How to Remove Yellow Stains on Fingernails

Fingernails can become stained if you wear colored nail polish without a base coat or leave it on too long. Red nail polish, in particular, can cause discoloration, but any dark shade can leave your nails stained yellow. If you want to switch from dark nail polish to sheer or clear colors, this can be a problem. Additionally, smokers often have yellow-stained nails; while the only real cure for this is to quit smoking, the tips here may help remove the yellow stains from your nails.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Buffer or emery boardLemonWarm waterTooth-whitening stripsNail-whitening polish

1. Buff your nails gently with an emery board or professional nail buffer. Don't rub too hard, because this can thin and damage your nails; a light buffing can remove a bit of the discoloration.

2. Squeeze a lemon into a bowl of warm water. Soak your fingers in the bowl for about 10 minutes. Wash your hands in warm water, and repeat if necessary. This should get rid of most of the yellow stains.

3. Cut tooth-whitening strips into small pieces the size of your nails, and place them on your nails. Leave them on for about 10 minutes, then remove and wash your hands in warm water. This should eliminate any remaining stains.

4. Paint your nails with a nail-whitening polish such as Sally Hansen Insta-Brite. This will disguise any yellow stain that is left.

Tips & Warnings

• Always apply a base coat before applying any colored nail polish. This helps protect your nail from staining.
• Yellow stains on nails can be a sign of more serious disorders, such as liver problems. If you are not a smoker and don't wear dark nail polish but still have yellow-stained nails, it may be advisable to see a doctor.

Resources

• Sally Hansen's hand and nail care products