E5RSY
Doctor of Teleocity
My little girls have dropped a couple of globs of polish on the carpet which have since dried. What's the plan of attack???
Thanks,
Scott
Thanks,
Scott
HELP: How do I get nail polish out of carpet???
- Thread starter E5RSY
- Start date
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Nail polish remover?
I'd try it on a hidden piece first to make sure the acetone doesn't mess with the carpet.
Cheers,
Doug
I'd try it on a hidden piece first to make sure the acetone doesn't mess with the carpet.
Cheers,
Doug
I'd try soaking the spots with nail polish remover or acetone until it softens the polish. Then blot it with white paper towels or tissues.
You may have to repeat this a few times. But it's the only way I've ever known that has a shot.
BTW, I did work as a carpet & upholstery cleaner for a while back in the mid to late 80s.
They may have some new tricks now. But that's what I got.
Good luck.
You may have to repeat this a few times. But it's the only way I've ever known that has a shot.
BTW, I did work as a carpet & upholstery cleaner for a while back in the mid to late 80s.
They may have some new tricks now. But that's what I got.
Good luck.
mralmostpopular
Tele-Holic
This is why you don't let your little kids play with make-up. 
If the spots have dried, you might be able to just peal off the excess and then go at the stain with any kind of standard heavy duty stain remover. I've heard good things about OxiClean.
Nail-polish remover will likely bleach a darker carpet, so I'd save that as a last resort. 'Course if it's a white carpet, have at it.
Here's an eHow with a bunch of different suggestions. I just barely skimmed it to see if there was any stupid advice, so buyer beware, YMMV.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_remove_nail_polish_stains_from_your_carpet
You could try the old club soda and/or vodka techniques too.
If the spots have dried, you might be able to just peal off the excess and then go at the stain with any kind of standard heavy duty stain remover. I've heard good things about OxiClean.
Nail-polish remover will likely bleach a darker carpet, so I'd save that as a last resort. 'Course if it's a white carpet, have at it.
Here's an eHow with a bunch of different suggestions. I just barely skimmed it to see if there was any stupid advice, so buyer beware, YMMV.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_remove_nail_polish_stains_from_your_carpet
You could try the old club soda and/or vodka techniques too.
If the spots have dried, you might be able to just peal off the excess and then go at the stain with any kind of standard heavy duty stain remover. I've heard good things about OxiClean.
Nail-polish remover will likely bleach a darker carpet, so I'd save that as a last resort. 'Course if it's a white carpet, have at it.
You could try the old club soda and/or vodka techniques too.
Always test an inconspicuous spot first.
But if you can't get the polish out, the carpet's toast anyway. So if you end up bleaching a spot, you might be able to touch it up with a dye like Rit.
But, yeah...try scraping it first. That's safe.
And if all is lost, definitely use the vodka until the spot is no longer visible.
E5RSY
Doctor of Teleocity
What about the non-Acetone removers? Will they damage the color (it's run-of-the-mill light beige stuff).
As for letting them play with make-up, don't get me started. I'll say this and leave it at that: Mother-in-law.
Scott
As for letting them play with make-up, don't get me started. I'll say this and leave it at that: Mother-in-law.
Scott
Depending on the way the carpet is made and the mat you might be able to just get a single edged razor blade and slice under the nail polish spot to remove it.
Another thing you can do is cut out a 1" square of carpet from a closet or somewhere thats not seen much and use that for a patch just cut out the area where the nail polish is and put in the patch glue it down and once its dry just rub your feet around the area to blend it in.
Ive done this before with great success and made invisible repairs.
Another thing you can do is cut out a 1" square of carpet from a closet or somewhere thats not seen much and use that for a patch just cut out the area where the nail polish is and put in the patch glue it down and once its dry just rub your feet around the area to blend it in.
Ive done this before with great success and made invisible repairs.
guitarzan13
Friend of Leo's
If it is red.... it ain't coming out......sorry
jefrs
Doctor of Teleocity
PapaBeef, our carpet & upholstery cleaner is right. Nail polish remover, which contains acetone, removes nail polish. It is just about the only stuff that will get it completely off.
The thing about it is you only have to use a small amount. So one application, and it's usually off, with only a small inconspicuous mark. The other cleaners will have to use lots and repeat applications, will leave a large splotch mark and won't get it all off.
I think you are supposed to drink the vodka until you can't see the carpet.
The thing about it is you only have to use a small amount. So one application, and it's usually off, with only a small inconspicuous mark. The other cleaners will have to use lots and repeat applications, will leave a large splotch mark and won't get it all off.
I think you are supposed to drink the vodka until you can't see the carpet.
Test an inconspicuous area first with anything.
I'd try scraping it first.
If that doesn't work, whatever polish remover that works on the polish, without hurting the carpet...
wet the polish with the remover & as soon as it softens.blot it with paper towel or tissues.
Whatever you do, don't rub it or it'll smear.
If you're lucky, the polish was too thick & dried too quickly to absorb into the fibers.
But softening it could cause that to happen anyway if you don't blot it out quickly enough.
That's why if you can scrape it or even cut the ends of the fibers off, that would be best.
Patching is iffy, depending on the type of carpet. But some carpets are so easy to patch that it could end up being your best solution.
Joe-Bob
Doctor of Teleocity
To me, this makes the most sense.
Tele-Jones
Tele-Meister
Between my kids and my dog, my carpet is so f'd up I just had to go buy some throw rugs. Vodka can sometimes assist with forgetting about the mother-in-law, or it could have the reverse affect. I stick with beer.
Oxi Clean works on some nasty spills, but haven't tried it on nail polish. I can state that it does not work on technicolor pink strawberry yogurt marketed to kids.
Oxi Clean works on some nasty spills, but haven't tried it on nail polish. I can state that it does not work on technicolor pink strawberry yogurt marketed to kids.
Chris Clemens
Tele-Holic
Sharp knife...
Not kidding, happend to me once. I cut out a "easy" square, as well as another same size square from underneath the couch and replaced it... A month later you won't notice a thing!
Not kidding, happend to me once. I cut out a "easy" square, as well as another same size square from underneath the couch and replaced it... A month later you won't notice a thing!
Slow Reflexes
Poster Extraordinaire
Hard for me to really say without seeing it, but if it's just a little bit and it's on the ends of the fibers rather than soaked in.... I'd either cut it off or use the solvent.
DO NOT USE ACETONE ON NYLON OR ACETATE carpet fibers.
If you do use the solvent, be sure to apply it to a cloth, then grip the blob and pull gently. If you pour onto the carpet, you'll dissolve the glue that holds it together. If you rub the blob, you'll smear the polish into the surrounding area.
Personally, I'd lean toward the snipping. If I still had keys to the Stanley Steemer van, I'd try some other stuff. Drinking the vodka 'til you can't see the carpet is actually a pretty good idea, now that I think about it.
DO NOT USE ACETONE ON NYLON OR ACETATE carpet fibers.
If you do use the solvent, be sure to apply it to a cloth, then grip the blob and pull gently. If you pour onto the carpet, you'll dissolve the glue that holds it together. If you rub the blob, you'll smear the polish into the surrounding area.
Personally, I'd lean toward the snipping. If I still had keys to the Stanley Steemer van, I'd try some other stuff. Drinking the vodka 'til you can't see the carpet is actually a pretty good idea, now that I think about it.
Ringo
Poster Extraordinaire
acetone
I have used acetone, laquer thinner and other solvents on automotive carpets, which are usually made with nylon fibers, it did not hurt anything at all, sometimes the solvents will remove stains , if a LOT of nail polish got on the carpet you will have a hard spot, nail polish is basically laquer paint.
Good luck, let us know how it works out.
I have used acetone, laquer thinner and other solvents on automotive carpets, which are usually made with nylon fibers, it did not hurt anything at all, sometimes the solvents will remove stains , if a LOT of nail polish got on the carpet you will have a hard spot, nail polish is basically laquer paint.
Good luck, let us know how it works out.
Scott: A fine wire brush and nail polish remover has successfully worked for me. The brush I used was a pretty fine wire "pet" brush.
Note - I didn't "leave my nail polish lying around," yet I was the one who got to clean it up! I'll just venture a guess that you're in the same boat!
Note - I didn't "leave my nail polish lying around," yet I was the one who got to clean it up! I'll just venture a guess that you're in the same boat!
Sidney Vicious
Friend of Leo's
I used nail polish remover - my wife's stuff from Walgreens - on red polish dried on a 66 Champ's grill cloth - it came off fine - and only slightly lightened the nicotined stained hue of the cloth left behind.
Worked like a charm.
Worked like a charm.
