3 Easy Ways to Remove Glue or Press on Nails Without Acetone

How to remove glue or press on nails without acetone

Using Press on Nails also known as Glue on Nails is one of the easiest and quickest ways to make amazing manicures.

Now another great advantage of Press on Nails is that they are actually easier and quicker to remove when compared to gel and acrylic nails.

And amazingly you don’t even need to file or use any acetone to take them off.

There are 3 main methods you can use to remove Glue or Press on Nails without using any acetone you can:

Soak your press on nails in a mixture of warm water, soap & oil (the most gentle & natural method)
Use either rubbing alcohol or non-acetone nail polish remover (The quickest & easiest method)
Soak your press on nails in vinegar

Table Of Content show

1- How to Use Oil, Soap & Water To Remove Press on Nails

Things you are gonna need:

Oil – Any type of oil can work such as cooking oil or baby oil. But I recommend using a good cuticle oil like jojoba oil to promote good cuticle and nail health.
Soap – You can use hand soap, body wash or even detergent.
Warm water – As hot as you can handle it without getting burnt.
Cuticle Pusher or a Fake Nail – or any object with a very flat end to get under the press on nails

Method:

The first thing that you are gonna need to do is wiggle the press on nails from side to side.
This helps to loosen up the glue on nails and allow the soapy water to get under them.
Next, mix the soap and oil with warm water in a bowl and then soak your nails for 10-15 minutes.
Once your nails have soaked try to wiggle the press on nails from side to side again to loosen them up.
Next, try to find edges on your press on nails that are lifting.
And then at the areas that are lifting take your cuticle pusher or a fake nail to get under and then gently pry the press on nails off.
If your press on nails are still not coming off, you will need to soak them for a couple of minutes more.
Finally, once your glue on nails are off, you can use a nail file to file away any nail glue on your natural nails.

When mixing the soap water, try to make the water as warm and soapy, and oily as possible. The more soap and oil the more effective the solution will be.

The length of time that you need to soak will vary based on how strong your Press on Nails is glued on. The stronger they are the longer they will need to soak.

You can check out the video down below for a step-by-step guide.

Video of How to Remove Glue on Nails Without Acetone

2- How to use Alcohol or Non-Acetone Remover to Take Off Glue on Nails

The quickest and easiest method to remove glue on nails without using acetone is to soak your Press on Nails in either rubbing alcohol or a non-acetone nail polish remover.

Now the drawback with this method is that it:

Harsher on your natural nails when compared to using soap and water. This is because these chemicals tend to dry out your cuticles and your nail plate.
Can damage the press on nails, which means that you might not be able to reuse them.

Method:

The first thing that you need to do is wiggle your press on nails side to side.
This helps to loosen them up to allow the solution to get under the nails to dissolve the nail glue.
Next, pour out some of the rubbing alcohol or non-acetone nail polish remover into a bowl.
And then soak your nails into the solution for 2-3 minutes.
Once your nails have soaked wiggle your press on nails side to side again
And finally, look for a part of the press on nail that is lifting and use a cuticle pusher or a fake nail to get under it and pry it off.
If the press on nails are still not coming off, you are gonna need to soak them more.
Also please moisturize your cuticles and nails after this method to rehydrate them.

Now if you want this method to be more gentle on your nails I recommend mixing the alcohol or non-acetone remover with some oil and water.

Recommended Non-Acetone Polish Remover

Mineral Fusion has an amazing non-acetone nail polish remover that works great to remove your glue on nails. You can click here to see the current price for a bottle on Amazon

3- How to Use Vineger to Remove Glue on Nails

Firstly, wiggle your press on nails side to side to loosen them up, this allows the solution to get under the nails.
Next, mix the vinegar with warm water and oil in a bowl and then soak your nails for 5-10 minutes.
Once your nails have soaked you can wiggle your press on nails again and try to find any edges that are lifting.
Now use a cuticle pusher or a fake nail to go under the edges that are lifting and then gently pry the press on nails off.
Finally, you can use a nail file to file away any nail glue on your nails.

Tips to Remove Press on Nails

1- Keep them on Longer.

Press on Nails tends to be easier to remove if they have been on for a long time. This allows the glue to naturally degrade making it easier for the nails to come off.

What this means is that glue on nails that have been recently applied tends to be harder to remove.

So if you just recently put on a set it’s best that you use a more effective removal method such as the vinegar method or the non-acetone method to remove them.

And if you use the soapy water method you will have to wait for a longer time before they are loose enough to come off.

4 Best Press On & Fake Nails For Kids – For Cute Nail Art

5 Best Brands of Press on Fake Nails For Toes – That Fits

2- Use Nail Tabs

Nail Tabs are specially made double-sided tapes that are used to apply Press on Nail onto your natural nails.

They are easier to remove thus making them safer for your natural nails. If you use nail tabs instead of nail glue you would just need to soak your nails for 3-4 minutes in warm soapy water for them to come off.

Now the main drawback with nail tabs is that they won’t last so long, with nail tabs your press on nails should last you for 2-3 days. Nail glue on the other hand will keep your glue on nails on for 1-2 weeks.