Nail Polish Stain

Written by Karen Bates (last updated September 27, 2021)

Nail polish allows you to decorate your nails in creative ways. The possibilities are practically limitless when it comes to paining your finger or toe nails, and many people use nail polish on a regular basis to create colorful designs.

Although it can be entertaining to use nail polish, it can have an unfortunate side effect: stains. The stains that nail polish can leave behind on various surfaces other than your nails can be very difficult to remove, especially if you go about it the wrong way. By using proper methods, however, you have a good chance of getting all or most of polish stains off of a surface.

Whether you find a nail polish stain on your clothes, a table, or the floor, you can try some simple methods to remove stubborn spots. If you need to get rid of a stain, try one of these ideas:

  • Clothing. Did you accidentally drip some nail polish on your shirt or pants? Put the garment on top of a towel, then dab at the stained area with a cotton ball soaked with nail polish remover. When the polish transfers from the garment to the towel, resituate so you are dabbing over a clean part of the town. Continue until the stain has been removed, then wash as normal.
  • Carpet. Try to remove as much dry polish as you can. Clean away what is left by dabbing the spot with a little nail polish remover on a paper towel or clean rag until the stain lifts away. If the polish remover doesn't work well enough, try using some peroxide or hairspray to remove the polish spot instead.
  • Wall. To clean nail polish from a painted wall, wet a sponge with some rubbing alcohol. Scrub the spot with the sponge until the polish comes off, then wash the area with soap and water.
  • Tile and grout. Although easier to clean than carpet, you still have to take action as soon as possible to ensure you don't damage the surface. Wipe up any excess wet polish carefully. Scrub using some powdered cleanser to help remove any remnants of the polish. If you need to, you can try scraping dried polish with a razor blade, but be especially careful to avoid scratching.
  • Other flooring. Try removing hardened polish on other types of flooring by wiping it with acetone.

With the right tools, you should hopefully be successful in removing nail polish from just about any surface in your home. Take care to prevent spills and stains in the future by protecting surfaces with newspaper or another kind of barrier before painting your nails.

Author Bio

Karen Bates

An English student who enjoys writing and art, Karen has had her poetry published in her university's literary journal and has several novels in the works. ...

MORE FROM KAREN

Using a Flat Iron Without Damaging Your Hair

Extreme heat can hurt your hair. Learn how to style your hair without damaging it.

Discover More

Fresh Coffee

When it comes to a morning beverage, nothing beats a mug of fresh, delicious coffee. Coffee beans that are freshly ground ...

Discover More

Move In Cleaning

Are you wondering just how clean your new place is? Be sure everything is spotless by cleaning thoroughly before you move in.

Discover More

The Power of Microfiber! Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths will become your favorite tool for every cleaning task. This 36-cloth package is perfect for hundreds of uses in the garage, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and all around the house. Each cloth is tough, streak-free, lint-free, reusable, and washable. Check out Microfiber Cleaning Cloths today!

More Cleaning Tips

How to Remove Nail Polish from Clothes

Even though a nail polish stain can be difficult to remove, it isn't necessarily impossible. Using different cleaning ...

Discover More

Removing Nail Polish

Nail polish can be messy, but spills are not permanent. The simplest solution for nail polish spills is to use nail ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.