How to Remove Nail Polish Stains

Here we go – step by step

Step 01: If the stain is still fresh, dab the liquid nail polish carefully with an absorbent paper towel. Try to scrape any dried nail polish off as much as possible.

Step 02: Check how to wash the garment on the care label  and choose a stain remover suitable for the type of fabric.

Step 03: Carefully apply the stain removal product to the stain with a cotton swab or cotton pad. Avoid contact with the surrounding fabric. If necessary, allow the product to soak in for a few minutes.

Step 04: Choose a Persil^® detergent suitable for the color and type of fabric of your garment, such as Persil^® ProClean^® Stain Fighter and wash it in the washing machine as usual, provided you can machine-wash your garment.

Done! After washing, you should check garment for stains before it dries. If any residue is still visible, repeat the wash again while the clothes are still damp.

Top tip from our Pros: Freeze a fresh nail polish stain with an ice cube. This prevents the stain from spreading and makes it easier to remove.

Here’s how to remove nail polish stains from clothes

Nail polish is available in so many colors - from red to blue to purple to aquamarine. Some have different finishes, such as gloss, chrome, glitter or matt, which change the appearance of the nail polish after drying. What looks great on your nails becomes a challenge when it stains your clothes. Acting fast is key to most stains, and nail polish stains on clothes is no exception.

Choose a detergent and a stain remover for nail polish on clothes

Use a stain remover that is suitable for both the type of fabric and the color of the garment. If you are unsure whether the material of your clothing is compatible with the stain remover, test the product on a discreet spot first to avoid causing further problems! Detergents and stain removers that are tough on tricky stains are ideal, such as the Persil^® ProClean^® Stain Fighter detergents.

• Persil^® ProClean^® Stain Fighter Liquid Detergent 
• Persil^® ProClean^® Stain Fighter Detergent Discs

For an especially deep clean, you could also look to the Persil^® ProClean^® OXIPower range.

Pre-Treatment

Remove as much as possible of the fresh nail polish stain on your clothes by dabbing the area with a paper towel or cotton swab.

Soak a cotton swab or cotton pad in your chosen detergent. Do a spot test on a hidden bit of the garment to see if the stain remover changes the colors of the fabric. If this is not the case, dab the nail polish stain with the detergent until the nail polish has disappeared or let it soak in for about 10 minutes.

Washing and Rinsing

Wash the clothes as usual and use a high-quality detergent such as Persil^® ProClean^® Stain Fighter Liquid Detergent. Follow the instructions on the label of your garment.

Check if the stain has gone

Before you put the clothes in the dryer, you should check whether the nail polish stain on your clothes has disappeared completely. Otherwise the stain could still be fixed by the drying process. If the stain is still there, repeat the pre-treatment and wash cycle.

Removing nail polish stains from special textiles

If your favorite jeans or a cotton T-shirt has been stained by nail polish, the steps described above will help. Most fabrics like cotton, denim, leather and many synthetic fabrics can be treated with Persil detergents for normal laundry. However, if it is a delicate textile made of silk or wool, the garment won’t be suitable for machine washing. In this case, wash it by hand with a specialized detergent.

Removing dried nail polish stains

If you were already in a hurry while painting your nails, you probably won’t have time to take care of the nail polish stain immediately. As a result, the stain will have dried up and will be harder to remove. The removal of older nail polish stains is done in the same way as for fresh stains. However, it may take longer until the stain has completely disappeared. Apply the detergent and stain remover until the stain is completely gone.

Removing nail polish stains from clothes – different colors

You might think that darker nail polish colors such as red, black and blue cause worse stains on light-colored clothes than light colors such as yellow or white. But this isn’t the case – removing red nail polish requires the same steps as removing stains from yellow nail polish, for example. Scrape off the dry nail polish as much as possible, then dab the area with your detergent and stain remover to remove the nail polish stain.