How to Remove Nail Glue from Skin

By Catherine Jordan

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How to get nail glue off your skin?

You’ve got a big project coming up and you want your nails looking their best. But when you go to paint them, the polish just won’t stick! That’s because it has dried out from being exposed to air for too long.

Don’t worry! There are plenty of ways that will help you remove nail glue without acetone or remover. I’ll show you how in this article so that your nails look perfect on time for your big day.

What You Need To Remove Nail Glue

Implement that has strong stiff bristles, such as a nail brush
Cotton balls or cotton swabs
Olive oil – this is just a carrier oil and very inexpensive! Great to have around the house. It serves many purposes. It can be used as a massage oil, or it can also moisturize your skin/hair/nails.
A bowl of warm water (to soak your fingers in)
Isopropyl alcohol 70% or higher (can be found at any drug store)
Cotton balls/cotton swabs (optional)
Rubbing alcohol, which can also be used instead of isopropyl alcohol 70% or higher
Nail glue solvent
A small bowl or a place with a flat surface to mix the nail polish remover and isopropyl alcohol 70% or higher.
You can use a cotton swab for this, but you may need more than one depending on how many fingers you have.
Sugar or baking soda
A sturdy brush or your fingernails

How Do You Get Nail Glue Off Skin Without Acetone

When it comes to how to remove nail glue from the skin, the ingredients you use are important.

The three best ways to get rid of any excess nail glue on your hands are using soap and water, shampoo, or lemon juice. These all work surprisingly well at getting that sticky mess off your fingers without causing too much damage to them!

In some cases, soap and water might be enough to get the job done.

Soap is a mildly acidic compound that can easily break down components of glue as well as oil from your skin.

Just make sure you use a gentle soap like Castile or olive oil so it doesn’t irritate your skin!

Read More: A Guide to Choose the Best Polygel Nail Kits

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Using Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a highly acidic substance that contains citric acid along with other components like vitamin C and enzymes, giving it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also acts as a humectant that helps retain moisture in your skin.

The citric acid is what makes lemon juice great for how to remove nail glue from the skin without acetone!

Another way of using it is by mixing 1 teaspoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.

Let this mixture rest on the problematic area for around 15 minutes. Then, scrub off what’s left of the glue with a sturdy brush.

Afterward, rinse it off thoroughly to remove any excess lemon juice before applying another layer of nail glue on your nails!

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Using Soap and Water

Soap is composed of many different components that help it act as an emulsifier, allowing oil to come into contact with water without the two separators.

One way to get rid of nail glue on your skin is by mixing 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap with 2 cups of warm water. Soak your fingers in the mixture.

Then, gently scrub off any excess glue that hasn’t dried out yet using your nails or a nail brush!

Afterward, just rinse it off thoroughly with water to remove all traces of soap before applying another coat of glue on your nails.

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Using Shampoo

The shampoo is mainly composed of water, detergents, and other components like fragrance oils.

It also contains surfactants which help reduce the surface tension of water so it can easily break down dirt and oil!

One thing to note is that shampoo tends to be harsher than soap, so don’t overdo it because this could cause some irritation and dryness to your skin!

To use shampoo, just mix 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap with 2 teaspoons of shampoo. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and stir to combine the ingredients well. Then, soak your fingers in the mixture for around 5 minutes like you would with lemon juice.

Afterward, gently scrub off any excess glue with a nail brush or your nails before rinsing it away with water to remove all traces of shampoo!

Read More: A Guide to Choose the Best Holographic Nail Polishes

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Using Olive Oil

Olive oil is composed mainly of oleic acid along with other components like vitamin E and antioxidants such as hydroxytyrosol.

Oleic acid is an omega-9 fatty acid, making it great at moisturizing dry skin and reducing inflammation by preventing the production of certain inflammatory compounds in your skin!

Another way to remove excess nail glue from your hands using olive oil is by mixing 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. [1]

Apply this mixture onto the affected area and let it sit for around 15 minutes. Then, scrub off what’s left of nail glue from your skin using a sturdy brush or your nails!

Afterward, just rinse away the excess oil by splashing your hands with warm water before applying another coat of glue onto your nails!

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Using Detergent

To use detergent, you’ll need to mix 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap with 3 teaspoons of water. Add this mixture into a bowl along with ¼ cup of sugar or baking soda. Stir well for 10 seconds.

Then, soak your fingers in the mixture for around 5 minutes before scrubbing off any excess glue with a sturdy brush or your nails!

Finally, rinse away the excess sugar or baking soda using warm water to remove all traces of detergent from your skin. Then, apply another layer of nail glue on your nails before curing them under your LED/UV lamp!

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Without Removing Nails Using Soap

To use soap, just mix 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap with 2 cups of warm water.

Apply this mixture onto the affected area for around 5 minutes before scrubbing off any excess glue with a sturdy brush or your nails!

Then, rinse it all away with water to remove all traces of soap before applying another coat of glue onto your nails.

Read More: A Guide to Choose the Best Shower Oil for Dry Skin

How to Get Nail Glue Off Skin Without Removing Nails Using Shampoo

The shampoo is mainly composed of water, detergents, and other components like fragrance oils.

It also contains surfactants which help reduce the surface tension of water so it can easily break down dirt and oil!

One thing to note is that shampoo tends to be harsher than soap, so don’t overdo it because this could cause some irritation and dryness to your skin!

To use shampoo, just mix 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap with 2 teaspoons of shampoo.

Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and stir to combine the ingredients well.

Then, soak your fingers in the mixture for around 5 minutes like you would with lemon juice.

Afterward, gently scrub off any excess glue with a nail brush or your nails before rinsing it away with water to remove all traces of shampoo.

What Not to Do

Do not use acetone for this. Nail glue is very difficult to remove with acetone, even if it’s a nail polish remover because the composition of nail glue is different from that of regular nail polish.

Do not use bleach for this because it could be hazardous if it comes in contact with your skin and nails.

Do not use lemon juice for this. Lemon juice can cause a chemical reaction and weaken the bond between glue and nail, which may result in the unwanted lifting of glued nails.

Do not soak your fingers in hot water for this because it doesn’t help remove the glue, and it can cause redness or irritation on your skin.

Do not use a regular towel to dry off your hands because this will just push the glue down rather than removing it.

Do not scrub with a nail brush or any other implement too harshly as this may remove the top layer of your nail, leaving them thin and weak.

Read More: A Guide to Choose the Best Birthmark Removal Creams

The Takeaway

Soaking your fingers in a bowl of warm water with either dish soap or shampoo for 5 minutes before scrubbing off the leftover nail glue with a brush is the best way to remove it.

Don’t use acetone, bleach, lemon juice, hot water, or a regular towel when removing nail glue from the skin because they can cause undesirable effects like the loosening of glued nails.

If you’re looking for a way to remove nail glue from your skin, we have the perfect solution.

This recipe will dissolve any sticky residue left behind by acrylic nails or other adhesive products on your fingertips. Give it a try and see how soft and supple your hands feel after just one wash!

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