False nails look beautiful, but they can be a bit difficult to remove if you've never done this before. You can go to a salon to remove nail glue, or try doing it yourself at home. If you have glue on your nails or tips, you can file them gently after soaking them in soapy water. After that, clean the remaining glue with nail polish (nail buffer) and acetone. For acrylic nails, use acetone to remove the false nails, then file off any remaining glue. If done correctly, your natural nails will stay healthy and strong.
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Method 1 of 3: Removing False Nails without Acetone
Step 1. Soak your nails in warm soapy water for about 15 minutes
Mix warm water and a small amount of mild hand soap in a bowl or sink. Place your hand in a bowl or container so that the glued nail is completely submerged in the water. Continue to soak your hands for about 15 minutes.
- The soapy water will soak into the nail glue and make it soft which will make it easier for you to remove the fake nails.
- You can also soften the glue by soaking your nails in a little bit of pure acetone. However, understand that acetone is much harder on your skin, nails, or cuticles than soapy water.
- Alternatively, you can soften the nail glue by applying a few drops of cuticle oil to the false nails and letting it soak in for a few seconds.
Step 2. Gently pry the fake nails out once the glue has softened
Find the point where the false nails start to loosen, then start prying the nails from that point. If no part of the nail is starting to come off, carefully rub the tip of the nail file under the edge of the false nail to loosen it.
Do not remove false nails if you cannot remove them easily. Soak the nails in the soapy water for a few more minutes to soften the glue
Step 3. Carefully remove any remaining glue using a nail polisher
If the fake nails have come off and the real nails are a bit dry, use the "shiny" side of the polish to remove any remaining glue. If you are satisfied with removing most or all of the glue, rinse off any remaining dust with water.
If you wish, you can use the "shiny" side of the polish to polish your nails after you've scrubbed them
Step 4. Remove any remaining glue using acetone
Soak a cotton swab in acetone, then rub it over your nails to remove any remaining nail glue. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove the acetone and other residue that sticks to your hands and nails.
If your nails feel dry after scrubbing them with acetone, apply nail polish or cuticle oil
Method 2 of 3: Removing False Nails with Acetone Solution
Step 1. Cut the false nails as short as possible
Acrylic nails are made of a material that sticks directly to the natural nail, not glued together. Use a nail clipper or clippers to cut the false nails as short (but comfortable) as possible, without cutting the real nails. This will speed up the cleaning process because only a small amount of material has to be dissolved.
- Do not cut to the base of the nail (nail bed) because it can be painful.
- This process can be used on SNS/signature nail systems and acrylic nails.
Step 2. File the glossy surface of the false nail
If there is still acrylic nail stuck to the natural nail, remove the shiny surface with a nail file. Rub the file back and forth on your nails until the glossy surface is gone and your nails look dull. Rub each part of the nail evenly. This makes the cleaning process faster and more effective.
Stop thinking that real nails have appeared behind fake nails. Real nails can be damaged if you keep filing them
Step 3. Wipe off the dust on the nails with a clean, dry cloth
An inexpensive and effective option is a microfiber cloth, but you can use any cloth, as long as it's clean. Remove any dust from the nail so that the acetone can penetrate the remaining acrylic more easily.
Step 4. Rub petrolatum (petroleum jelly) on the skin around the nails
This will protect the skin from the acetone. Apply a thin layer of petrolatum on the nail bed and on the skin under and around the nail.
If your skin is dry or sensitive, apply a large amount of petrolatum
Step 5. Cover each nail on one hand with a cotton pad dipped in acetone
If you are using acetone packaged in a drip bottle, squeeze the bottle gently to drip the acetone onto the cotton swab. If you bought acetone in a regular bottle, pour the acetone into a small disposable container and dip a cotton swab in it. Stick each cotton on one nail.
- If you don't have a cotton pad, you can also use a cotton ball.
- Buy cotton and acetone at a pharmacy or supermarket. If you have sensitive skin, use an acetone-based nail polish remover specially designed for sensitive skin.
- The fumes produced by acetone can be toxic. Always use acetone in a well-ventilated area.
Step 6. Wrap aluminum foil around each nail that has been taped with cotton
Cut the aluminum foil to a size of about 2.5 cm x 5 cm. Check that the cotton is firmly attached, then wrap aluminum foil over the nail and the cotton swab.
- The aluminum foil will help retain the warmth and moisture to prevent the acetone from evaporating before the glue softens. This will speed up the glue cleaning process.
- Do this process on all the nails on one hand, then switch to the other. If you have trouble with the other hand because the first hand is still wet, ask someone else for help. You can also wait until the aluminum foil and cotton in the first hand are removed before starting to work with the other hand.
Step 7. Remove the aluminum foil and cotton swab after 20 minutes
Set the timer for 20 minutes and let the acetone do its job. Remove the foil and cotton pads that are stuck to the nails. You will notice that the glue dissolves and the false nails become slippery.
- If the glue is still on the first nail you removed, or the fake nail is still firmly attached, let the aluminum foil and cotton pad stay for another 15 minutes.
- Be careful not to place the acetone cotton on a plastic or wooden table as this chemical can damage the surface.
Step 8. Remove the slippery false nails by pushing them with a napkin
Use a clean cloth to remove fake nail residue. Apply pressure to the napkin as you remove the artificial nail, but don't continue if the natural nail starts to hurt.
Replace the acetone cotton and aluminum foil with new ones if the artificial nails are still difficult to remove
Step 9. Remove any remaining glue or nail polish using a nail file
Feel free to file the entire nail. Or, you can focus on the areas where the glue remains. As much as possible do not apply too much pressure so that the file does not hit the natural nail.
You can buy nail files at the pharmacy. Remember, some shops call this a nail buffer
Method 3 of 3: Caring for Nails After Glue Removes
Step 1. Wash your hands with warm soapy water
If left untreated, acetone can dry out your skin, so you'll need to remove it using warm water and natural soap. Natural soap can remove natural oils that stick to the skin.
You can use regular soap if you don't have natural soap
Step 2. Rub natural skin oil on hands and nails
Removing nail glue from your nails can dry out your hands. Rub an appropriate amount of natural oil on your nails, cuticles and hands to restore their natural moisture.
Almond and olive oils are great natural nail moisturizers. You can buy this oil at drugstores, pharmacies, or beauty care stores
Step 3. Give the nails a break between each false nail application
If you wear fake nails a lot, give your natural nails a break before you put on new ones. After removing your artificial nails, take a few days to a week for your natural nails to heal before you put on new artificial nails or apply nail polish.
- Try resting your nails for one week for every 8 weeks of wearing false nails.
- Try using non-glued false nails to see if this will give you more results than you would have to struggle to remove the glue.
