How to remove nail polish from carpet, upholstered furniture, and more

Got paint on your laminate flooring, real wood, or tiles? Then take a look at this sweet hack.

"If you spill nail polish on your floor, quickly sprinkle sugar all over it whilst it’s still wet. The sugar will make the nail polish clump so you can sweep or vacuum up off the floor — no scrubbing needed," says Rebecca Bebbington, content strategist at Netvouchercodes.co.uk.

Be sure to pick up every last grain of sugar though. Otherwise, you'll be reading our guide on getting rid of ants next! If you are worried about a pest infestation, we've heard that table salt can work too. Essentially, you just need a crystalized substance that can soak up the polish.

If it has dried, you may be able to simply scrape it off with your fingers or a blunt butter knife (taking care not to scratch your flooring with the serrated edge). In some cases nail polish remover containing acetone is fine, but don't leave it to penetrate into your floor covering.

"You can use nail polish remover on your ceramic tile as long as you don’t leave it on for too long," says Fernando Garcia-Mantilla, co-owner of JDog® Carpet & Floor Care.

"Simply scrub the polish spill with your remover and dry the area. Then, wash with water or a good tile cleaner a couple of times to ensure there isn’t any lingering chemical."

Make sure to check the type of tile your flooring is made of before applying any treatments. "Like any flooring, the type of tile does matter for how you treat it. For ceramic tile, acetone nail polish remover will be okay. However, stone tiles that have not been sealed, some porcelain tiles, porous soapstone, granite tiles, and marble tiles can experience problems with the use of nail polish remover or nail polish that gets stuck in the cracks," says Garcia-Mantilla.

"For these sensitive surfaces, you can wash the area using a soft-bristled brush with a solution of washing powder or detergent and water. Then, rinse with clear water and allow to dry."

In order to remove nail polish from soft fabrics, you'll need to act quickly. And the results may depend on what material your furniture is made from. For best results, create a diluted solution of dish soap (1:4 ratio) and dip your cloth into it. Slowly dab it on the stain, turning over to keep using a clean side of the cloth, until the nail polish is removed. Failing that, dip a toothbrush in the soap solution and gently work at the stain, using a clean section of cloth to remove the colored debris and soak up excess moisture. Allow to air dry, then brush the nap of the fabric in the opposite direction.

In a word, yes. It is possible to remove nail polish from a leather sofa. For best results, remove any access wet polish with a blunt knife or spatula. (Oh, and if you have only noticed the polish after it has already dried, push down the surface of the leather and peel off the excess polish using your fingernail.) Then, mix white vinegar and olive oil (one part white vinegar and two parts olive oil) and slowly dip an old toothbrush into the mixture. Using a toothbrush, scrub the mixture gently onto the stain. The mixture should aid the nail polish remnants in flaking off, while also conditioning your leather sofa at the same time!

Thankfully cushions and pillows often come with removable covers, and many of the best washing machines can tackle these stains at low temperatures, with no problem. For the machines that can't, follow the upholstery cleaning tips above.