How To Remove Nail Polish From Vinyl and Linoleum Flooring

Do you have a vinyl material that has been stained with nail polish? You do not have to worry much; we came up with diverse methods to get rid of nail polish paint on any vinyl product.

To remove nail polish from vinyl and linoleum flooring, use a nail polish remover that contains acetone. First of all, ensure you do a test in an indistinct place on the vinyl equipment. Then dip the cotton swab in the nail polish remover, and apply the nail remover directly to the nail polish stain.

This is just one method out of several methods that can be used to remove vinyl and linoleum flooring. Here are the ways to get rid of nail polish from vinyl floor/material:

  • Rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit
  • A hairspray
  • Toothpaste and toothbrush
  • Using warm water and amyl acetate
  • Use a gelly hand sanitizer
  • Using Goof off

6 Ways to Get Nail Polish Out Vinyl and Linoleum Flooring

1. Using Rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit

If you are dealing with any stubborn stain on vinyl or any other material, rubbing alcohol should be one of those products you should use.

This substance is ideal for removing stains and also disinfecting, but not suitable for consumption. With that being said, because of the type of material that’s stained, you will need to follow the right steps.

Materials needed

  • Cotton swab or pad.
  • Rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit.
  • A cloth or towel.

Steps

  1. Step 1: Dampen the cotton swab with rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit.
  2. Step 2: Use the wet cotton swab on the nail polish stain on your vinyl.
  3. Step 3: Let the alcohol do some lifting of the nail polish for a few minutes.
  4. Step 4: Then, use the cotton swab to blot the nail polish carefully.
  5. Step 5: Utilize the towel or cloth to wipe away the residue on the vinyl.

2. Use a hairspray

If you couldn’t get rubbing alcohol, you can use hairspray. A hairspray has some percentage of alcohol that can clear out any kind of stains.

You can always get a hairspray from an online store or the mall. Just ensure you are purchasing the unscented type of hairspray with some percentage of alcohol in it. Nb- check the description.

Materials needed

  • A hairspray.
  • A microfiber cloth.

Steps

  1. Step 1: Squirt some hairspray directly on the nail polish stain on your vinyl. Now you need to make sure you don’t squirt the hairspray outside the stain.
  2. Step 2: Let the hairspray lift the nail polish before you blot with a microfiber cloth. However, in the process of blotting, you might need to squirt more hairspray on the stain and change the sides of the cloth.
  3. Step 3 (optional): Dampen another microfiber cloth with soapy water, and use it to wash the stained area. Also, use clean water to rinse off the soap.
  4. Step 4: Dry the vinyl with a dry towel.

3. Using Toothpaste and toothbrush

If hairspray doesn’t work for the nail polish stain on your vinyl, you can use toothpaste and a toothbrush.  There are different types of toothpaste, but you need the non-gel type or the one with baking soda. Below are the helpful steps you’d need for this method.

Materials needed

  • Toothpaste.
  • An old toothbrush.
  • Towel or cloth.

Steps

  1. Carefully put the toothpaste on the nail polish stain on the vinyl.
  2. Let the paste settle on the stain, then use the toothbrush to rub in a circular motion. Ensure you do this till the stain is gone.
  3. Use the cloth or towel to clean the residue on the vinyl.

4. Using warm water and amyl acetate

Warm water can also be used to remove nail polish from vinyl. It can be used for hardened polish stains. Plus, it is much easier to do than other methods.

The use of warm water is something you can do before you think of getting any stain remover product. Though you have to use amyl acetate, the warm water would have taken away most of the stains. So, how can you do this method? Let’s find out below.

Materials needed
  • Warm water.
  • A spoon or butter knife.
  • Amyl acetate.
  • A paper towel.
  • Microfiber towel.

Steps

  1. Sprinkle warm water on the nail polish stain. Let the warm water penetrate the nail polish for a few moments.
  2. Then, use the tip of a spoon or butter knife to scrape the nail polish. Do as much as you can, but ensure you are doing it carefully without applying pressure. When you are doing it carefully, the vinyl’s surface won’t be affected.
  3. Pour a little amount of amyl acetate on a paper towel, and occasionally blot the nail polish with it. Do this continuously until the stain starts fading. You should change the paper towel often, also adding acetate to every new towel.
  4. Wash the vinyl with laundry or dishwashing detergent, and rinse with clean water. Also, the washing can be optional as you can just wipe away the top of the vinyl with a towel.
  5. Dry with a dry towel or cloth.

5. Use a gelly hand sanitizer

A hand sanitizer is like hairspray in terms of content. Hand sanitizer also has alcohol in it that can be used as a disinfectant for germs, and stain remover on materials like vinyl.

It is as effective as other methods. Since the use of hand sanitizer is now the norm due to the global pandemic, you can make use of the sanitizer you have. So, let’s get right into the procedure for this method.

Materials needed
  • Gelly hand sanitizer.
  • A towel or cloth.

Steps

  1. Apply the hand sanitizer on the nail polish stain, ensuring that it doesn’t exceed the stain.
  2. Allow the hand sanitizer to penetrate, so the nail polish can dissolve and be easy to blot.
  3. After a few minutes, blot the nail polish with a towel carefully. You might need to apply more sanitizer and change the towel in the process.
  4. Clean and dry the vinyl with a dry cloth.

6. Using Goof off

Another thing you can use is Goof off. It works better on stains on any material. The Goof off is much more effective than most people think. The steps you need are as follows;

Materials needed

Steps

  1. Put the Goof off on the nail polish stain on the vinyl.
  2. Leave the Goof off to permeate the polish stain.
  3. Then, use any of the brushes to scrub the polish stain lightly. Not applying any pressure.
  4. Clean off the remains with a towel.

Bonus Tips

  • Do not leave the vinyl to dry or dry it in direct sunlight, it can get damaged easily.
  • Never use any product on vinyl without doing a test in an indistinct area of the vinyl.
  • Do not use methyl Chloride (CH3Cl), acids, bleach, and other toxic chemical substances on vinyl.

Does vinyl easily get damaged?

Yes, vinyl easily gets damaged. This is because vinyl is very fragile, so you need to treat it with care for you to enjoy using it for a long period. So, below are the things you shouldn't do on your vinyl.

Will nail polish remover damage laminate floors?

Nail polish remover can potentially damage laminate floors because it contains chemicals that can break down the finish and cause discoloration. If you spill nail polish remover on a laminate floor, it is important to clean it up immediately to minimize the risk of damage.

Conclusion

Vinyl is a beautiful, yet delicate material that needs to be well-maintained. However, when it gets stained, it can be quite hard to get the stain off. So, if at all your vinyl gets stained with nail polish, you should remove the stain immediately.

The methods you need to make that possible have been provided in this blog post. Just pick one method, and follow the steps. Good luck.