Did you get nail glue on your clothes while putting on new nails?

Don’t fret. This guide will teach you how to get the nail glue out of clothes with these ten solutions:

• Freeze the fabric
• Use a toothbrush and acetone
• Soak the fabric in soapy water and use stain remover
• Clean the glue with white vinegar
• Use mineral spirits
• Spray rubbing alcohol on the glue spot
• Use bleach (white fabrics only)
• Clean with salt solution
• Iron the glued fabric
• Use a metal spoon to scrape the glue off

Nail glue isn’t difficult to remove from clothes. Just follow the steps below, and it’ll be fine.

Keep reading to see how to get nail glue out of clothes!

Additionally, you can check out my guide on removing hair glue from clothes.

Freeze the fabric

A good solution is to freeze the glued fabric. When it freezes, the nail glue becomes brittle, and you can scrape it off easily.

You’ll need:

• A freezer
• A dull knife
• Stain remover

Follow the steps below to get rid of the nail glue:

1. Place the fabric in the freezer for 60 minutes;
2. Use a dull knife to scrape off the glue from the fabric;
3. Apply stain remover if you can’t remove all of the glue;
4. Leave it for 45-60 minutes, and then wash with hot water and detergent.

Usually, the glue should be brittle enough after freezing. You’ll be able to remove most, if not all, with a dull knife.

The stain remover should only be used if the fabric has leftover glue residue.

Toothbrush and acetone

Acetone is very effective at disintegrating nail glue.

For this solution, you’ll need:

• A toothbrush 
• A cotton swab
• Acetone
• Stain remover
• Cold water

Follow the steps below:

1. Let the glue dry for 10-20 minutes before removing it. If you try removing it while it’s wet, it’ll seep into the fabric;
2. Test the acetone on the fabric to see if the fabric is damaged. Wait for 30 minutes to see if discoloration appears;
3. Try removing any loose bits of nail glue. Don’t try to scrape it off forcefully, though;
4. Dip a cotton swab in acetone and press it on the glue stain. Repeat this until you cover the entire glue stain in acetone;
5. Do this until you notice the glue starting to disintegrate a bit;
6. Use the toothbrush to scrub the glue stain as much as possible;
7. Use more acetone to break more of the glue stain, and continue rubbing with the toothbrush;
8. Rinse the fabric under cold water to remove glue residue;
9. Use a stain remover to remove any leftover stains from the glue;

10. After 5 minutes of using the stain remover, wash the fabric using cold or warm water, depending on the fabric’s requirements.

If the glue stain is still there after these ten steps, repeat steps 4-7 and then wash again. 

Move to another solution if this doesn’t work.

Soapy water and stain remover

Soap can get the nail glue out of your clothes quite fast. 

For this solution, you’ll need:

• Soap
• Cold water
• Stain remover
• Laundry detergent
• Toothbrush

This solution relies on old washing if the glue stain isn’t too large.

Follow the steps below to do this:

1. Put the fabric in a basin with cold water and add soap;
2. Let the fabric soak for 5-10 minutes so the nail glue can soften;
3. Remove the fabric from the basic and squeeze to remove the excess water;
4. Use stain remover on the glue stain and use a toothbrush to rub the remaining glue away;
5. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes;
6. Wash the fabric with a laundry detergent.

This should remove any nail glue spot from your fabric, but if it doesn’t work, use another solution!

This method can also be used to remove nail glue from your hands.

White vinegar

White vinegar is a great replacement if you don’t have acetone or stain remover on hand.

Vinegar is acidic, which means it’ll disintegrate the glue bond. For this solution, you’ll need:

• A bowl of cold water
• Vinegar
• Your fingernails or a dull knife

Follow the steps below to remove the nail glue from your clothes:

1. Add vinegar to a bowl of cold water;
2. Put the glued fabric in the water and rub it in the affected area with your hands;
3. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes;
4. Use your fingernails or a dull knife to scrape off the glue;
5. Wash the fabric using detergent and then let it dry.

The vinegar, combined with the cold water, will soften the glue and remove its stickiness.

You can easily scrape it off afterward. But a good wash will ensure the glue is gone for good.

Mineral Spirits

Do you have mineral spirits at home? They’re solvents used to clean paint brushes, but they can also clean nail glue out of clothes.

Mineral spirits are a great alternative to acetone. For this solution, you’ll need:

• A dry cloth
• Mineral spirits
• Knife
• Cold water

Follow the steps below to do this:

1. Let the glue dry for 5-10 minutes;
2. Apply mineral spirits on a dry cloth;
3. Place the dry cloth on the glued spot on the fabric and wait for 15-30 minutes;
4. Check whether the glue is softer. If it is, use a knife to scrape the glue off;
5. Rinse the fabric in cold water and then scrape it some more;
6. Wash it in the washing machine and dry the fabric normally.

Many users report success after using mineral spirits to get nail glue out of clothes.

Use another solution on the list if it doesn’t work for you!

Rubbing Alcohol

70% isopropyl alcohol is acidic, just like acetone. This means it can remove nail glue from your clothes.

However, it may damage the fabric too, so it’s a good idea to test it on a small portion of the fabric before using it on the glue spot.

For this solution, you’ll need:

• Half a cup of rubbing alcohol
• A paper towel
• A cotton ball
• Knife 

Follow the steps below to remove the nail glue with rubbing alcohol:

1. Soak the paper towel in half a cup of rubbing alcohol (above 70% concentration)
2. Place the towel on the glued area;
3. Let it soak for 30 minutes, and then remove the paper towel;
4. Use the cotton ball to rub the glue out of the fabric;
5. Alternatively, you can use a blunt knife to scrape the glue off;
6. Wash the fabric in the washing machine with warm water;
7. Repeat these steps if the glue stain isn’t removed yet.

Only use 70% isopropyl alcohol or above. Anything below 70% concentration will not dissolve the nail glue.

Bleach – For White Fabrics Only

Bleach causes discoloration in clothes, so only use it on white fabrics. But it’s great at removing nail glue out of clothes!

For this solution, you’ll need:

• Half a cup of bleach
• Warm water
• Washing machine

Follow the steps below to remove the nail glue using bleach:

1. Let the glue dry for 10-20 minutes;
2. Place the glued fabric in warm water (washing machine) for approximately 30 minutes;
3. Add half a cup of bleach to the washing machine;
4. Wash the fabric in the washing machine like you normally do;
5. Dry the fabric and then check if the glue is removed;
6. If not, repeat these steps to remove it completely.

The bleach has acidic properties and will help disintegrate the nail glue.

But if the nail stain is too large, you may have to repeat these steps.

Salt Solution – For Small Glue Spots

A homemade dissolving solution for nail glue is saltwater. Adding salt to the water helps loosen the nail glue from the fabric.

For this solution, you’ll need:

• A bowl of lukewarm warm
• Salt
• A toothbrush
• Washing machine

Follow the steps below to do this:

1. Add some water and salt into a small bowl and stir;
2. Dip a toothbrush into this solution;
3. Rub the toothbrush on the glue stain until the glue is softened;
4. Try to remove most of the glue without scraping it forcefully;
5. Wash the fabric in the washing machine;
6. Let it dry and check for the glue stain.

This solution will help you remove small nail glue spots from your clothes.

It’s not as efficient for more serious cases of nail glue stickiness.

Iron the Glued Fabric

This solution is a little out-of-the-box. You’ll need the following things;

• An old fabric or rag you’re not using;
• An iron
• Hot water

Follow the steps below to get the nail glue out of clothes with an iron:

1. Let the glue dry for 10-20 minutes first;
2. Put the glued fabric on the ironing board and set the iron to a recommended heat level;
3. Place the old rag over the glued spot on the other fabric;
4. Press the iron on the two fabrics on the glued spot. But don’t move it forward and backward. Just press it downward;
5. Lift the rag regularly and see if the glue has been transferred from the initial fabric to the old rag;
6. If not, continue doing this but be careful about overheating the fabric;
7. Wash the fabric in the washing machine to remove all glue residue;
8. Dry the fabric;

This should remove all the nail glue from your clothes.

The way this works is that the hot iron will soften the glue, and it will transfer to the rag on top.

This way, the initial fabric will be clean again.

Metal Spoon

If you can scrape the nail glue off with a spoon, why not do it?

This solution isn’t as efficient as the others, but it’s worth a shot.

For this, you’ll only need a metal spoon. First, you’ll need to leave the glue dry off for 10-20 minutes.

Then, try to scrape off the glue by going under it. You’re good if you can insert the spoon between the glue spot and the fabric.

Pull the spoon toward you, scraping the glue into little bits.

Remove these bits, and then try to peel off the glue with your hand.

This should remove a large portion of the glue.

Things to Remember When Removing Nail Glue from Clothes

Removing nail glue out of clothes isn’t so simple. You must remember several things that may make your job easier. Or harder, depending on the situation.

Here are some of the things to remember when removing nail glue from clothes:

1. Don’t scrub the fabric forcefully because you might damage it. Do it gently and try not to pull the glue hard if it’s not soft yet. Use a solvent so soften it beforehand;
2. Never try to remove wet nail glue. This will make it spread and let it seep into the fabric. Let it dry before working with it!
3. Always wash the fabric after using any solutions discussed in this article. There will be residual glue on the fabric that needs cleaning;
4. Always wear protective gear when working with the glue of any type. Safety gloves are especially important because many types of glue are toxic.

If you follow these recommendations, you should avoid getting glue on your clothes in the first place.

And even if you do, cleaning the glue will be very easy.

Conclusion

Getting nail glue out of clothes is easy using the right tools.

To summarize, you can solve your glue problem with:

• Soapy warm water
• Acetone
• Bleach
• Salt solution
• An iron
• Stain remover
• White vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol
• Mineral spirits
• A spoon

If you follow the solutions above, you should remove the nail glue from your clothes in no time.

You should always wash the fabric after applying these solutions, though. That’s because there will always be glue residue left on the fabric.

Good luck, and I hope this guide has helped you!