Handy Nail Polish Remover Hacks (That Have Nothing to Do With Your Nails)

If you’ve only been using nail polish remover on your manicure, you’re tapping just a fraction of its potential.

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Use nail polish remover to clean a keyboard
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Use nail polish remover to clean a keyboard

Laptop keys getting a bit grimy? Simply moisten a cotton swab with nail polish remover, and gently dab laptop keys to restore them to their original condition.

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New uses for nail polish remover
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Use nail polish remover to un-stick stubborn glue

Permanent adhesive will stick tenaciously to just about anything—including your skin. And trying to peel it off your fingers can actually cause skin damage. Instead, soak a cotton ball with acetone-based nail polish remover and hold it on the skin until the glue dissolves.

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Use nail polish remover to eliminate ink stains
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Use nail polish remover to eliminate ink stains

If the ink stains on your skin won’t come off with soap and water, they are probably not water-soluble. Try using nail polish remover instead. Take a cotton ball and wipe the affected areas with the solution. Once the ink stains are gone, wash skin with soap and water. Nail polish remover can also eliminate ink stains on the drum of your clothes dryer!

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Use nail polish remover to remove stickers from glass
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Remove stickers from glass

Scraping price stickers from glass objects can be messy, and it often leaves behind a gummy adhesive that attracts dirt and is sticky to the touch. Remove the stickers and clean up the residual glue by wiping the area with acetone-based nail polish remover. The same method can be used for removing stickers and sticky residue from metal surfaces.

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Use nail polish remover to take paint off of windows
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Use nail polish remover to rub paint off windows

Spare your nails the next time you want to remove paint on a window. Working in a well-ventilated area, dab on nail polish remover in small sections. Let the solution remain on the painted areas for a few minutes before rubbing it off with a cloth. Once finished, take a damp cloth and go over the areas again.

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Wiping with paper towel
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Restore laminate floors

Pour onto a paper towel, and wipe away unsightly shoe marks on tile, laminate, and concrete floors (avoid using on wood).

Find out 20 clever things to do with nail polish.

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Rejuvenate stained china with nail polish remover
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Rejuvenate stained china

Soak an old cloth, then dab coffee- or tea-stained areas; rinse off the nail polish remover with soap and water. Avoid decorative patterns, which could be ruined.

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Shine shoes with nail polish remover
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Shine shoes

Saturate a paper towel, and wipe footwear until any scuffs or stains disappear. Use a damp cloth to remove leftover residue from the nail polish remover.

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Nail polish remover - clean bathtub
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Eliminate bathtub ring

To rid a tub or shower of soap and scum stains, dilute nail polish remover with a little bit of water, and use a stiff brush to quickly scrub away residue. You can also use hydrogen peroxide in the bathroom as a toilet cleaner.

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Use nail polish remover to clean beauty tools
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Sanitize beauty tools

Beauty tools like tweezers, eye last curlers, and nail clippers can harbour germs, especially if shared among family members. Rinse these items in nail polish remover and wipe clean for sanitized beauty products.

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Use nail polish remover to revive nail polish
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Refresh your nail polish

The most common use of nail polish remover is to take polish off your nails. But you can actually pour a bit of nail polish remover into old bottles of nail polish that have started to dry up or get chunky. Pour a very small drop into the polish and shake well to squeeze a few more manicures out of the bottle.

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Reader's Digest
Originally Published on Reader's Digest

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