How can I remove nail polish from towels?

Spilling nail polish in a salon can be frustrating, but it doesn’t mean you have to throw away stained towels. The towel can often be salvaged if it needs to be laundered and dried.

Determine the material of the nail salon towels

Before attempting to remove the nail polish, verify the composition of the towel. Ideally, the towel should be made of pure cotton, cotton blend or a non-acetate synthetic fabric. If the towel contains acetate, it should not be cleaned with acetone and should be taken to a dry cleaner.

Gently pat down any wet nail polish.

• If the towel is made of cotton or cotton blend, quickly soak up any excess liquid nail polish using a paper towel, cotton swab, or cotton ball. 
• Avoid scrubbing too hard to prevent the polish from getting deeper into the fibers. Once most of the surface polish has been removed, place the towel polish-side down on clean paper towels before proceeding with further cleaning.

Obtain some acetone

• Acetone is a common type of nail polish remover that can be found in most nail salons. While non-acetone nail polish remover may work, acetone is generally more effective. Other alternatives, such as hydrogen peroxide or bug spray, may cause staining. 
• Before using acetone or another solution, test a small amount under the towel’s tag, and wait 10 minutes to see if it causes discoloration or spots before proceeding.

Force the stain out of the towel

• While keeping the stained towel polish-side down on the paper towels, apply acetone onto another paper towel or cotton ball. Then press the saturated towel against the stained towel behind the stain. Make sure to use enough acetone to reach the stain. 
• Keep adding more acetone to the clean paper towel and repeatedly pressing it against the back of the towel over the next few minutes. The aim is to transfer the nail polish stain from the nail salon towel to the paper towel below it. Change the paper towel under it as it starts to get stained. 
• The process can take some time. Eventually, all or most of the nail polish should come from the nail salon towel. You can dispose of the paper towels and rinse the nail salon towel with warm water. Then, apply your preferred laundry stain remover and run the towel through the washing machine.

Tips for maintaining nail salon towels

• Keeping bulk nail salon towels in good condition can be challenging, even when not exposed to nail polish. Here are some tips for maintaining the appearance and function of your towels:
• Have different types of towels available for different tasks. For example, providing microfiber towels for cleaning stains and spills will reduce the likelihood that premium cotton towels will be used for this purpose.
• Share cleaning supplies and advice with all salon employees. The more they know about how to prolong the life of salon towels, the more you can stretch your budget to buy high-quality wholesale towels.
• Encourage employees to immediately take care of stains and spills on towels rather than throwing them in the “dirty” pile.
• Keep a supply of acetone on hand specifically for removing spilled nail polish.
• Buy only non-acetate towels, such as those made of 100% cotton or a cotton-poly blend.

When dealing with spills, blot away the color with acetone and rinse the towel with warm water. When buying new nail salon towels, consider purchasing them at discounted prices from Towel Depot.