Why You Should Use Hairspray To Clean Nail Polish Off Wood Surfaces

Fun and fanciful nail polish looks great on fingernails and toenails — but just one splash or spill can ruin the beauty of a favorite piece of wood furniture or wood floors. Or can it? If the spill is fresh, your first inclination might be to wipe up the goop (which will result in smearing and pushing the paint deeper into more of the surface) and apply nail polish remover. But don't... The acetate in it will damage your wood surface further. And don't use it on an old stain either. In fact, just skip it altogether. 

According to All Bright Maids, there's a better solution and it's probably sitting next to the nail polish remover on your bathroom vanity. With a little patience (and depending on the type of wood you'll be dealing with), you can usually remove these stains completely and restore your wood furniture to its pre-splattered finish.

A fresh spill that's still wet should be handled differently than a dried one. Let's begin with a stain that is old and set. First, according to The Maids Blog, you'll want to examine the wood to determine its grain type because the larger the grain, the more porous the surface and the deeper the nail polish may have penetrated. Next, be aware of any finish on the surface so that you avoid more damage as you deal with removing the nail polish from the wood. This is especially true of hardwood floors, according to The Maids. 

A few of the most popular types of wood that furniture is made from include maple, teak, and cherry, according to Wood is Wood, and each has its own attributes that make caring for it properly unique. And finally, gather supplies: cotton swabs or a cotton cloth and aerosol hairspray. Yep, that tall canister of hair glue right next to the nail polish remover is going to save the aesthetics of your wood.

For a dried spill, spray the nail polish stain generously with aerosol hair spray and let it work its magic for up to a minute. Then, using a cotton ball, gently remove the stain by initially dabbing and then wiping in the direction of the wood grain. Stubborn stains may take several rounds and All Bright Maids also recommends using a cotton cloth dipped in hot, soapy water along with the hair spray and following up with a good, natural oil soap when finished. 

And for a fresh spill that hasn't had time yet to soak into the grain very much, sprint to the kitchen and grab a scoop of white sugar. According to The Maids, pouring the sugar over the spill while it's still wet will do the trick! The sugar absorbs the nail polish and forms hard clumps that can easily be swept up. It's pretty sweet that an unsightly nail polish spill can be removed from wood easily with a little help from the kitchen or a handy can of aerosol hairspray.