Download Article
Download Article
If it’s time to have your gel nails removed, it’s best to do it at a salon. But you may prefer to do it at home, especially if you’d like to avoid acetone. Acetone can be very harsh because it removes natural oils from your skin. Try peeling or filing your gel nails off without acetone. You can also soak your nails first to make the process easier. Remember to always moisturize your hands and nails afterwards no matter what method you use.
Steps
-
Lift up part of the gel nail. Wait until the nails are already chipped. Find a loose spot and lift up part of the gel nail with your fingernail or a pair of tweezers.- Waiting around a week or two before trying to peel off the gel nails will reduce the damage done to your natural nails, since the gel will have had time to loosen and chip off.
-
Pour water over the lifted edge and push the gel polish off. Put your finger under lukewarm running water. Using your free hand, place a finger underneath the lifted gel nail and gently push it off your natural nail. Be patient and go slow so you won’t damage the natural nail underneath.Advertisement
-
Use olive oil or cuticle oil if the nail won’t come off with water. If you are finding it difficult to peel the nail off under running water, try using olive oil or cuticle oil instead. Cover the gel nail and the fingernail you are using to push the gel nail off with oil. Then, slide your nail under the gel nail and gently push it off. Apply more oil as needed.
- You can also use an orangewood stick instead of your fingernail to gently push the gel nail off.
-
Buff off any remaining gel residue with a nail file. Even after you have pushed off the gel nail, there may be some gel left on your fingernail. Dry the nail and use a nail file to buff it off with gentle back and forth movements. Be sure to only buff off the gel residue and not your natural nail.
- Most nail files have a coarse side and a smooth side. The coarse side is best for shaping your nails. This side will look and feel a lot bumpier. For buffing the surface of the nail, use the smoother side of the file.
-
Nourish your nails with cuticle oil and your hands with hand cream. The process of taking off gel nails can leave your natural nails and hands quite dry and cracked. Once you’ve finished, cover your natural nails with cuticle oil . [1] X Expert Source Kristin Pulaski
Salon Owner & Nail Specialist Expert Interview. 19 May 2020. You should also moisturize your hands with hand cream.
Advertisement
-
Trim your nails. First, trim your nails as short as possible. This will reduce the surface area that you will have to file down. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
- If you nails are too thick to cut with a nail clipper, you can file the tips with the coarse grit side of your nail file until they are thin enough to clip off.
-
File down the surface of your nails with the coarse grit side of your nail file. File gently, making crosshatches across the surface of the nail to keep it looking even and smooth. Continually move the file around your nail so you never feel a burning sensation. Move slowly and be patient: it will take some time to file down all the gel nail polish. Wipe away any dust that gathers on the nail as you file. [3] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
- You may want to use a metal nail file for this step because it is stronger and able to file down the gel faster.
- If you file the nail too quickly or roughly, you may damage the natural nail underneath.
-
Switch to the fine side of the file when you see your natural nail. Once you see your natural nail under the gel, stop filing with the coarse grit side of your nail file. Carefully file off the remaining gel with the fine grit side.
- You will know you are close to the natural nail when you notice the amount of dust is decreasing or you start to see the natural ridges of your nail
-
Condition and buff your nails. Once you have filed off all the gel polish, it’s important to add moisture and nourishment to your nails. Use a nail buffer on your nails to make the surface of your nails clean and smooth. Apply lotion or oil to your nails and hands. [4] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
- No matter how careful you are, filing off your gel nails will cause some damage to your natural nails, so don’t skip the buffing and conditioning.
Advertisement
-
Fill a bowl with warm water, dish soap, and salt. Use a small bowl that will be big enough to submerge one or both hands. [5] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source Add a couple of drops of dish soap and a teaspoon of salt.
- Be sure the water is quite warm or it won’t loosen the gel polish. You may need to add more warm water if it gets cold while you are soaking your nails.
-
Soak your hand in the bowl for about 15-20 minutes. Dip your hand in the water so that all your nails are completely submerged. There is no need to move your fingers. Simply keep them still under the water for 15-20 minutes. [6] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
- You can soak one hand at a time, or place both hands in the bowl at once.
-
Take your hand out and dry it with a towel. Take you nails out of the water and dab them with a clean towel to dry. You may already start to notice some of the gel nails cracking or peeling off.
- If it doesn’t look like the soak has loosened the nails at all, you can repeat the soaking process once again, or go straight to filing or peeling them off.
-
Remove the gel nails by peeling or filing. Soaking your nails will probably not take any of the gel nails off by itself. But once you have soaked your nails, it will be easier to remove them with whatever acetone-free method you choose.
- If you choose to file off the gel nails after soaking, be sure that your nails are totally dry before you start. This will make the filing much easier.
Advertisement
Join the Discussion...
I'm ready to give my nails a new look, but I still have some of my old gel polish still on them. I've always heard to go back to the nail salon to get gels removed, but surely there's a way I can do it at home? Do you have any advice on what to do?
Yes, you can remove gel polish at home, but it requires patience and the right technique to avoid damaging your nails. Here’s how to do it safely!
What You Need :
1. 100% pure acetone (regular nail polish remover won’t work)
2. Cotton balls or pads
3. Aluminum foil
4. Nail file
5. Cuticle pusher or orangewood stick
6. Nail buffer
7. Cuticle oil or hand cream (for aftercare)
Step-by-Step Removal :
1. File the Top Coat – Use a nail file and gently buff away the shiny top layer. This helps the acetone penetrate the gel polish faster.
2. Soak Cotton in Acetone – Saturate a cotton ball or pad with pure acetone.
3. Wrap Each Nail – Place the soaked cotton on your fingernail and wrap it with aluminum foil to hold it in place.
4. Wait 10-15 Minutes – Let the acetone work its magic. Check one nail after 10 minutes—if the polish is flaking off, you’re ready for the next step.
5. Gently Push Off the Gel – Use a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick to carefully remove any softened gel. If it resists, rewrap the nail and wait another 5 minutes.
6. Buff and Hydrate – Use a nail buffer to smooth the surface. Finish with cuticle oil and a rich hand cream to rehydrate your nails.
What You Need :
1. 100% pure acetone (regular nail polish remover won’t work)
2. Cotton balls or pads
3. Aluminum foil
4. Nail file
5. Cuticle pusher or orangewood stick
6. Nail buffer
7. Cuticle oil or hand cream (for aftercare)
Step-by-Step Removal :
1. File the Top Coat – Use a nail file and gently buff away the shiny top layer. This helps the acetone penetrate the gel polish faster.
2. Soak Cotton in Acetone – Saturate a cotton ball or pad with pure acetone.
3. Wrap Each Nail – Place the soaked cotton on your fingernail and wrap it with aluminum foil to hold it in place.
4. Wait 10-15 Minutes – Let the acetone work its magic. Check one nail after 10 minutes—if the polish is flaking off, you’re ready for the next step.
5. Gently Push Off the Gel – Use a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick to carefully remove any softened gel. If it resists, rewrap the nail and wait another 5 minutes.
6. Buff and Hydrate – Use a nail buffer to smooth the surface. Finish with cuticle oil and a rich hand cream to rehydrate your nails.
Expert Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Things You'll Need
Peeling Them Off
- Cuticle oil or olive oil
- Nail file
- Tweezers (optional)
- Orangewood stick (optional)
Filing Off the Nails
- Nail file with a coarse side and a finer, gentle side
- Metal nail file (optional)
- Lotion or oil
Loosening the Polish by Soaking
- Small bowl
- Dish soap
- Salt
- Hand towel
Tips
- You should avoid exposing your nails and hands to harsh substances for at least a few days after removing your gel nails.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Removing gel nails without acetone will cause damage to your natural nails, no matter how careful you are. It’s best to use acetone to remove your nails, either at home or in a salon.Thanks
Advertisement
References
- ↑ Kristin Pulaski. Salon Owner & Nail Specialist. Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/nail-care-secrets/basics/how-to-trim-nails
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/nail-care-secrets/basics/how-to-trim-nails
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/nail-care-secrets/basics/pedicures/gel-manicures
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/nail-care-secrets/basics/pedicures/removing-gel-polish
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/nail-care-secrets/basics/pedicures/removing-gel-polish
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To get gel nails off without acetone, lift up part of the gel nail with your fingernail or a pair of tweezers, then pour water over the lifted edge and push the gel polish off. If the nail won’t come off with water, cover it with olive oil or cuticle oil before sliding your nail under the gel nail to gently push it off. After you remove the nail, use a nail file to buff off any remaining gel residue. For an alternative method, fill a bowl with warm water, dish soap, and salt, and soak your hand for 15 to 20 minutes. When you’re done soaking, dry your hands and remove the gel nails by peeling or filing them off. To learn how to file your gel nails off, keep reading!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 400,558 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "The information received here was very true and accurate. I achieved great results! Thanks, wikiHow."
Advertisement
"The information received here was very true and accurate. I achieved great results! Thanks, wikiHow."
"Helped me how to remove gel nail polish."
