How to remove nail polish from clothes (and when to stop)

Step by step: how to remove nail polish from clothes

Safety first. Acetone and most nail polish removers are flammable. Work by an open window, away from candles, stoves and cigarettes, and keep the bottle closed between uses. Do not put a solvent-soaked garment straight into the washer or dryer.

1. 1

   Lift the excess without spreading it

   Use a plastic spoon or the dull side of a knife to lift any blob of wet polish straight up off the fabric. Do not wipe it sideways, which smears it into a wider stain. If the polish has already dried into a hard bead, gently flake off the raised part.

2. 2

   Check the fiber content

   Read the care label before you open the remover. Acetone dissolves acetate, triacetate and modacrylic fabrics, which are common in linings, satin blouses and faux fur. For those, or anything labeled dry clean only, stop here and take it to a dry cleaner.

3. 3

   Test the remover on a hidden spot

   Dab a few drops of remover on an inside seam, wait a few minutes, and blot it dry. Look for color loss, a shiny spot or any change in the texture. Non-acetone remover is gentler on fabric but works more slowly.

4. 4

   Blot from the back onto paper towels

   Lay the stain face down on a thick pad of white paper towels. Dab the back of the stain with a cotton ball soaked in remover so the polish dissolves and transfers into the towels underneath. Move to a clean part of the towel as it picks up color, and keep going until no more comes off.

5. 5

   Work the last trace out with dish soap

   Put a drop of dish soap on a cotton swab and work from the outside of the stain toward the middle, switching swabs as they pick up color. Rinse the area under cool running water.

6. 6

   Hand wash and air dry

   Hand wash the garment in cool water with a little laundry detergent so no solvent goes into your machine, then rinse well. Let it air dry and check the spot in daylight.

7. 7

   Machine wash once the solvent is gone

   When the stain is gone or as light as it will get, wash the garment as usual in the warmest water the care label allows. Keep it out of the dryer until you are happy with the result.

Acetone or non-acetone remover: which should you use?

Start with non-acetone remover on colors and synthetics, and step up to acetone only if it does nothing and the seam test shows no damage. Never use acetone on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic.

The University of Georgia Extension says non-oily nail polish remover can be used on fabric except acetate, triacetate and modacrylic, and describes placing the stain face down on paper towels and sponging the back with acetone, rotating the towel as the stain is absorbed. Tide also notes that non-acetone removers are less harsh on fabric and should be tested on an inconspicuous area first.

Can you get dried nail polish out of clothes?

Sometimes, but dried polish on fabric is often permanent, so set your expectations before you start. The solvent can dissolve the lacquer, but it is hard to get the dissolved polish back out of the weave.

Clorox’s laundry expert says that, in her experience, dried nail polish stains on fabric are generally permanent, but suggests trying anyway if the alternative is throwing the item out. Her advice is to hand wash in cool water with a little detergent and air dry afterward, so residual solvent does not go into the washer or dryer, which appliance makers recommend against.

If a faint tint is left on a garment you like, a dry cleaner has stronger spotting solvents and the training to use them. Point out the stain and say what caused it.

Nail polish on carpet, couches and bedding

Carpet and upholstery need gentler handling than clothes because you cannot rinse them through. Blot, never pour.

• On carpet, lift the excess, then blot with a cloth dampened with a small amount of remover and follow with plain water. Test a hidden corner first.
• On upholstery, check the cleaning code on the tag. An S code means solvent-based cleaners only; a W code means water-based only.
• Sheets and pillowcases can be treated like clothes. Our guide to getting makeup out of clothes covers other cosmetic stains you may find alongside it.

Mistakes to avoid

• Wiping wet polish sideways, which turns a dot into a long smear.
• Pouring acetone on acetate or a satin lining, which melts a hole in the fabric.
• Dabbing from the front, which pushes polish deeper instead of out the back.
• Putting a garment soaked in remover straight into the washer or dryer.
• Using remover near a candle, gas stove or lit cigarette.
• Drying the garment before checking whether a tint remains.