How to Remove Acrylic Nails at Home

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Last updated: October 14, 2025 · By HomeWiseReview

Removing acrylics at home does not have to wreck your nails. The trick is patience, the right tools, and letting acetone do the heavy lifting so you are never peeling or prying.

This guide walks you through three safe options: the classic foil-soak, a bowl soak for speed, and a no-acetone tidy-down if your nails are already fragile. You will also find a simple supply list, what not to do, and aftercare that helps your natural nails bounce back.

Quick safety notes

Work in a ventilated room. Acetone is flammable, keep away from heat or sparks.
Do not peel or force acrylic off. That rips layers from the natural nail.
If you feel burning or see redness, stop and rinse with cool water.

What you’ll need

Acetone method

Non-acetone tidy-up

Coarse and fine files, buffer
Cuticle oil and hand cream

Method 1: Foil soak with acetone (least messy, very effective)

Trim and thin
Clip off any length, then file the acrylic surface to break the topcoat shine. Avoid your natural nail edges.
Protect skin
Rub a thin ring of petroleum jelly around each nail to shield the skin from drying.
Soak wraps
Saturate a small cotton piece with acetone, place on the nail, and wrap snugly with foil or use nail clips.
Wait, then check
After the first interval, unwrap one nail and gently push the softened acrylic with an orangewood stick. Do not force. Re-wrap if it’s still firm.
Re-soak as needed
Acrylic often comes off in layers. Add a fresh acetone pad and re-wrap until the product slides away with light pressure.
Buff and hydrate
Lightly buff remaining residue, then wash hands and drench nails and cuticles with oil and a rich hand cream.

Tips

Keep cotton small so acetone contacts the acrylic, not the surrounding skin.
If you hit your natural nail, stop pushing and re-soak.

Method 2: Bowl soak with acetone (faster but drier)

File off the topcoat shine.
Apply petroleum jelly around nails.
Pour a small amount of warmed (hand-warm, not hot) acetone into a glass bowl.
Soak fingertips and gently scrape softened acrylic every few minutes with an orangewood stick.
Rinse, buff, oil and moisturise.

Tip: Floating the acetone bowl inside a larger bowl of warm water helps it work better without heating the acetone directly.

Method 3: No-acetone tidy-down and grow-out (gentlest)

If you cannot use acetone:

Clip to very short length.
File the surface thin, taking frequent breaks.
Smooth with a buffer.
Seal edges with cuticle oil twice daily and hand cream.
Repeat gentle filing every few days as it grows out.

This is slow but safest for damaged nails.

What not to do

Do not pry with metal tools or credit cards.
Do not use dental floss under the acrylic unless it’s already lifting and you can glide with zero force.
Do not use heat on acetone.
Do not sand the natural nail plate thin.

Aftercare for happy nails

Oil cuticles twice a day for a week.
Wear gloves for washing up and cleaning.
Leave nails bare for several days, then use a strengthening base coat only if you are not peeling.
File only in one direction to avoid splits.

FAQs

Can I use regular nail polish remover

If it’s not 100% acetone, it will be very slow. It works only for light overlays and will need lots of filing first.

My nails look white and chalky after

That’s dehydration from acetone. Oil, moisturise, and they’ll rebound. A gentle buffer can remove the chalky look.

There’s a thin layer left that won’t budge

Do a short re-soak or gently buff. Don’t scrape hard on the natural nail.

When should I see a pro

If you have green spots, pain, or the acrylic is lifting near the cuticle with redness. A tech can remove it safely without stressing the nail plate.