How to Clean Gel Nails at Home

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A simple guide to keeping your gel nails polished and pristine
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Your new gel nails sparkle and gleam, and you just can't help staring at them. That is, until they get a bit grimy or discolored. Don't worry! Cleaning them up is simple, and with just a few common nail care products we can get your nails like-new again. We'll show you how to brighten and renew your nails, fix spots or scuffs, remove the gel for a fresh start, and keep your nails healthy and strong through the whole process.

Things Your Should Know

  • Soak gel nails in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda to remove any discoloration.
  • Buff your nails, then add more topcoat to renew a dingy top layer.
  • Rub the nails with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol to wipe away any fresh scuffs or marks.
  • Spray gel nails with hairspray to remove stubborn stains, or soak them in tea tree oil for more natural and delicate stain removal.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Brightening Your Gel Nails

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  1. Fill a bowl with 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Add the juice from half a lemon and 1 tbsp (8 g) of baking soda. Stir to create a soaking solution. Soak your nails for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with fresh water. [1]
    • Lemon is a natural stain remover and can remove yellow stains. It's often used as a whitener!
    • Baking soda is also a stain remover.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Use a high-grit buffer, such as a 220 or greater. Lightly rub the buffer over the surface of the gel until the dingy layer is gone. You should see the original color of the gel return. [2]

    Note: If you've already buffed your manicure once, this might not work. Removing too many layers of the manicure could erode away the gel.

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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Lightly brush a thin layer of top coat over your nails, then let it completely dry. [3] This will protect the manicure and help prevent it from getting dingy again. It will also restore the shine to your nails. [4]
    • You can use your normal top coat over the gel polish.
    • Continue to add a layer of topcoat every few days to keep your manicure looking fresh!
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Cleaning Spots or Marks

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Dip a cotton ball in nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol. Then, lightly dab at the stain or mark on the gel nail. [5] However, don't rub too vigorously, so that you don’t remove the gel color. [6]
    • This works best if you use the nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol very soon after the stain appears on your nail.

    Tip: If the stain doesn’t come off after you’ve gently dabbed at it, try spraying it with hairspray to avoid using too much nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol.

  2. Lay a towel down on a table and place your hand on top. Spray hairspray over the nail with the stain until the nail looks wet. Use a Q-tip to remove the hairspray, which should remove the stain as well. Wash your hands well with soap and water to get the hairspray off of your hand. [7]
    • You shouldn’t need to rub the gel nail harshly to get the marking off of it.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Fill a regular-sized bowl with water and add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil to it. Place the gel nail that needs to be cleaned in the bowl, letting it soak for at least 5 minutes. Wash your hands after removing the nail from the mixture. [8]
    • If the stain is still there, do the same process over again once a day for several days.
  4. Sometimes a mark or stain on your gel nail just won’t come out using at-home remedies, which is when it’s time to turn to professionals. See if your nail salon will redo the one nail that was damaged so that your nail will look good as new. [9]
    • Some nail salons will do this for free while others will charge a small fee, so ask your nail salon before committing to redoing the nail.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Removing the Gel

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  1. Rub your nail file against the surface of the gel, filing it until the surface is a bit rough and no longer shiny. This ensures the acetone will reach past the glossy outer coat to remove the gel.
  2. You’ll need 10 pieces of foil, cut just large enough to wrap around each nail separately. Use scissors to cut the foil and put the foil to the side once you’re done.
    • A piece of foil that’s roughly 2 by 4 inches (5.1 by 10.2 cm) should work well.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    The cotton balls don’t need to be soaking wet, but they should be damp. Place the acetone-soaked side of the cotton ball on the gel to ensure it gets the best treatment.

    Tip: If you don’t have cotton balls, you can try using paper towels.

  4. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Use the pieces of aluminum foil you cut to wrap the cotton balls securely on your nails. If the piece of foil is big enough, you should only have to squeeze each piece around your finger for it to stay in place.
    • Make sure all of the cotton ball is covered up with foil for the best hold.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Set a timer so that you remember when to remove the foil from your nails. When you do remove the foil, look to see if the gel is peeling off of your nails.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    You can do this using a gel remover tool, or another tool you have around the house that will safely remove the gel without harming your nails. If you’re not able to push the gel off easily, your nails aren’t ready and should be soaked in acetone a little while longer.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Keeping Your Gel Nails Healthy

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  1. This includes doing the dishes or whenever you’re using harsh chemicals. The chemicals, as well as hot water, can damage the gel and cause your manicure to last a shorter amount of time.
    • Pick up rubber gloves at a grocery store or big box store.
  2. Your nails can soak up your makeup or the chemicals in your facial creams, especially alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). If these products sit on your hands, they can damage your gel or make it look dirty.

    Tip: Use sponges or brushes to apply your makeup so you can minimize how much of it gets on your hands.

  3. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    Cuticle oil often comes in a bottle that resembles a regular nail polish bottle, making it easy to brush the oil onto your cuticles. Rub the oil around on your cuticles once you’ve applied it to ensure it’s covering your whole nail. [10]
    • Look for cuticle oil at a drugstore, big box store, or beauty store.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    This will keep your cuticles and the skin around your nails hydrated and healthy, which is important since the gel process is very drying. Use a regular hand lotion or a lotion designed specifically for nails. [11]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Clean Gel Nails
    You don’t need to do this super often, just once or twice a week if you notice your nails losing their shine or starting to chip. Apply it in a thin, even layer to every nail for the best results.
    • Look for a nail top coat at a drugstore, beauty store, big box store, or grocery store.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I brighten my nails if they start to look dull?
    Mia Rubie
    Nail Artist
    Mia Rubie is a Nail Artist and the Owner of Sparkle San Francisco, a nail studio based in San Francisco, California. She has over eight years of nail artist and management experience and is known for her push-the-envelope designs and artistic eye for colors. Her clients include Sephora, Target, and Vogue. Her work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and StyleCaster. She holds a BBA focusing on Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations from San Francisco State University. You can find her work on her Instagram account @superflynails.
    Mia Rubie
    Nail Artist
    Expert Answer
    If there's a stain on your nail, you can try wiping it away with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. However, if your nail is dull or you can't remove the stain, take a buffer and smooth out the top layer of your top coat. Then, reapply another clear top coat to bring back the shine.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://stylecaster.com/diy-nail-soaks/
      2. ↑ Mia Rubie. Nail Artist. Expert Interview. 23 April 2020.
      3. ↑ https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/How-Keep-Pale-Manicures-Looking-Clean-40544548
      4. ↑ Mia Rubie. Nail Artist. Expert Interview. 23 April 2020.
      5. ↑ Mia Rubie. Nail Artist. Expert Interview. 23 April 2020.
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_FQiiZB7M#t=14s
      7. ↑ https://www.pedicure.com/remove-shellac-stains/
      8. ↑ https://www.pedicure.com/remove-shellac-stains/
      9. ↑ https://www.pedicure.com/remove-shellac-stains/
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9WoI7dwy30#t=1m44s
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9WoI7dwy30#t=3m

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To clean your gel nails, start by dipping a Q-tip in nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol. Once you’ve soaked the Q-tip, lightly dab at the stain or mark so you don’t remove the gel color with it. If your nails are still dirty, lay a towel down on a table and place your hand on top. Then, spray hairspray over your nail until it looks wet and use a Q-tip to rub the stain off. Alternatively, use a buffer of at least 220 grit to lightly rub the top layer off. After you've buffed off the dirt, apply a thin layer of top coat to protect your manicure. For more tips from our Beauty co-author, including how to remove the gel from your nails, read on!

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