How to Remove Acrylic Nails at Home Safely

Before You Start

Before you remove your acrylic nails, cut them as short as you can with nail clippers and apply petroleum jelly to the skin around your nails. Our nail pros say that removing acrylics at home isn't impossible. While it's a bit more involved than taking off your gel polish, it can be done.

Method 1: Acetone Soak

The easiest way to remove acrylic nails fast is to cover them with a cotton ball soaked in pure acetone, wrap your fingers in tin foil or nail clips, and let them soak for 20-30 minutes. When it comes to removing acrylic nails, soaking the artificial nails in 100% acetone with patience works best, says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner. We'll give you three different methods for removing fake nails that you can do yourself without damaging your real nails. Read this article to take off your nails with confidence without a trip to the salon.