Things You'll Need:
- Acetone nail polish remover
- Cotton balls
- Nail clippers
- Emery board
- Glass bowl
- Petroleum jelly
- Timer
- Cuticle pusher
- Block buffer
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Step 1
Clean off any nail polish or clear coating on your nails using cotton balls and nail polish remover. Remove any decorative accents that are glued on.
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Step 2
Cut and file the false nails to the shortest length you can. This will help them to come off easier.
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Step 3
Fill a bowl to about one inch with acetone nail polish remover. Use a bowl you don't mind throwing away because the acetone can distort the finish on the bowl.
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Step 4
Apply petroleum jelly to the skin around your nails. Acetone is a chemical and can easily dry out your skin.
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Step 5
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Any kind of timer will do, but one within close reach will be best.
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Step 6
Place your fingers into the bowl of acetone, submerging only the false nails. Avoid soaking any unnecessary skin.
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Step 7
Remove your fingers from the acetone when the timer goes off. The false nails may look a bit swollen, which is common. The acetone should begin breaking up the glue underneath the false nails.
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Step 8
Push down the cuticles using a cuticle pusher, and scrape off any melted layers of the false nail or glue. Use the cuticle pusher to scrape the melted layers off.
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Step 9
Set the timer again for 10 minutes, and place your fingers back into the bowl of acetone. Remove them after ten minutes, and scrape the melted layers off the nail.
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Step 10
Repeat these steps (soaking for 10 minutes, removing and scraping) five times in a row or until the glue has completely come off the nails.
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Step 11
Use a block buffer to remove any last bit of glue on the nail. Wash your hands thoroughly to remove the petroleum jelly and any traces of acetone.
