How To Remove Nail Polish Stains From Your Carpet

How To Remove Nail Polish Stains From Your Carpet

How To Remove Nail Polish Stains From Your Carpet – While carpeting can improve your home’s overall look and feel, it’s one of the flooring materials that’s most susceptible to damage and staining over time. Regardless of whether your carpeting is made from synthetic or natural fibers, they react the same way. When a substance like lacquer nail polish comes into contact with your carpet, the solution can easily get trapped in its fibers. It’s best to catch a nail polish stain while it’s still fresh. The key to getting it out is to blot, blot, and blot rather than rub the affected area as this will only drive the polish deeper into the carpet fibers.

Before you attempt to remove a nail polish stain with any product, use a clean rag or paper towel to gently dab (not rub) at the spot until most of the excess nail polish is removed. If it’s a lot of polish, try scooping up the liquid with a plastic spoon. For dried nail polish, try scraping at it with a paring knife or something similar, then use a vacuum attachment to suck up the bits of dried nail polish. When you’ve attempted to triage as best you can, it’s time to bring in the cleaning solutions.  

Here are a few techniques for removing nail polish stains from your carpet:

Remove nail polish stains from carpet with nail polish remover 

Nail polish remover works best on fresh nail polish spills and on light or white carpets. Be sure to use only non-acetone remover. Most nail polish removers have acetone which can act as bleach. This flammable, colorless liquid will stain your carpet, and can even damage the fibers if left for too long. Even when using a non-acetone remover, you’ll want to spot test this method on an inconspicuous section of your carpet (like in the corner or under a piece of furniture) to avoid discoloration. Start by soaking a clean rag with nail polish remover, then blot or dab at the nail polish stain until it’s gone. Make sure you don’t soak the carpet with nail polish remover; only apply it directly on the stain and remember to blot, not rub. If you don’t have nail polish remover, you can substitute it with rubbing alcohol, following the same steps.

Remove nail polish stains from carpet with hairspray

Hairspray with a high alcohol content works best on already dried nail polish stains on the carpet. Alcohol-free hairspray won’t work on stains and will just make your nail-polish-soaked carpet even stickier. Before applying the hairspray, be sure to do the knife trick to scrape off as much dried nail polish as possible and vacuum up the dried bits. Get the stain wet by adding a generous amount of water. Then spray about 10–15 pumps of hairspray directly onto the stain. Scrub the affected area with a toothbrush for two to three minutes. Repeat this process three to four times, or until the nail polish stain has disappeared. Let the spot air dry completely.

Remove nail polish stains from carpet with vinegar

Begin by soaking the offending nail polish stain with a generous amount of white vinegar, which is very acidic and can break down the chemical composition of nail polish quite well. Lay a vinegar-soaked rag on top of the stain and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Next, blot the stain with the vinegar-soaked rag, then scrub (yes scrub) the mark with a clean, damp rag. If you are offended by the vinegar smell, try mixing a drop of Dawn dish detergent with warm water and dab at the stain. After you are done cleaning, rinse the spot with clean water and let it air dry completely.

Remove nail polish stains from carpet with baking soda & ginger ale

You can use a combination of baking soda and ginger ale to remove nail polish stains from your carpet. Simply pour baking soda onto the affected area, then pour a small amount of ginger ale on top of it. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then blot the stain with a clean, damp rag until it’s gone. Once the spot has air dried completely, vacuum up any leftover baking soda residue.

Remove nail polish stains from carpet with ready-made store products

Several store-bought cleaning products are known for getting nail polish out of carpeting and can be used to spot treat the stain. As with all widely available cleaning products, be sure to follow the directions on the label. Most require a clean rinse to finish with a damp rag. Products to try separately include window cleaner with ammonia, adhesive remover (like Goo Off), or dry cleaning solvent. Once the nail polish stain is no longer visible, clean the spot with some soapy water to remove any leftover cleaning product residue. Add a small drop of  Dawn dish detergent to warm water to dilute it.  Dab the affected carpet area with a sponge or clean rag soaked with the soapy water solution. Then rinse the soap residue with warm water by blotting it with a clean, damp rag. Let the spot air dry completely.

 The takeaway

With most carpet spills, the longer you ignore them, the harder they are to get out. Over time, stains can permanently bond with carpet fibers and you’re stuck living them until you’re ready to invest in new flooring. If you feel uncomfortable removing tough carpet stains like nail polish on your own, don’t hesitate to contact a professional carpet cleaning company who can assist you!

Are you juggling a hectic schedule with little or no time leftover for tasks like house cleaning? You may want to consider hiring a professional cleaning service. Clean Nation Company provides high-quality, professional house cleaning services that get the job done right. Whether you are looking for weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, or seasonal cleaning services, our experienced cleaners are ready to help! 

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