If nail glue has gotten onto your hands, this guide will offer you practical methods and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions. 

To get nail glue off your hands, there are several options you can try at home. 

So don’t fret; you don’t need to rush to a salon to get help. Here, you can read about and try different methods, such as:

1. Soap and warm water
2. Acetone-based nail polish remover
3. Petroleum jelly
4. Hand lotion
5. Rubbing alcohol
6. Salt

In this guide, you will find step-by-step instructions and the items you’ll need for each method to get the nail glue off your hands easily. 

Soap And Warm Water

This method requires a few simple items that usually every household has at hand. You will need:

• A bowl
• Warm water
• Soap

This is what you need to do:

1. Choose a bowl in which your hand (or both hands if it’s the case) can easily fit into
2. Fill it with warm water (just enough so your hand, or hands, fit in as well without spilling it) and add soap to it
3. Place your hand(s) in the warm soapy water and let soak for a minimum of 15-20 minutes to soften the glue
4. If the glue is quite strong and a larger quantity is dried on your hands, you may need to add another round of warm water and soap into the bowl and let it soak for another 15-20 minutes.
5. Once the glue has softened enough, you should be able to easily peel it off your hands.

Letting your hands soak in warm and soapy water can help soften the glue so it can easily peel off. 

If the glue is strong and resistant, warm and soapy water may not be enough to soften it and get it off your hands. In this case, you can try a few other home methods. 

You can apply this method to also remove nail glue from your skin.

Acetone-Based Nail Polish Remover

Acetone-based nail polish remover is very effective in removing glued-on nails. So when it comes to nail glue, this method isn’t just a common go-to solution but usually proves effective. 

Here are all the items you’ll need to try and get nail glue off your hands:

• Acetone
• Cotton swabs (or even cotton discs or balls)

You may already be familiar with the steps you need to take in this case, but to simplify it for everyone, this is how you can try to remove nail glue off your hands with acetone-based nail polish remover:

1. Place acetone on the cotton swab (or cotton ball/ disc)
2. Gently rub the acetone onto the glue
3. Take your time doing Step 2 (for a minimum of 10 minutes) to ensure that a generous amount of acetone soaks into the glue to start dissolving it.
4. If the glue is stubborn and is difficult to wipe off after it is saturated with acetone, you may gently use a toothbrush to scrub it off.

It may take some time for the acetone to dissolve the glue, especially if a more significant quantity dried onto your hands. Give the acetone enough working time. 

Acetone may dry your hands in the area it is used on. Once you manage to wipe or gently rub the nail glue off your hands, use a moisturizer lotion or cream after you successfully remove all residues of the glue. 

After using acetone, Petroleum Jelly may also be used on the hands for moisturizing. 

We don’t recommend this method if there is an irritation, wound, or open cut on your hand, as it may sting. 

Petroleum Jelly (Or Vaseline)

Petroleum Jelly is an easy method to get nail glue off your hands. 

If you have irritation, an open wound, or a cut on your hand, you can try removing the dried glue from your hands with this moisturizer instead of applying the acetone. 

What you’ll need:

• Petroleum jelly
• Water 
• Soap

Here is the easy technique you can try:

1. You can use just your hand (or, if you prefer, a cotton swab) to massage the petroleum jelly where the glue is on your hand 
2. With a circular motion, keep massaging it for about 5-10 minutes
3. If necessary, continue adding petroleum jelly until the glue softens enough so you can easily remove it without pulling on it.
4. Once the glue is off your hand, wash it in soapy water
5. After drying your hands, moisturize your hand as the glue can cause dryness

Petroleum Jelly has moisturizing qualities. If this method works well on your glue dried to your hands, we recommend opting for this solution instead of acetone. 

Hand Lotion

If your nail glue is a lighter one, the trick with the hand lotion may be enough to work wonders. 

To try if this method works for you, here is what you will need:

• Hand lotion
• Water 
• Soap

The step-by-step process for getting nail glue off your hands is very easy and simple. 

1. Please take a lotion and gently massage it onto the glue gently with a circular motion.
2. Keep doing Step 1 until the glue softens and easily comes off your hand
3. Once the glue is easily removed from your hand, wash it with soapy water to clean the area well
4. After you dry your hands, apply hand lotion to your hands to prevent dryness

Rubbing Alcohol

To get nail glue off your hands, rubbing alcohol is another proven effective method. 

All the items you will need to implement this method:

• Cotton balls
• Alcohol 
• Soapy water
• Toothbrush

Here is the step-by-step guide you need for removing nail glue from your hands with rubbing alcohol:

1. Soak your hand in warm, soapy water for at least 15-20 minutes
2. Soak the cotton balls in rubbing alcohol and apply it onto the affected portion of your hand until the glue softens
3. If the glue is more stubborn, dip the toothbrush in the rubbing alcohol and gently brush away the nail glue from the hands, avoiding scrapes or irritating the hands.
4. Once all the glue residue is gone, please wash your hands with soapy water and moisturize them with a good hand cream or lotion.

Salt

If there aren’t any open wounds, irritation, or cuts on your hand, salt could be an effective way of removing nail glue from your hands. 

What you need:

• Salt 
• Water 

And here is how you can use salt to remove nail glue from your hand:

• Use about two teaspoons of salt and mix it with just enough water to form a paste-like texture
• Once you have a salt paste, you can use your hand (or cotton swab) to massage it all over the nail glue 
• Once the glue softens and easily comes off, wash your hands with soap and water to clean your hand
• Apply hand lotion or cream to moisturize your hand 

If you have sensitive skin on your hands, this method may potentially come to some irritation, so you may want to avoid trying out this method. Or be gentle and go slow with it and see how it feels. 

If irritation occurs, wash it off with warm water immediately and apply a soothing cream.

Recommendation

Regardless of which of these methods you prefer to get nail glue off your hands, there is one step you should never skip. 

After you remove nail glue from your hand, moisturize your hands with a lotion or hand cream to prevent dryness in the skin and irritation. 

Conclusion

You can use multiple methods at home if nail glue gets on your hands. 

These are:

• Soap and warm water
• Acetone-based nail polish remover
• Petroleum jelly
• Hand lotion
• Rubbing alcohol
• Salt

Even though each method is simple, requiring just a few items that you usually have at home, you should practice caution in some cases. 

If there is irritation on your hand, an open wound, or cuts that have not yet healed, we don’t recommend using methods that include acetone or salt, as these could worsen the irritation. 

The key is patience and choosing longer and not harder. 

If the nail glue is stubborn and doesn’t easily soften and come off, don’t rub it harshly; re-apply and wait longer for the results. 

Never try to pull off the glue, as you may also peel off some skin. Always soften it with these methods to help dissolve the glue while protecting your skin. 

Do not use harsh or sharp objects when removing nail glue from your hands, as these could harm you.

Stick to the methods in this guide, following each step, and soon enough, the unpleasant and unwanted nail glue will be off your hands.