How to Remove Nail Polish from Clothes

Doing your own nails while watching reality TV and sipping a glass of wine is a relaxing moment of self-care until you realize that blobs of red nail polish somehow made it onto your clothes.

It’s perfectly reasonable to freak out at the moment because you’ve soiled your favorite jeans or t-shirt, but the good news is that it’s possible to remove nail polish from clothing.

So take a deep breath, read through these expert tips, and get to work. Your clothes will be as good as new in no time.

What Makes Removing Nail Polish From Clothing Difficult?

The durability of your favorite nail polish is what makes it so difficult to remove from clothing. “Nail polish is meant to be a tough, permanent color finish,” says Jennifer Ahoni, Tide Principal Scientist. “They’re typically designed to survive contact with many soaps, like body wash or hand soap, which can make it particularly difficult when it comes to removing accidental stains with typical soap-based cleaning products.”

Time is another factor. “The longer you let the polish sit and soak into the fabric, the harder it is to remove. Therefore, it is best to remove these stains as soon as possible for the best results,” says Madeline Miller, The Laundress Product Specialist.

How to remove nail polish from clothes

Luckily, there are a few ways to remove nail polish from clothing. The two experts share their tips and tricks below.

• To remove excess polish from clothing: For wet polish, Miller suggests lifting it up with a paper towel or cloth. If the polish is partially dried, use an old credit card or dull knife to gently remove residue. “For a larger spill, transfer the wet polish to a rag or paper towel, but be careful not to rub or smudge, which can make the stain worse,” says Miller. “Simply blot and replace with a clean portion of towel or rag until the wet liquid is absorbed leaving only the stained fabric.”
• Treat stain: Use a stain remover to remove any remaining polish from the fabric. “Pour a small drop of the stain remover into the edge of the stain,” says Miller. “Dab lightly with a cotton ball and allow the color to transfer to the cotton ball. Replace with a new cotton ball as the polish absorbs, and add more stain remover as needed—sparingly so the stain doesn’t spread.” Miller suggests The Laundress’s Stain Solution, which is designed to get rid of color-heavy dye stains (like nail polish) from all washable fabrics, including fabrics labeled “dry clean” such as silk and wool.
• Rinse, then throw in the wash: Rinse the area with water, then wash thoroughly in the washing machine. “Use a quality cleaning product like Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X,” Ahoni suggests. “For extremely stubborn nail polish stains, start by soaking in a solution of water and 1 tablespoon of detergent. Wash on the wash cycle and at the warmest temperature as recommended on the garment care label.”
• Air dry the garment: “Never put soiled items in the dryer – instead air dry them to ensure all stains have been removed. If necessary, repeat the stain removal and washing process,” says Miller.

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What you should consider when removing nail polish stains from clothes

Nail polish remover can be used as a last resort to remove nail polish stains from clothing, but be careful with the type of formula you use. “Make sure your nail polish remover is acetone-based or just plain acetone, as some conditioners can leave an oily residue on fabrics,” shares Ahoni. “It’s also a good idea to make sure your nail polish remover doesn’t contain dyes, as these can stain clothing.”

It is also important to follow the garment’s washing instructions. “For delicate items like silk and wool, I would recommend avoiding nail polish remover or other solvents to treat a nail polish stain. Perhaps the safest thing to do is to consult a professional dry cleaner to treat this stain,” says Ahoni. “If you want to try it at home, be sure to consult your fabric care label. Where the label says ‘dry clean’ this is usually just a recommendation to take the item to a dry cleaner, but it is best to handle with care Wash the garment if you plan to wash it at home. “Dry clean only” on the other hand means that the garment is very delicate and it is safer to take it to a professional.”

The final result

When it comes to removing nail polish stains from clothing, time is of the essence, but using the right method and tools is also important to avoid further damaging the garment.

“The longer the polish sits and dries, the more it can penetrate the fabric and potentially create a more resilient stain,” says Miller. “The best way to avoid damage would be to avoid exposing valuable garments or delicate surfaces like marble to the nail painting process in the first place, as it is inevitably messy. When painting nails at home, we recommend wearing old t-shirts or sweat that you don’t mind staining, and thoroughly covering surfaces in the house that may be unprotected with newspaper.