Removing Nail Polish from Stair Tread Rugs and Carpets

Nail polish is a nasty substance as far as rugs go. It comes in many colors, including ones guaranteed to be highly visible in any rug, and hardens and binds very quickly.

It also very easy to gets drops in places you don’t want it. My two daughters, 6 and 7 years old, just got some nail polish on our stair tread rugs leading to the basement, fortunately not the most visible spot, but we were able to get it out. Here is how to do it.

Now whether you have stair tread rugs, braided tread rugs, wall to wall carpeting, or a runner on your stairs the technique is the same (and the same for any carpet/rug too).
Time is of the essence. It comes out easiest when it is fresh, and it’s harder to remove when it is older, but not impossible. We will first start with acetone (available at any hardware or paint store) or nail polish remover (most varieties contain acetone). Now this is a powerful solvent, and it is possible it may discolor or otherwise harm your rug, so first apply a bit in a less visible area to be sure it doesn’t. Acetone will dissolve almost anything, including some carpet and carpeting dye.

Wet the area first, and then drizzle a little nail polish remover or acetone on the nail polish. Scrub with a moistened rag or hair brush. Scrub gently at first and then harder if necessary. You may need several rounds of application followed by scrubbing.

If this does not work, then we resort to physical means, basically breaking the film of the nail polish (which is actually nitrocellulose, a plastic), so that water can get into it and float little bits away gradually removing it. We are talking hard scrubbing here, using some mild detergent to help, and maybe a brush or piece of pumice if you have it. You will need to do this over and over, checking constantly to make sure you are not scrubbing too hard and damaging the rug/carpet.

Other people and sites online may recommend using other substances, like alcohol, hairspray, hydrogen peroxide, shaving cream, commercial cleaning fluids, and even brake fluid. These certainly may work, but a word of caution. NEVER mix more than one solvent as something nasty may occur. Think poisonous gasses, fire, chemical reactions, etc. Just be super cautious.

If whichever technique you use works pretty well but there is still some discoloration remaining, try diluting some white vinegar with water and gently working that in.

With any technique, persistence is the key. Nail polish is nasty stuff and getting it out of stair tread rugs or other similar carpet/rugs will probably require a lot of scrubbing!

Hopefully these tips are helpful. I researched them when I need to deal with nail polish in the rug (think little girls playing and you get the idea) and they helped me alot deal with my mess.