Probably, many girls are familiar with the situation when they spilled an unclosed jar of nail polish on their favorite things. A bottle cap that is not completely screwed on when thrown into a bag can also cause stubborn stains to appear. How to deal with this trouble? It is known that removing nail polish from clothes is not an easy task. Dry cleaning professionals can get rid of such stains on a product, but not everyone can afford their services.
In this article we will talk about how you can remove nail polish from clothes at home. You don't need expensive store-bought products for this.
Fresh nail polish stains can be easily removed even after the first wash; the main thing is to properly wash the stained area of clothing
Preparatory stage
Before removing nail polish from clothing, make sure that the stain has not had time to dry. It is not recommended to wash the stain with powder: it will leave a larger imprint. Follow the plan.
- With a cotton swab or napkin, carefully remove excess nail covering.
- Having selected a cleanser, apply a few drops to the back seam, checking the reaction of the fabric.
- Place the product on a hard surface, placing a thick white linen or paper napkin underneath.
- Before removing the varnish, protect your hands with thin medical gloves.
- If it was not possible to solve the problem the first time, increase the concentration of the pollution remover gradually.
- After removing the stain, soak the item in warm water, adding washing powder, then wash.
If you clean clothes from dried varnish, then first scrape off the pieces, and only then, if necessary, use solvents.
How to prepare a soiled item for washing
It is not recommended to immediately wash a damaged product: under the influence of the alkaline environment of soap and powder, the varnish coating hardens and eats into the fabric even more. After this, it will be impossible to remove the varnish (the blot from it).
Contaminated clothing is spread on a flat surface on absorbent paper or a cloth.
Apply a few drops of solvent (acetone, nail polish remover) to the blot and allow it to absorb.
How to Remove Nail Polish Stains from Natural Fabrics
Natural linen, wool, and cotton materials can withstand strong solvents.
Acetone. We saturate a cotton swab with it and wipe off the varnish mark. You may need to repeat the treatment after rinsing. When the contamination disappears, sprinkle the affected area with talcum powder while still wet. After an hour, we send the product to the wash.
Important! When using acetone, avoid getting the product on the fabric around the stain. The method is not suitable for fluorescent fabrics.
Hydrogen peroxide. If the coating is light in color, turn to hydrogen peroxide. Take a small textile napkin, moisten it with the preparation and place it on the spot. After some time, the effect is checked. If the contamination has not disappeared, the procedure is repeated. For removal, you can use cotton swabs, which are dipped in peroxide and, with careful movements, remove the varnish mark.
Attention! Hydrogen peroxide should not be used on colored fabrics or leather products.
Petrol. Before wiping off the varnish from clothes, pour a little purified gasoline onto the mark. You can moisten a cotton ball and place it on the stain. As it dries, the tampon is moistened. If a lot of varnish particles have been absorbed, take a fresh swab and repeat the procedure until the mark disappears.
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Gasoline with chalk. If the item is white, crushed chalk is added to the gasoline. The resulting pulp is kept on the affected area until it dries. Take an old toothbrush to wipe off all the particles.
White Spirit. To ensure that the varnish mark is dissolved, a piece of fabric is dipped in white spirit and placed on the desired area. After 20 minutes, remove marks with a brush. Clean marks from the fabric by wiping the stain with a cotton pad soaked in solvent, working from the edges to the edges. When removing varnish prints from white things, “Whiteness” is dripped, trying to capture only the area of contamination. Leave for 40 minutes.
By choosing the right type of cleaning composition, you can return the products to their original appearance without deforming the fibers. Strong friction, which can cause whitish stains, is contraindicated for denim products.
How not to spoil something
The effect of all types of cleaners is checked from the inside out, in areas where no smudges or greasy stains will be visible. For white fabrics, do not use oil solutions, such as gasoline.
For colored and denim products, do not use chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
You can only remove dried pigment with a stiff brush or blade from rough canvases. This method is not suitable for delicate thin fabrics such as silk.
How to remove nail polish from synthetic clothing
Synthetics cannot withstand aggressive compounds, so gentle products are selected.
Before removing the polish, apply a colorless liquid without acetone, used to remove nail polish, to the remaining spot. After 20 minutes, soak a cotton pad in dishwashing detergent and apply to the cleaned area to remove any oily residue.
Advice. If varnish gets on clothes, immediately begin cleaning. The chosen method did not help - use the following one.
For thin fabrics, prepare a mixture of turpentine, sunflower oil, ammonia in equal parts. Leave the composition on the varnish mark for 15 minutes and carefully wipe with a cotton swab moistened with dishwashing gel. This will dissolve the stain and remove any oily stains.
Preparation
Nail polish stains should be removed immediately upon discovery. The main part of the composition that has not yet hardened is removed with cotton pads or a sponge, changing them as they become dirty. An old towel or piece of scrap fabric will do. The main thing is to remove spilled varnish as thoroughly as possible, without spreading the composition over a large area.
The next step is to determine what kind of fabric the soiled clothing is made of. If it is thick cotton or linen, it will be easier to get rid of the stain; wool or acetate silk will significantly complicate the task; it is better not to clean natural leather or suede yourself - such products are very “capricious”, you can hopelessly ruin the thing.
So, the soiled clothes are immediately removed, laid out on a flat, hard surface (table, chest of drawers) and the stain is removed, carefully wiping it with improvised means and trying not to smear it. You should place a napkin or towel in several layers under the item so as not to accidentally damage the surface of the furniture. Next, you need to get rid of the remaining varnish that has “eaten into” the fibers.
Preliminary actions:
- prepare compounds that may be useful;
- wear rubber gloves to protect your hands;
- provide ventilation;
- Try the selected removal method on the supplied piece of cloth or in an inconspicuous place.
For thin and colored fabrics, you should choose the most gentle compositions.
How to remove nail polish from clothes in unusual ways
The arsenal of means for combating varnish blots on textiles includes unusual varieties. Their effect on the fabric is first checked. Before washing off the contamination, do not forget to put on a mask and gloves.
We recommend reading: Methods for removing pen ink from clothes
Repellents. Spray the repellent onto the blot left by the varnish. After drying, wash the treated area with cold water. You can use a brush. Wash off any remaining residue and wash the product with bleach.
Hair fixation spray. Spray the product in the area of the stain and wait about twenty minutes. Use a small brush to scrub away dirt.
Scissors. From a woolen product with a long pile, the dried varnish stain is cut off with nail scissors. It is important not to cut the threads.
Glycerol. It is distributed according to the dirt, wait for half an hour, then the item is soaked and washed after a while.
Common mistakes
Wanting to clean a favorite item from varnish stains, people make mistakes that lead to its damage. It is important to avoid mistakes so as not to throw your favorite thing in the trash.
What not to do:
- Apply solvents, generously covering the stain and the area around it.
- Use the cleanser without testing the underside.
- Rub fresh stains with soapy water.
- Use stiff brushes for thin, delicate fabrics.
- Use chlorine and acetone on colored canvases.
- Use oil-based solvents on white items.
- Soak the damaged item of clothing in powder or soap solution immediately after the varnish gets on it.
These are serious mistakes when removing stubborn varnish stains. Without doing them, the item can be preserved without defects or deformation for a long time.
Methods for removing dried varnish
Mechanical cleaning is used for dried varnish drops. Take laundry soap. Rub the moistened sponge until a rich foam is obtained. Apply to contamination. Leave for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the varnish particles. The remaining stains are soaked in turpentine mixed in equal parts with ammonia. After an hour they start washing. Instead of soap, use butter.
Drops of dried varnish are removed from thick textiles with sandpaper. Then take a suitable solvent.
The thermal method involves the use of an iron. White paper is placed on the table, and the product is placed on it, spot down. Iron on the wrong side with a hot iron. The paper is changed when it gets dirty. Residues are removed with acetone.
So, there are many products that help clean clothes from droplets of varnish. Having selected them taking into account the characteristics of the fabric, they remove dirt quickly and without leaving a trace.
Homemade stain remover
Combined products are more effective in combating varnish stains than just acetone, gasoline or hydrogen peroxide.
Recipes:
- mix gasoline and chalk (powder) in equal proportions to obtain a paste consistency and apply to the dirt; after the gasoline has evaporated, clean the area with a brush (the procedure can be repeated; the product is ideal for snow-white clothes);
- take 10 ml of turpentine, olive oil and ammonia, mix and apply to the contaminated area, after 10 minutes blot the remaining product with an absorbent napkin (the mixture is recommended for lace and delicate materials);
- make a thick paste of chalk, tooth powder and water, apply the mixture to the nail polish marks, when the composition is completely dry, carefully remove the crust and rinse the area with water (the composition can only be used for white clothes!).
Advice! Brightly colored nail polish is not easy to remove after the first wash. Apply a paste of starch and water to the remaining dull mark. After it dries, remove it. The stain will lighten or disappear completely.
Some tips for the hostess
A few more secrets:
- When painting your nails, you should be as careful as possible. It is better to prevent any “force majeure” than to deal with its consequences later.
- Don’t try to remove a huge stain yourself: the “affected area” is too large and marks will probably remain. It’s better to trust the professionals and take your favorite blouse or dress to the dry cleaner.
- Varnish that gets on clothes should not be washed off immediately - this will only increase the area of contamination. First, blot the stain with a napkin and only then proceed to treatment.
- The stain should be treated from the edges to the center: this will help prevent it from expanding.
- You can drop a drop of solvent from a pipette onto a very small spot, and then rub it a little until it disappears completely.
When treating carpet or upholstered furniture in a home where there are pets, you should be as careful as possible. There is a high risk that they will want to taste the chemical, and this can lead to serious health problems for their beloved pet.
