How to Get Glue off Your Hands

Co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD

Over the course of a project that involves an adhesive or throughout the process of applying fake nails, your fingers and hands may become coated in glue. Don’t panic; avoid any attempts to peel or rip the adhesive from your skin. Treat the affected area with a variety of products. Attempt to remove the glue with acetone, petroleum jelly, or hand lotion. Try to remove the glue gently with hot water and exfoliating soap, vegetable oil, or butter.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Glue and Glue Residue with Natural Products

1
Soak and wash the affected area. To gently remove the glue from your hand or fingers, all you need is hot water and exfoliating soap.
- Fill a basin with hot water.
- Submerge your hand into the water and let it soak for several minutes.^{[1]
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- Scrub the area with a teaspoon of either sugar or salt.^{[2]
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- Continue to scrub and rub the area until the glue rolls up and detaches from the skin.^{[3]
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2
Apply vegetable oil to the affected area. Vegetable oil, a common household item, will remove stubborn glue that is stuck to your hands or fingers. Retrieve a small dish and pour a ½ tablespoon vegetable oil into it. Dip a clean cloth into the vegetable oil. Rub the saturated cloth over the affected area until the glue softens and rolls away from the skin. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove the oil from your skin.

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3
Rub butter onto the affected area. After treating the affected area with acetone, your hands or fingers may still contain glue residue. Use butter to remove this sticky residue instead of rubbing your skin raw.
- Place a small amount of butter on the blade of a knife. Remove the butter from the knife with your fingers.
- Massage the butter onto the residue with your fingertips. Continue until the residue detaches from your skin.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Glue with Health and Beauty Products

1
Remove glue with an exfoliating body soap or deep cleaning hand soap. Exfoliating body soaps and deep cleaning hand soaps are designed to loosen remove layers of dead skin. Their cleansing and exfoliating properties make them ideal products to use when attempting to remove glue from your hands. Wash and scrub the affected area aggressively with either soap two to three times.^{[5]
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2
Remove glue with acetone. Acetone, which is present in nail polish remover, breaks down the glue, removing it from the surface of your skin.
- Retrieve a small dish and a bottle of nail polish remover. Fill the dish with acetone.
- You may treat the affected area in one of two ways. If the glue is on your fingers or thumb, submerge the affected area into the acetone and let it soak for several minutes. If the glue is on your hand, apply the acetone with a saturated cotton ball—hold or rub the saturated cotton ball onto or over the glue for several minutes.
- As the glue dissolves, roll your fingers over the area until the glue is released from the skin.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water to remove the acetone and any remaining traces of glue.
- Moisturize the area with hand lotion.^{[6]
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3
Massage petroleum jelly onto the affected area. Petroleum jelly is a wonder non-toxic alternative to acetone. Place a dime sized amount of petroleum jelly on the tips of your fingers. Massage the petroleum jelly into the affected area until the glue detaches from your hand or fingers.
- Some lip balms contain petroleum jelly and may be substituted for traditional petroleum jelly.^{[7]
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4
Rub hand lotion onto the affected area. Gently remove stubborn glue from your hands with lotion. Squeeze a small amount of hand lotion onto your fingertips. Massage the lotion into the affected area until the glue rolls off your skin.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Nail Glue from Your Hands

1
Soak your fingers in warm water. To ease the removal of nail glue from your fingers or hand, you must first soften the adhesive. Fill a basin with warm water. Submerge your fingertips or entire hand into the water. Soak the affected area for two minutes. Remove any glue the detaches from your nails or skin.
2
File your nails and apply acetone. Retrieve a nail file, a bottle of acetone, and cotton balls.
- Carefully run the nail file over your nails to remove large pieces of glue. Do not file your nail down to the skin.
- Soak a cotton ball in acetone and wipe the saturated swab over your nails and skin. Continue to rub the affected areas with acetone until the glue rolls off your nails and skin.
3
Wash your hands thoroughly. After removing the glue with a nail file and acetone, it is important to wash your hands. Run your hands under warm water. Scrub your hands and fingernails with an exfoliating soap.