Nail Polish – Beautiful on Nails but a Real Pain Everywhere Else

Beautifully polished nails can really make the difference between someone looking good and looking great but it isn’t always problem free. There are a couple of potential pitfalls surrounding nail polish:

• Why does the telephone ring / you get an itch / you need to put your shoes on / you have to find change to pay the pizza man... as soon as you have painted your nails? All you ask for is a few minutes of nothingness, is that too much to expect?
• Accidental spills are so difficult to get rid of – we all yearn for nail polish which will stay shiny, bright and free from chips for as long as possible but at the same time it really isn’t a good look if you spill it on furnishings, your new skirt, carpet, bed covers, kitchen table or anywhere else which isn’t nails.

The occasional spill is inevitable but the irreparable damage it causes is certainly not. There are ways of removing these spillages and stains if you act fast . . . the longer you leave them to dry the more potential trouble you’re in.

Removing Nail Polish Stains from Fabrics

This is not only one of the most common problems but also one of the trickiest. Nail polish removers may interact with some fabric dyes so it’s always best to try a spot test first before you pour the remains of the bottle over your new dress. If you do decide to go with the traditional nail polish remover on your fabric then be sure to stick it in the washing machine as soon as you can afterwards. If you don’t have any nail polish remover you could always try hair spray as an alternative but let’s face it – most people who like to polish their nails are never very far away from a bottle of remover.

Removing Nail Polish Stains from Wood

Don’t be tempted to use the nail polish remover because you might just make matters even worse. Don’t worry; there is another way – spray the nail polish liberally with hair spray, leave it for a few seconds then wipe it clean.  You may need to “rinse and repeat” the process but hey, that’s better than stains all over your wooden furniture isn’t it?

Removing Nail Polish Stains from Carpet

The best method depends upon the color of your carpet. If you’ve got light colored or white carpets try a remover which is non-acetone, if the carpet is dark colored you may need to take extra care of the dye – hair spray might do the trick, another alternative is alcohol (not wine, not beer, just plain old alcohol) but be careful not to rub the stain, instead just blot with paper towels or a sponge. Keep on blotting until you’ve got every last bit, it could take some time but it’ll definitely be worth it in the end and much easier than finding the money for a new stain free carpet.