Banish Super Glue Stains From Your Clothes With An Item You Likely Already Own

Super glue might be a constant presence in your life if you're interested in DIY arts and crafts. Thus, you might also be familiar with the mishaps associated with the infamous adhesive, like ending up with a blob of glue on your favorite shirt. While you might assume you need to toss the shirt in the trash (or only wear it under copious layers), you can easily banish super glue stains from your clothes instead. To do this, use an item you likely already own: an acetone-based nail polish remover.

Acetone is an inherent solvent and will dissolve the sticky bonds of the adhesive, easily removing super glue stains from the garment. However, keep in mind that this trick isn't fit for all types of fabric. For instance, delicate fabrics like silk and wool and garments with the "dry clean only" label must be taken to professional cleaners. Moreover, clothes made of triacetate, acetate, or modacrylic shouldn't be treated with a nail polish remover, as the acetone can disintegrate them. So, before attempting to banish super glue from your clothes, check the care label to determine the fabric. If the label is faded, test the nail polish remover in an inconspicuous area, like near the seam, before using it. Also, ensure the remover isn't tinted, as this could stain the garment. Finally, if your nails are painted, you may want to wear gloves to avoid staining your garment further, as the liquid will remove your nail polish.

To use this super glue removal hack, ensure the adhesive stain is dry, or you risk spreading it and pushing it deeper into the fabric. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes, but it might take longer than anticipated if the glue is slow-drying. Though the wait might seem excruciating, don't use a hair dryer to fasten the drying process, as the heat will lead to a permanent stain. However, you can dunk the soiled area into a bowl filled with cool water and ice cubes to harden the glue. Once the glue is hard to the touch, use a butter knife, credit card, or the end of a spoon to scrape off as much of the substance as possible. If the stain is tiny, this step should fix the problem completely.

However, if the stain is still visible, grab a cotton ball (a cotton swab or clean, white cloth works as well) and acetone nail polish remover. Now, open the doors and windows of the room to improve ventilation. Pour the nail polish remover onto the cotton ball and use it to gently dab the stain on both sides of the garment. Work your way from the outside in to avoid spreading the stain or making a mess. After the glue softens, use an old toothbrush to remove it. Repeat the process until all the glue is gone, or rub in some stain removal before throwing the garment into the washing machine.