A woman looking at her manicured nails | Source: Pexels

From Rubbing Alcohol to Hairspray: Surprising Ways to Remove Nail Polish at Home

By Maria Claudine Varela

Nov 02, 2026

09:00 A.M.

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Your pantry and bathroom cabinet may hold the answer to chipped polish. Experts share how to remove your color without a trip to the salon, and how to keep your nails healthy afterward.

Out of acetone? You don’t need to rush to your favorite nail salon to remove chipped nail polish. You’ll be happy to know that some of the most common products you already have at home can do the job. They may not work as fast as an acetone-based remover, but soaking your nails in warm water first before using these DIY alternatives could help save you some time.

A woman wearing a robe looking at her nails | Source: Pexels

Rubbing Alcohol

Probably one of the most effective alternatives to acetone is rubbing alcohol. “Apply some to a cotton ball or pad and place it on your nail,” says celebrity nail artist Brittney Boyce, founder of Nails of LA. “Let it sit for about 10 seconds and gently rub it back and forth. Your nail polish should come off fairly quickly.”

If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, alcohol-based hand sanitizer or perfume can also work, but you’ll probably need more since they contain less alcohol, and you may want to consider the scent.

A person pouring alcohol on a cotton pad | Source: Pexels

Hairspray

Apparently, aerosol hairspray isn’t only for your hair. It can substitute as a nail polish remover. Boyce recommends spraying a cotton pad enough to soak it and wrapping the pad around your nail. Then let it stay there for a bit before rubbing the polish away. If there is any residue left, you can just wash it off.

A bottle of hairspray | Source: Pexels

Vinegar and Orange Juice

You can also get creative by combining equal parts vinegar and orange juice, which help soften nail polish. Amy Ling Lin, founder and CEO of nail polish company Sundays, recommends dipping a cotton pad in the mixture and pressing it on your nails for about 10 seconds, then rubbing the pad over the nail to remove the polish.

A person pouring vinegar into orange juice | Source: Pexels

Lemon

Due to its acidic properties, lemon can help soften nail polish. You can either place a slice of lemon over your nail or squeeze some juice over it, then let it sit for a while before rubbing the polish off. However, Ling Lin warns this may sting if you have cuts or cracked cuticles.

Slices of lemon | Source: Pexels

Toothpaste and Baking Soda

Who would have thought that pairing toothpaste with baking soda would also do the trick? To remove polish using these two, rub a basic white toothpaste onto your nails, then sprinkle baking soda on top. Keep rubbing your nail before wiping the polish away with a damp cotton ball or cloth.

Toothpaste and baking soda | Source: Pexels

What About Gel Polish?

Because gel polish is tougher to remove, these household tricks likely won’t do the job. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shari Lipner, acetone is still the most effective way to remove gel at home, and she advises against picking or filing off the gel, which can be very damaging to your nails.

If you’d rather skip the acetone, Lipner says the safest option is to let the gel polish grow out and trim your nails weekly, while resisting the urge to pick at it.

Woman looking at her nails | Source: Pexels

Don’t Skip Aftercare

Some of these methods can leave your nails and skin dry, so Boyce recommends using cuticle oil on your nails, cuticles, and surrounding skin to moisturize after completely removing the polish. In the case of gel removal, Lipner suggests rubbing petroleum jelly into your cuticles daily for a week to soothe any irritation.