Cleaning with acetone: what it removes and what it ruins

Step by step

1. 1

   Check the fiber content first

   Read the care label. If it lists acetate, triacetate or modacrylic, don't use acetone at all: take the item to a dry cleaner. On other fabrics, dab a little on a hidden seam and let it dry before you go further.

   Why: Acetone dissolves those three fibers outright. On other fabrics, the test shows whether the dye or a finish reacts.

2. 2

   Ventilate and remove ignition sources

   Open a window, turn off nearby flames and pilot lights, and put on gloves. Work with a small amount, never a bowlful.

   Why: Acetone is highly flammable, its vapor irritates the eyes, nose and throat, and repeated contact dries the skin.

3. 3

   Lay the stain face down on paper towels

   Place the stained side against a thick pad of white paper towels so you can work from the back of the fabric.

   Why: The dissolved polish moves out of the fabric into the towels instead of being pushed deeper or spread across the front.

4. 4

   Apply acetone to the back of the stain

   Dab undiluted acetone onto the back of the stain with a white cloth or a dropper. Use just enough to wet the spot.

   Why: Acetone softens and dissolves the lacquer so it can transfer out. Small amounts limit spreading and vapor.

5. 5

   Change the towels often and repeat

   Move the stain to a clean area of towel each time color appears on it, and keep applying until nothing more transfers.

   Why: A saturated towel puts dissolved polish back into the fabric. Fresh towels keep pulling it out.

6. 6

   Let it air out, then wash

   Let the spot dry in a ventilated place, then wash the item as its care label directs and check it before machine drying.

   Why: Washing removes the leftover solvent and any oils or color that came from a nail polish remover.

What acetone is and why it works

Acetone is a ketone, a small organic solvent. It dissolves lacquers, nail polish, some glues, plastics and resins, which are exactly the stains water and detergent can't break up. It also evaporates very quickly, so it does its work in seconds and leaves little behind. That makes it the standard remover for nail polish stains.

You'll find it in two forms in US stores. Pure acetone is sold in drugstores, beauty aisles and hardware stores. Acetone nail polish remover is acetone plus water, oils, fragrance and sometimes color, and those extras can make a fabric stain worse. University of Georgia Extension advises pure acetone where a guide calls for it. Non-acetone removers use different solvents, such as ethyl acetate, and they are a different product.

What acetone is good for

• Nail polish on washable fabrics (not acetate, triacetate or modacrylic): applied from the back onto paper towels that you change often. Even then, nail polish is sometimes impossible to remove completely.
• Water-based wood stain on clothing: the American Cleaning Institute says to blot it with acetone over paper towels.
• Felt-tip and stamp-pad ink (except red): University of Georgia Extension says to sponge it with acetone, rubbing alcohol or a prewash stain remover until the color stops bleeding.
• Nail polish on brick, concrete and stone, where it dissolves the lacquer on a surface water can't clean.
• Carpet spots: the Carpet and Rug Institute lists nail polish remover among its steps for nail polish, grease, lipstick and shoe polish, applied to a cloth, never poured.

There is no dilution. Acetone is used undiluted, in small amounts, on a white cloth or from a dropper.

What acetone damages, and what never to mix it with

• Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic fabrics and acetate carpet: acetone dissolves these fibers, and the Kentucky extension guide warns they can turn to froth immediately. Check the label before you start.
• Plastics, vinyl and furniture finishes: acetone attacks many plastics, nail polish remover can affect vinyl, and solvents can damage furniture finishes.
• Carpet backing: solvents poured onto carpet can damage the latex that holds the backing layers together.

Keep it away from chlorine bleach. Acetone and hypochlorite react to form chloroform. The New Jersey Department of Health also lists hydrogen peroxide and other oxidizers, and acetic acid (the acid in vinegar), as chemicals acetone reacts with; its warning is based on industrial strengths, but there is no reason to combine them at home. See which cleaning chemicals never to mix.

By situation

Nail polish on clothes

Blot rather than wipe, then work from the back with acetone over paper towels, as in the steps above. For the full fabric procedure, see nail polish on clothes.

You don't know what the fabric is

If there is no label, treat the item as if it might be acetate and test on a hidden seam first. If the test spot softens, puckers or gets sticky, stop and take it to a dry cleaner.

Acetate, triacetate or modacrylic

Don't use acetone or acetone nail polish remover. The Kentucky and Georgia extension guides send these fabrics to a dry cleaner for nail polish and lacquer stains.

Carpet

Put a small amount on a white cloth and blot, rather than pouring it on, so it doesn't reach the backing. Pretest in a closet or under furniture, and don't use it at all on acetate carpet.

Hard surfaces and plastics

Acetone is useful on brick, concrete and stone, but it can mark plastic, vinyl and finished wood. On anything with a finish or a plastic coating, test in a hidden spot or choose a different method.

What not to do

• Don't use acetone on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic. It dissolves these fibers and leaves a hole or a melted patch that can't be repaired.
• Don't pour acetone onto carpet or upholstery. Excess solvent can soak through and damage the latex holding the carpet backing together.
• Don't use it near a flame, a pilot light or a cigarette. Acetone is highly flammable, and its vapor can ignite before you see a spark.
• Don't mix it with chlorine bleach or use the two on the same spot without rinsing. Acetone and hypochlorite react to form chloroform.
• Don't use it on plastic, vinyl or finished furniture without a test. Acetone attacks many plastics and furniture finishes.

Other methods that work

Amyl acetate

University of Georgia Extension names amyl acetate as an alternative solvent for nail polish and lacquer on some fabrics.

Caution: It is still a flammable solvent. For acetate and triacetate, a dry cleaner remains the safer choice.

Rubbing alcohol

For felt-tip and stamp-pad ink, Georgia's guide lists rubbing alcohol as an equal option to acetone, sponged on until the color stops bleeding.

Caution: It does not dissolve nail polish the way acetone does. It is also flammable.

A professional dry cleaner

For acetate, triacetate, modacrylic, silk and valuable items, a cleaner can use solvents matched to the fiber. Tell them it's nail polish or lacquer.

Caution: Don't try acetone first and then take it in: if the fiber has dissolved, the damage is done.

Stain still there?

The polish spread into a bigger stain

The towel underneath was saturated, or the acetone was applied from the front. Turn the fabric over, use a fresh pad of towels, and change them every time color appears.

A colored or oily ring is left

Nail polish remover adds oils, fragrance and dye of its own. Repeat with pure acetone, then wash the item to remove the residue.

Some polish won't come out

The extension guides note that nail polish can be impossible to remove completely. After several rounds with fresh towels, stop before you damage the fabric and consider a dry cleaner.

The fabric went soft, sticky or developed a hole

The fiber was acetate, triacetate or modacrylic. Acetone has dissolved it, and the damage is permanent.

Safety

• Acetone is highly flammable. Ventilate and keep flames, pilot lights, sparks and cigarettes away.
• Breathing the vapor can cause headache, nausea and dizziness; get to fresh air if you feel any of these.
• Wear gloves: repeated contact irritates and dries the skin.
• Never mix acetone with chlorine bleach.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

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