We don’t always have the time or money to run to the nail salon to get our nails done. You decide to do it on your own and you’ve taken all the precautions to avoid an accident and then it happens … you accidentally knock the nail polish over and it spills on the carpet. This is the last thing you want to see on your carpet! Try not to panic but act quickly to try and get it out.

How to Remove Nail Polish from Carpet with Acetone

Spilling nail polish on your carpet is like spilling paint on your carpet. Try and dab the stain with pure acetone nail polish remover applied lightly to a white cloth. Try and make sure you’re only applying it to the actual stain and not the carpet around it. Acetone works by dissolving the nail polish just like paint thinner works to dissolve paint. It will thin the nail polish out to make it easier to lift. To avoid spreading the stain, you’ll need to use a clean part of the cloth and fresh acetone after every two to three blots. After you’ve finished the blotting part of the stain removal you need to remove the leftover acetone with ¼ tsp. of dish-washing detergent mixed with a cup of water and then rinse it with clean water. You need to be very careful with acetone. If you use too much it can dissolve the backing adhesive.

How to Get Nail Polish Out of Carpet with Hairspray & Rubbing Alcohol

Hairspray or a hairspray mixture can also be effective. Get the nail polish stain wet with water and spray hairspray directly to the stain about 15 times. Take a toothbrush and scrub the area for a few minutes and repeat the process until the nail polish is no longer visible, or, as soon as you can, wet the stain with cold water and spray 15-20 pumps of hairspray. Then add 3-5 small splashes of rubbing alcohol. This seems to be a very effective way to remove nail polish from carpet. Take a small scrub brush and scrub the stain. As you scrub keep pouring clean, cold water on the stain. You will need to continue this until the nail polish is gone.

Using Windex Window Cleaner to Remove Nail Polish from Carpet

Another method you can try is using window cleaner. Upon discovering nail polish spilled on carpet, blot as much of it as you can. This will pick up as much of the excess nail polish as possible. Then you can take window cleaner applied to a sponge or dish cloth and scrub in a circular motion. Rinse the area with water and let it dry. With luck, you should no longer see the stain.

Carpet Cleaning, Stain Removal & More in Waco, Dallas, Harker Heights, Cedar Park, Allen & the State of Texas

If you discover dry nail polish, the first step is to pick out as much of it as possible by using a spoon, knife or your fingers. This will make it a lot easier to get the rest of it out. You can also trim the very top layer of the carpet with scissors but make sure you don’t take too much off or you will be able to see where the stain was. Vacuum the area to pick up all the flecks that are left over so the nail polish will be easier to dissolve and then clean with the method you choose. Nail polish can be very difficult to get out of carpet. If your attempts have failed and you need help, contact Heart of Texas Chem-Dry. We have the expertise to remove the toughest stains. Give us a call today!