How To Get Rid Of Staining From Nail Polish

Download Article

A handy guide to keeping your nails looking smashing and polished

Download Article

Painting your nails a assuming color can be a fun way to add a pop to any outfit. However, if you regularly use bright or dark blast polish, yous may notice that some of the color stays behind when yous clean your nails with nail polish remover. Fortunately, however, yous may be able to lighten the stains by scrubbing them with a baking soda paste, soaking your fingers in acetone, or lightly buffing the surface of your nails with oil.

1
Mix 2 parts baking soda, 1 part olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice in a basin. For example, yous might use 2 tbsp (40 g) baking soda, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil and 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) lemon juice. And then, employ a spoon to stir the ingredients together thoroughly.^[1]
- The baking soda will probably start to fizz when yous add the lemon juice. Don't worry, that's totally normal!
- If you desire to suit the amount of paste you're making, only keep a ratio of 2 parts baking soda to 1 part olive oil. Unless you're making a very big batch, a few squeezes of lemon juice should still be sufficient.
Tip: If yous don't take these ingredients on hand, endeavour using whitening toothpaste instead!^[2]
two
Add together a footling more blistering soda or oil until y'all have a thick paste. When you lot beginning mix together the ingredients, they may seem a little too clumpy or as well runny. If the mixture is also thick, drizzle in a small amount of olive oil and stir it together to loosen information technology. If it's too thin, sprinkle in a small amount of baking soda to thicken information technology up.
- Go along doing this until you accept a thick but spreadable paste.
Advertisement
3
Dip a toothbrush or nail brush in the mixture. Once yous've created your paste, get an former toothbrush or a stiff nail brush. Printing the bristles down into the paste and so they're completely coated.
- A new toothbrush will work too, but brand sure you lot don't mix it up with the toothbrush y'all apply for your teeth! The paste is made from all natural ingredients, but nail polish remainder tin be toxic if ingested.
- If the paste won't stay on the castor, it'southward probably besides thin. Add together a little more baking soda to thicken it.
four
Scrub your nails lightly with the brush until the stain lightens. Use the castor to piece of work the paste onto the surface of your nail, scrubbing in a circular motion. If you need to, you can wipe the paste away to check your progress. If the stain is still there, add a little more paste and continue scrubbing.^[3]
- Continue until you lot've scrubbed all of your stained nails.
5

Rinse your nails with hand soap and warm water. Once yous've lightened the stain as much as you lot can with the paste, launder your easily thoroughly with soap and water. The lather will help pause upward the oil in the paste, while the warm water will help dissolve the baking soda, which may exit a low-cal residue if it has started to dry.

Advertising

1
Cut x pieces of foil that are large enough to wrap around your fingertips. Cut or tear 10 strips of foil that are almost 4 in × 3 in (x.2 cm × 7.6 cm). The pieces should be large plenty to cover your entire nail, plus a little actress, since you'll have cotton fiber on your nail likewise.^[4]
- Since yous'll be wrapping all your nails at once, it's easiest to gear up your foil ahead of time. You may also want to set out your cotton balls at this time.
- If you don't want to utilize a whole cotton ball on each smash, cut 5 cotton balls in one-half, instead.
Did You Know? This process is very similar to the way you remove acrylic or gel nails.
2
Fill a small-scale metal or glass bowl with oil-enriched acetone. Pour virtually ⁱ⁄_four loving cup (59 mL) of the acetone into your bowl, or plenty to soak all of the cotton assurance. The measurement doesn't take to be precise—if y'all accidentally use too much, you lot can just pour information technology back into the bottle when you lot're finished.^[five]
- Practice not use a plastic bowl, as the acetone will melt it.
- You can find oil-enriched acetone at well-stocked beauty supply stores. Yet, if y'all tin can't find it, you can apply regular acetone, instead.
3
Soak a cotton ball in the acetone, then printing it onto your fingernail. Dip the first cotton ball in the bowl and make certain to soak it completely. Then, identify the cotton brawl onto i of your fingernails, making sure to cover the surface of the nail completely.^[6]
- It'due south a good idea to cover your dominant hand first. That mode, you won't have to try to use your non-ascendant hand later on it'southward covered in foil.
4
Wrap your smash in one of the pieces of foil. Place the center of the foil over the cotton brawl, then fold the pinnacle of the foil downwardly over the tip of your finger. Finally, wrap the sides of the foil around your fingertip to secure it.^[vii]
- Press and clasp the foil effectually your fingertip to help keep it in place.
5
Repeat the process for all of your nails. Since yous'll have to let the acetone soak in for a while, it'southward best to do all of your fingernails at once. Continue adding acetone-soaked cotton assurance to each of your nails, and wrap each i in foil as yous go.^[8]
- If you're concerned it will exist too hard to put the foil on your other mitt one time your fingers are covered, you can do one hand at a time.
half-dozen
Permit the acetone soak into your nails for about x minutes. In guild to fully dissolve the stain, allow the acetone plenty of time to work. However, don't get out the acetone on longer than ten minutes—it'south a harsh chemical, and information technology could pb to skin irritation if you leave it on too long.^[9]
- While you expect, try watching TV, listening to the radio, or another fun hands-complimentary action so you don't get too bored!
vii
Remove the foil and cotton wool, then launder your hands thoroughly. After the 10 minutes, take all of the wraps off of your fingers. Wash your hands with soap and warm h2o, simply don't scrub too hard, equally your skin may exist sensitive from the acetone.
- It may take a while for the smell of the acetone to fully fade.
Advertisement

1
Place a drop of cuticle oil onto your nail. Cuticle oil is designed to soften the pare effectually your nails, but it can also assist loosen nail polish stains left behind by night or brilliant colors. You don't need much—1 driblet should exist plenty for each blast.^[10]
- If y'all don't have cuticle oil, effort using vitamin East oil instead.^[eleven]
2
Vitrify your nails lightly with a buffer. Using the large-dust side of a buffer, lightly go over your smash in an Ten shape. Don't press down too hard, and only use near half dozen-viii strokes.^[12]
- Over-buffing your nails can impairment them. You don't want to file down into the surface of your nail; you just want to scuff away the nail polish stain.
3
Swipe nail smooth remover across your smash to remove the stain. After you've buffed your nails, the stain should be loosened. Dip a cotton ball or pad in smash polish remover, then rub it across your nail. You should encounter the stain lighten noticeably, and it may even go away altogether!^[xiii]
- Since buffing can damage your boom, if this doesn't piece of work at first, consider trying another method to lighten the stain.
Advertisement

Add New Question

Question

How practice y'all go rid of boom smooth stains on your nails?

Mia Rubie is a Nail Artist and the Owner of Sparkle San Francisco, a boom studio based in San Francisco, California. She has over eight years of nail artist and management experience and is known for her push button-the-envelope designs and artistic eye for colors. Her clients include Sephora, Target, and Faddy. Her work has been featured in the San Francisco Relate and StyleCaster. She holds a BBA focusing on Entrepreneurial and Small Business concern Operations from San Francisco State University. You can find her work on her Instagram account @superflynails.

Nail Creative person

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

An acetone-soaked cotton ball is the easiest option. Only wipe the nail gently with the cotton ball until the stain is gone. If y'all're already wearing polish and yous got a stain or mark on it, take hold of a nail file or buffer and just slowly work it off of the nail.
Question

Can y'all use limes instead of lemons?

Yes, they both take the same acid content.
Question

Do you lot have to moisten with kokosnoot oil afterward?

Jazz3631

Community Answer

This is optional, it will exit your hands a lot softer.
Question

I used markers to paint my nails without base of operations coat. Subsequently repeated efforts of de-staining with nail smoothen remover, I can't get rid of the stain. What should I do?

Await for a few days, then attempt again. If it still doesn't come up off, soak your nails in warm h2o for a few minutes and and then very carefully buff off the stain.
Question

I used a blue gel blast polish on my nails, and when I took it off, it left my nails looking blueish. How do I get them back to their normal color?

Try soaking your nails in a lather mixture or nail polish remover. One time they are completely soaked, permit them sit. So scrub them with cotton wool balls, and the stain should come off.
Question

I use daily boom smooth and it stained my nails orange. None of the to a higher place tips are working for me. What tin I do?

Try soaking them in lather or different kinds of boom polish remover. This volition loosen the stain. Rubbing your nails with cotton balls will go information technology off later they are soaked.
Question

Can I utilise baking powder instead of baking soda?

Yes, you can. They are very similar products.
Question

What do I do if I don't have any lemons to get off the leftover stains?

Try to remove the shine thoroughly with the remover. Take a cotton pad, dip it into the nail polish remover so cover your finger where the smash ends. After a minute, rub the pad against your blast especially in the corners. You could follow up with a Q-tip dipped in polish remover for the edges/corners if needed.
Question

I used nail shine and when I removed the polish, a couple of my nails were night. What tin I use to get them dorsum their normal colour?

LunarEclipse

Customs Answer

This is just staining of your nail polish on the nail; if you typically use dark colors this is to be expected. However, if yous want your nails to not expect yellowish, try soaking in lemon juice for 10-15 minutes each twenty-four hours until you are satisfied. Y'all tin also use 3-4 cup of hydrogen peroxide with 1/2 cup of warm h2o and vitrify y'all smash gently with a toothbrush.
Question

I have orange stains on my nails, since I used a lot of blast polish. I tried to use nail smoothen remover and that didn't work. How can I get rid of information technology immediately?

Ellie Homewood

Community Answer

Your nails are stained, then it cannot be removed. You lot but have to wait for it to grow out. Bleaching or buffing your nail to remove the stain will only ruin the nails.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your e-mail accost to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

To forbid stains from forming in the beginning place, wear light-colored nail shine, don't article of clothing shine for more than a few days at a time, and e'er put on a base glaze before you apply your polish.
Red polish typically stains the nearly. Refrain from using bright red polish without a base glaze.

Advert

Things You'll Demand

2 tbsp (40 g) baking soda, plus a footling extra
1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive or coconut oil, plus extra if needed
1 teaspoon (four.nine mL) lemon juice
Basin
Spoon
Toothbrush or nail castor
Soap and water

10 4 in × 3 in (10.2 cm × 7.6 cm) pieces of foil
x cotton wool balls (or 5 cotton wool balls cut in half)
Oil-enriched acetone
Small metal or glass basin

Cuticle or vitamin Eastward oil
Boom buffer

About This Article

Article Summary 10

To remove blast smooth stains from your fingernails, start by soaking your nails in a solution of warm water and lemon slices for 1 to 2 minutes. When you're washed, scrub your nails with a toothbrush and toothpaste. After yous've finished scrubbing, let your nails sit for 1 to 2 minutes before rinsing the toothpaste off. Finish by rubbing a lilliputian coconut oil into your fingernails. Alternatively, combine baking soda, a few squeezes of lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl. Dip a toothbrush into the solution and scrub it into your nails. To learn how to clean your fingernails with a hydrogen peroxide solution, continue reading!

Did this summary help y'all?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 213,147 times.