How to Remove Acrylic Nails Without Acetone DIY-style

There’s some nail care knowledge that’s simply invaluable. And when it comes to falsies, knowing how to remove acrylic nails without acetone at home can save you in a situation where you can’t make it to the salon. Acetone is the chemical compound that’s routinely used for acrylic nail removal. But there’s a good reason you should go acetone-free, especially if you plan on taking matters into your own hands. Acetone may effectively remove acrylics. But it also has the potential to damage the nails, leaving them dry and brittle. Here are the best solutions for how to take off fake nails without acetone at home:

Acetone-free nail polish remover

Acetone-free nail polish remover is a gentler alternative you can try as a trick for how to soak off acrylic nails without acetone. Non-acetone removers still contain chemicals like isopropyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and propylene carbonate. But they’re generally less harmful to the nails and aren’t as drying. Soaking is a common salon practice used for acrylic nail removal, which is usually done with acetone. However, you can use the same technique with a non-acetone nail polish remover!

Learning how to remove acrylic nails with acetone-free nail polish remover is simple. All you need is a bowl, nail file, nail clippers, tweezers, and acetone-free nail polish remover for acrylic nails. Cut and file your nails as short as you can get them first. Then, fill your bowl with non-acetone nail polish and let your nails soak in the solution for around 40 minutes. When the allotted time has passed, remove your hands from the bowl and use tweezers to remove the acrylics gently.

Cuticle oil to remove acrylic nails

Rummage through your nail care kit, and you may find a bottle of cuticle oil. Cuticle oil is nourishing, moisturizing, and packed with nail health benefits—but can cuticle oil remove acrylic nails? The answer is yes! Cuticle oil can help remove acrylics, all while healing and hydrating your natural nails beneath. Grab a cotton swab and dip the end of it in the cuticle oil. Make sure the cotton swab is fully saturated, then apply it to each nail for around five minutes.

As you hold the cotton swab against your nails, your acrylics will begin to come up. Repeat, applying the cuticle oil near the areas that have begun lifting to loosen the acrylics even more. The process of how to take off acrylic nails with cuticle oil requires repetition and patience. But once you get to a point where your acrylics have sufficiently lifted, you can use an orangewood stick to get underneath the nails for removal assistance.

How to remove acrylic nails with foil

Tin foil is a secret hack you can use for how to take off acrylic nails without acetone. But it’s likely not in the way you imagine at first thought. How to remove acrylic nails with tin foil is essentially the same concept as the cuticle oil method. But with the addition of tin foil, you can speed up the removal process. Swap cotton swabs for some cotton balls and soak them in cuticle oil. Apply the cotton balls to your nails and wrap a piece of aluminum foil around each finger. Sealing your nails under the tinfoil will help the cuticle oil better penetrate the acrylics. Check back every so often to see if your acrylic nails have loosened up enough to remove them entirely.

How to take off acrylic nails with hot water

Even if you’re limited on supplies, there’s one guaranteed method that anyone can try. Hot water can help remove acrylic nails without acetone if you’re in a pinch. Filling a bowl from the tap is the first step to how to remove acrylic nails with hot water. You can also add a few drops of hand or dish soap for an extra power boost. Let your hands soak in the liquid for a minimum of 20 to 40 minutes. Soaking your nails in warm water should successfully loosen your acrylics for easier removal. Remember: warm to hot water works best. But be sure to check that the water has reached a skin-safe temperature first!

How to remove acrylic nails with floss

Dental floss actually has a dual hidden purpose—you can use it to remove acrylic nails! But keep in mind nail experts typically advise against removing acrylic nails with floss. There’s a greater risk of damage and nail injury with this method. So, if you’re a novice at DIY acrylic nail removal, you may want to skip this tactic. For more experienced at-home manicurists, follow these steps for how to take acrylic nails off with floss:

1. Soak your nails. The floss method is most effective when combined with soaking beforehand. Use cuticle oil, acetone-free nail polish, or warm water to soak your nails before breaking out the dental floss.
2. Once the nails have softened, take an orangewood or cuticle stick to help loosen your acrylics around the edges.
3. Grab your floss and slide it under your acrylic nail. Gently rock the floss back and forth while pressing down to lift the acrylic. Regular dental floss may require an extra set of hands to help with this step. But if you have a stick flosser, you’ll likely be able to remove acrylic nails with floss solo.

Tip: Take it slow! As with any method of how to take acrylic nails off without acetone, you want to be patient and gentle to avoid damage. If you begin to feel pain, switch to another option of acrylic nail removal.

How to take off acrylic nails with a credit card

Is it possible to take off acrylic nails with a credit card? Credit cards can serve the same function as dental floss. In an emergency situation where there’s no floss available, you’re bound to find a credit card in your possession, even if you’re on the go. But proceed with caution! Learning how to take off acrylic nails with a business card or credit card requires dexterity and care. This method works best when the acrylics are already a bit loose. Soaking your nails before and using a cuticle stick to lift the edges will help loosen the acrylics. Then, as with the floss method, gradually insert the card between your natural nail and the acrylic. Move it in a forwards-backward motion to coax the acrylics to come off.