How to Remove Nail Polish Stains from Leather

Nail polish stains are common. It's easy to get nail polish stains on leather furniture or any leather accessory (purse, belt, coat, wallet) after you've touched it with freshly polished nails. Even nails that appear to be dry can be just wet enough to cause a stain. The good news that with a little careful planning your furniture or accessories don't need to be forever damaged. Follow these steps to remove nail polish stains from leather. If possible, follow these steps as soon as possible to reduce the chance of the stain setting.

Step 1 - Remove the Nail Polish

Remove the drop or puddle of nail polish as quickly as possible. Drops can be removed by carefully dabbing them with one or more cotton swabs or balls. This reduces the chance of smearing the drops around and causing more damage. Larger spills, especially on big pieces of leather like leather furniture will need to be dabbed with paper towels or clean cotton rags. Be careful as you dab so you don't spread the polish or cause it to drip on something else like carpet or linoleum.

Step 2 - Work on the Stain

After you've removed the access nail polish, you're still going to have a nail polish stain that needs to be removed. It's already dry so waiting a bit of time to check the steadfastness of the leather color won't make much of a difference. Nail polish is typically removed with acetone, although rubbing alcohol can also work. Both can destroy leather color. Test each in an inconspicuous spot. If there's no damage to the leather color after 24 hours, then you can use it to remove the nail polish stain.

Try the rubbing alcohol first because it's slightly less harsh than acetone. Dab the stain with small amounts of rubbing alcohol. It's a good idea to use soaked cotton swaps because then you'll have full control over the amount of alcohol that ends up on the leather. Dab repeatedly using as many swaps as necessary.

If there's still a stain, you'll need to try removal with acetone. This may also take a few attempts allowing the leather to completely dry before each new attempt. Acetone will remove a stain. Use cotton swabs to control the amount that ends up on the leather.

Step 3 - Repair the Leather

Rubbing alcohol and acetone are harsh on a natural product like leather. There's going to be some damage to the leather, but you can repair this damage or at least effectively cover it up. Begin by carefully washing any leftover acetone or alcohol residue with a moisturizing bar of soap and water. Pat dry and allow to completely air dry. Then treat the area with a homemade mix of white vinegar and linseed oil. Mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts of the oil and apply liberally in a circular motion to the treated spot.

If removing nail polish stains from a small item like a purse, go ahead and cover the whole surface. Allow the mix to sit for 10 minutes and then buff with a clean cotton cloth. Repeat as necessary. Finish off with commercial leather conditioning cream and leather polish and the leather should look as good as new.