has acidic content that can help do the job but isn’t as strong as acetone or some stronger chemical mixtures.
How to use white vinegar to get nail glue off your clothes:
Step 1: Pour white vinegar into a basin of water and mix and dip a piece of cloth into it. Get the stained cloth, rub the piece of soaked cloth on the stained area and allow it to soften for a few minutes.
Step 2: Scrape the glue off with a thin flat object such as a plastic card or use your nails. Wash your clothing and dry it.
4. Use Mineral Spirits
In case you don’t have acetone, you can use mineral spirits. Mineral spirit is not as toxic as thinner and so does a better job in being milder on clothes. This is how to use it:
Step 1: Get a dry cloth and apply the mineral spirit on it. Then use the cloth to dab on the glued area and let it soften
Step 2: Allow the spirit to sit on the cloth for a few minutes. Use a flat thin object or a bread knife to scrape off the glue.
Step 3: Rinse the cloth in cold water, then wash with laundry detergent to get rid of the Spirit. Dry the clothes after washing.
5. Use Rubbing Alcohol
Alcohol’s properties help in breaking down the stick material on clothes. This is why it’s effective in removing nail glue. Follow these steps to do it:
Step 1: Soak a paper towel in a measure of rubbing alcohol and place it on the glued area of the cloth.
Step 2: After half an hour, take it off. Using a cotton swab, rub the affected area and the glue will come off. You can use a flat thin object to remove any glue that remains.
6. Use Bleach
Bleach has strong properties that make it a standard cleaning agent; it can handle any stain, including nail glue. However, it should only be used on white clothes because it can discolor colored clothes. Here is a simple guide to follow to use bleach to get nail glue out of clothes:
Step 1: Fill a sink with lukewarm water and pour half a cup of bleach into it to form a solution.
Step 2: Soak the clothes in the solution for about 30 minutes and wash. When you’re done washing, tumble dry and check to ensure the glue stain is gone.
If you notice the stain remains, perform the process once again.
7. Use Salt Solution
Nail glue can be quite resistant. However, the salt solutions can greatly weaken this it’s resistance and loosen its adhesive effect on fabrics.
These are the steps in using the salt solution: put some salt and water in a bowl and use a toothbrush to scrub the glued area till the glue is fully scraped off. Then, wash the clothes, rinse and dry
8. Use A Pressing Iron
You can use a pressing iron to melt nail glue on the surface of your cloth. This method has to be done as quickly as possible. Possibly right after the glue drips on your clothing. To do this:
Step 1: Set your iron to the appropriate heat for the cloth and spread the affected clothing. Get another cloth and put it over the glued area, then run the iron over it.
Step 2: As you iron, check if the glue has been completely removed. When that is done, wash the clothing using hot water and tumble dry
9. Use Metal Spoon
This could be the most archaic and maybe straightforward way to get nail glue off clothes. All you have to do is scrape it off with a metal spoon.
This is the way to do it:
Step 1: Leave the glue to dry then position your metal spoon face down over the glue surface.
Step 3: Scrape it off the fabric till it all comes off. You can take off the residue with your hands.
10. Use Stain Remover
Stain removers work best for any kind of stain including nail glue. Here is a step by step guide on how to use stain removers to get rid of nail glue on clothes below:
Step 1: Scrape away the residue of the nail glue from your clothes. If you have a hard time scraping it, you can wet the stain to make it easier.
Step 2: Apply the stain remover to the stain and rub it in. Allow it to set in for about ten minutes before washing and drying the clothes.
Something To Note
Over time, after nail glue has dried it becomes crispier. So, little by little, it can be picked and pulled off bit by bit. This method works best for colored and light-weighted clothing. It however takes time to completely go off since you wouldn’t want the clothing to tear.