To get nail glue off the skin, there are various options you can safely try at home. 

Regardless if nail glue gets on your hands or feet when doing a manicure or pedicure or accidentally drops it on other skin spots while doing some DIY at home, there are safe and simple solutions to try. 

To remove nail glue off the skin, you can try any of the following options:

• Acetone
• Warm water and soap
• Petroleum Jelly
• Hand lotion, cream, or oil
• Lemon juice and water
• Apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Rubbing alcohol

If glue gets on your skin, don’t try to remove it by peeling it off to avoid irritating or wounding your skin or accidentally peeling off some skin.

Acetone

There are two ways you can use acetone to remove nail glue off skin – using it at room temperature or heating it. 

The latter alternative may be more effective if the nail glue is more stubborn. Heat it enough, so your skin doesn’t get burned by it. 

To remove nail glue off the skin with acetone, you will need:

• Acetone (acetone-based nail polish remover)
• Cotton swabs (or cotton balls)
• Water and soap
• Hand lotion

Getting nail glue off your skin may take time, so be patient. Re-apply if needed. 

Here is what you need to do:

1. Dab your cotton swab (or cotton ball) in acetone and saturate the nail glue with it
2. Wait for about 20 minutes
3. If the glue isn’t dissolving yet or easily breaking up, re-apply acetone to it 
4. Once the nail glue starts to dissolve or break up on your skin, wipe it off using the cotton ball or swab
5. Wash your hands in soapy water to make sure no residue remains on your skin
6. Apply a moisturizing hand lotion to your skin where the glue was to avoid dryness or skin irritation

Acetone is an effective remedy to remove nail glue from the skin, but it can cause it to dry, so don’t skip the last step. 

We only recommend this method if there are no irritations, cuts, or open wounds on the skin within the affected area. 

Warm Water And Soap

If nail glue accidentally got on your skin, depending on the quantity and its strength, you may be able to remove it using soap and water. 

What you’ll need:

• Bowl
• Warm water
• Soap
• Hand lotion

Using this method is quite simple. Here are the steps:

1. Warm-up water (just enough that it feels comfortable for your skin and it isn’t burning it)
2. If the glue is on your hand and foot, a large enough bowl for your hand/ feet to fit into it easily.
3. Add the water into the bowl and mix soap into it.
4. Place your hand/ foot into the warm soapy water and let it soak for 20-30 minutes.
5. If the glue has dissolved enough to easily rub it off without pulling it, you can use your hands, a cotton swab, or a toothbrush to remove the nail glue from your skin.
6. Once the nail glue is off your skin, wash the area with clean water and soap.
7. Apply a moisturizing lotion to prevent dryness or irritation 

If the nail glue is on another area of the skin, not the hand or foot, you can still try this method to remove it. 

Use a soft cloth, a cotton swab, or a cotton ball, and soak it with soapy water. Apply it to the glue, and keep re-applying for at least 20-30 minutes. If this is enough for the nail glue to dissolve, you may continue following Steps 5 through 7. 

You can use this method to also remove nail glue from your hands.

Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly is a great option for removing nail glue from the skin. 

Besides helping soften the glue, it can also help moisturize the skin. This is necessary, especially because nail glue can cause the skin to become very dry. 

To try this at home, you need:

• Petroleum jelly
• Water
• Soap
• Cotton swab

The steps you need to follow are as easy and simple as:

1. Get a good quantity of petroleum jelly onto the cotton swab
2. With gentle and circular motions, apply the petroleum jelly onto the glue
3. Keep massaging it onto the nail glue until it softens and it can be easily removed (do not try to peel it off your skin if it isn’t soft enough to remove it easily)
4. Once the nail glue has been easily removed, wash the affected area with clean and soapy water to make sure no residue remains on the skin
5. Re-apply petroleum jelly (or hand lotion) to the skin where the glue was to moisturize it

You may need to re-apply petroleum jelly a few times until the nail glue softens. Be patient. 

It is important to remember that trying to peel off nail glue while it is still hardened on the skin is not recommended, as you may also peel some of the skin with it, resulting in an open wound.

Hand Lotion, Cream, Or Oil

Depending on the type of glue, hand lotion or oil could help remove nail glue off the skin. 

You need the following items:

• Hand lotion
• A cotton swabs or cotton balls for oil
• Water
• Soap

It doesn’t matter as much what type of oil you use. It could be olive oil or any other type you readily have at home. 

Follow these steps to remove nail glue off the skin with hand lotions, cream, or oil:

1. Saturate the cotton swab or ball with hand lotion or oil (or you can use your fingers)
2. Applying a circular motion, massage the lotion or oil into the glue
3. Keep re-applying until the glue softens and easily comes off the skin 
4. Wash the affected area with clean water and soap, removing all glue residue that may still be there
5. Apply hand lotion where the glue was to moisturize the skin and prevent dryness

This method allows you to get nail glue off your skin with the items you readily have in your home. 

It may take some time until the glue softens, so don’t despair if you need to re-apply a few times. 

Lemon Juice And Water

To work, you must mix 1:1 lemon juice and water in a bowl, as in the same amount of water as lemon juice. 

You need:

• Bowl
• Lemon juice
• Water
• Hand lotion

If you readily have lemon juice at home when nail glue gets stuck to your skin, these are the simple steps to follow to remove it from your skin:

1. Mix the same amount of lemon juice and water in a bowl
2. If the glue is on your hand, place your hand in the bowl and let it soak until the glue softens and comes off easily
3. You can use a cotton swab or cotton ball if the nail glue is on another skin area. Soak it with the lemon juice and water mixture, then apply it to the glue. Keep re-applying until the glue softens and comes off easily.
4. Once the glue is removed from the skin, wash the affected area with water and soap. 
5. Apply hand lotion to moisturize the skin as nail glue can cause significant dryness

If there is an open wound, cut, or irritation on the skin from where you need to remove the nail glue, you may consider trying another method. Lemon juice may sting the area of the skin where there are cuts or open wounds. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

This may be surprising as it isn’t a well-known method, but apple cider vinegar can help get nail glue off the skin. 

Here is what you will need:

• Apple cider vinegar
• A cotton swab or cotton ball
• Water and soap
• Hand lotion

The technique of application is easy and simple. Here are the steps:

• Soak the cotton swab or cotton ball with apple cider vinegar
• Place it on the affected area and hold it there for a few minutes
• If the nail glue isn’t yet softening, then re-apply. Add more apple cider vinegar until the nail glue easily detaches from the skin without pulling it off. 
• Once the nail glue is well loosened, wipe it down with the cotton ball. Do not pull it; otherwise, you may also peel some skin off. 
• When the nail glue is easily removed, wash the affected area with clean water and soap to ensure no residue is left behind
• Apply hand lotion to moisturize the skin

This method can work well. If you want to try it out at home, make sure you don’t have any open wounds or cuts on your skin where the glue is or close to it. 

Salt

If you don’t have an open wound or cuts on your skin, salt can help remove nail glue from your skin.

You only need:

• Salt (about 2-3) teaspoons
• Water 
• Soap
• Hand lotion

Follow these steps to apply salt to get nail glue off the skin:

1. Mix 2-3 teaspoons of salt with enough water to get a consistent and thicker paste
2. Massage the affected area with this salt paste until the glue starts to soften or break down
3. Continue cleaning the affected area with this paste until there is no nail glue left on the skin
4. Wash the skin with clean and soapy water
5. Apply a moisturizing lotion to keep the skin from getting dry

This salt paste could be a bit harsh on sensitive skin. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to try some other methods in this guide. 

If you are applying the salt paste and notice some irritation on the skin because of it, gently wash it off with clean water, and try one of the other options from this guide. 

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is another method to help remove nail glue from the skin. 

What you’ll need:

• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton swabs or cotton balls
• Toothbrush
• Water and soap
• Hand lotion

Here is what you need to do, step by step:

1. Soak the cotton swab or cotton ball in the rubbing alcohol
2. Hold the cotton swab/ ball on the glue and keep it there for a few minutes. Re-apply if the nail glue isn’t yet loosening
3. If you have re-applied and the glue isn’t soft or easily breaking down, dab the toothbrush into the rubbing alcohol and gently rub the affected area. Be gentle to avoid skin irritation.
4. Keep doing this until the nail glue softens or breaks down and can be easily removed from the skin.
5. Wash the skin with clean water and soap to remove any glue residue. 
6. Apply a generous amount of hand lotion to the skin to moisturize it

Don’t pull or peel the nail glue off the skin while it is still hard. You may cause some skin to come off as well. 

The process may take a while, but keep re-applying until the nail glue is soft enough or has broken down enough to easily remove it.

You can apply this technique to remove nail glue from clothes.

Conclusion

You can choose from various options to get nail glue off the skin. The most common and effective methods are:

• Acetone
• Warm water and soap
• Petroleum Jelly
• Hand lotion, cream, or oil
• Lemon juice and water
• Apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Rubbing alcohol

If nail glue gets on your skin, don’t try to pull it off on its own to avoid wounding your skin or pulling some of it off. (Yes, that can happen).

Depending on how long it has been on your skin, the glue could cause dryness. 

Once you safely remove nail glue from the skin, apply hand lotion or cream to moisturize and protect the skin from dryness.