How to Remove Glue from Nails

False nails look great but are a bit difficult to remove if you’ve never done them before. You can go to a salon to remove the nail glue or try making your own at home. If you want to remove fake nails, you can file gently to remove glue after soaking in soapy water. The next step is to remove any remaining glue with a nail polish stick and acetone. With acrylic nails, you only need to use acetone to remove the fake nail and file away any remaining glue, and soon you will be left with strong, natural nails.

Table of Contents

Remove fake nails without using acetone

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Soak nails in hot soapy water for 15 minutes. Fill a bowl or basin with warm water with some mild hand soap. Submerge your hands in a bowl or basin so that the artificial nail is completely submerged in the water and soak for about 15 minutes.

The soap and water will soak into the nail glue and soften the glue, making it easier to remove the nail.
You can also soak your nails with a little bit of pure acetone to soften the glue, but be aware that acetone is much stronger than soapy water when used on skin, nails, and cuticles. ^{[1] X Research Source}
Another way to soften the nail glue is to put a few drops of cuticle oil on each false nail and let it soak for a few seconds. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Gently tap the fake nail when the glue has softened. Find where the nail has begun to peel and gently lift the nail. If you can’t find a place to come off, carefully use the tip of your nail file to scrape the edges of the false nail off.

Do not try to tug if the nail does not come off easily. If necessary, soak your nails in soapy water for a few more minutes to soften the glue a little more.

Carefully use a nail sharpener to file the glue. Once the false nail has come off and the real nail has dried, use the “polish” side of the nail file to remove the glue. When most or all of the glue is gone, rinse the powder off your nail with water. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If desired, you can then use the “shiny” side of the nail file to polish your nails even more.

Remove remaining glue with acetone. Soak a cotton ball in acetone and rub it over each nail to remove any remaining glue stains. Wash hands with soap and water to remove acetone and any glue residue on hands and nails.

If your nails seem dry after the acetone wash, you can apply a little moisturizer or cuticle oil. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Remove false nails with acetone solution

Cut false nails as short as possible. Acrylic nails are made from a material that attaches directly to the real nail instead of using glue. Use nail clippers or nail clippers to shorten the fake nails without cutting the real nails. This step will make the process of removing the remaining nail faster, as less material needs to be dissolved. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Avoid cutting down the nail bed to avoid pain.
This step works for dipping powder and acrylic nails

File the glossy surface of the false nail. If the acrylic nail is still attached to the real nail, use a nail file to file away the shiny surface of the fake nail. Rub the nail file back and forth over the surface of the nail until the glossy surface is gone and only the matte surface remains. Try to file each nail evenly. This step will make the nail removal process faster and more efficient. ^{[6] X Research Source}

If you see the real nail exposed under the fake nail, stop filing in that spot. If you continue to file, you may damage your real nail.

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Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe off the dust. Microfiber cloths are an inexpensive and effective option, but you can use any clean cloth. Wipe the dust off the nail to help the acetone soak into the remaining acrylic. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Apply petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to the skin around the nail. This step will help protect the skin when using acetone. Apply a thin layer of Vaseline cream to the nail bed and the area under and around the nail. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If you have dry or sensitive skin, you should apply more cream.

Wrap acetone-soaked cotton balls in each finger of one hand. If the acetone is in a dropper, gently squeeze a cotton pad. If the acetone is in a regular bottle, you will have to pour it into a small disposable bowl and dip the cotton pad in the bowl. Place a cotton pad on each nail. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If you don’t have cotton balls, you can use regular cotton balls.
Buy acetone and cotton balls at the drugstore or supermarket. If you have sensitive skin, you should choose an acetone-based nail polish remover specifically made for sensitive skin.
Gases released from acetone can be toxic, so you must choose a well-ventilated area when using acetone.

Wrap a piece of foil around each nail and cotton ball. Tear off a piece of foil about 2.5 cm x 5 cm in size. Place the cotton pad in place and wrap the foil around the nail. ^{[10] X Research Source}

The foil will help keep it warm and moist so that the acetone doesn’t evaporate before the glue has time to soften. This step will help speed up the nail removal process.
Repeat this process for all the nails on one hand, then switch to the other. If you find it difficult to work with your other hand because your hand is wrapped in foil, ask someone to help you or wait until the foil and cotton ball are removed before switching to the other hand. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Remove foil and cotton balls after 20 minutes. Set a timer for 20 minutes and wait for the acetone to take effect. Remove the foil around the nail and remove the cotton ball. You will see that the glue has dissolved and the artificial nail has softened. ^{[12] X Research Source}

If the first nail is still glued or the false nails are still attached, leave the foil and cotton ball for another 15 minutes.
Be careful not to place a freshly used acetone cotton pad on a wooden or plastic table, as the chemicals will damage the countertop.

Wipe the softened artificial nail with a cloth. Use a clean cloth to wipe the dissolved fake nail. Press down on the towel while wiping the nail, but stop when the real nail starts to hurt. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Wrap a cotton ball soaked in acetone and foil if the false nail does not come off easily.

Use a nail file to polish away any remaining glue or paint. You don’t need to file the entire nail. Instead, focus on areas where the glue is still stuck. Do your best to avoid pressing hard so as not to file into the real nail. ^{[14] X Research Source}

You can buy nail files at the drugstore. Note that some stores call this tool a nail polish stick.

Nail care after removing the glue

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Wash hands with warm soapy water. Acetone will dry out the skin if left on, so wash it off with warm water and natural soap. Natural soaps will leave natural oils on the skin. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Use regular soap if you don’t have natural soap.

Apply natural lotion to your hands and nails. The process of removing nail glue often dries out the skin of your hands. Apply plenty of natural oils to your nails, hands and cuticles to restore natural moisture. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Almond oil and olive oil are great natural moisturizers. You can buy these oils at a natural health and beauty store or at a drugstore.

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Give your nails time to “breathe” between manicures. If you often use artificial nails, you should sometimes let your real nails “rest”. After removing the false nails, you should spend a few days or a week without nail polish to allow the real nail to recover before painting or applying a new artificial nail. ^{[17] X Research Source}

After every 8 weeks of manicure, you should take a week off nail polish.
Next time you should consider applying glue-free false nails to see if this works for you instead of removing nail polish.

Things you need

Bowl or basin
Warm soapy water
Nail polish stick or nail file
Aceton
10 cotton balls
Silver paper
Soft cloth
Vaseline Cream
Soap
Nail oil
Cloth towel

Steps

Remove fake nails without using acetone

Remove false nails with acetone solution

Nail care after removing the glue

Things you need

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