Super glue, chemically called cyanoacrylate, a proprietary name has been morphed into a catchy name for all the glues that dry quickly andare famous for sticking together anything from skin to objects in a few seconds.
Thankfully there are many ways to scrub off and remove super glue from the unwanted places, be it, from the skin, eyes, lips, smooth surfaces.
- Removing Super Glue from Skin
- Removing Super Glue from the Eyes
- Removing Super Glue from the Lips
- Removing Super Glue from Surfaces
- Removing Super Glue from Fabric
- Removing Super Glue from Plastic
- Removing Super Glue from Glass
Removing Super Glue from Skin
Try peeling it off first.
Sometimes it is sufficient to remove the glue by peeling it off from the sticking fingers. Go carefully and in case you feel pain or skin lifts off, stop then and there. Wait until the glue dries into a thin solid crust and is ready to peel off.
Soak the glue.
Warm, soapy water may be enough to loosen the glue from your hand. Fill a bowl with warm water and add about 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of mild soap. Soak the glued area for 30 to 60 seconds, try to peel softened glue away.
Try mineral spirits.
Having a sensitive skin, soak the affected area in mineral spirits, try to loosen the glue from skin. Repeat for completely removing the glue.
Use acetone.
The method is best for tougher skin typesthose with sensitive skin might find method irritating or drying. Never apply acetone to open wounds. Apply acetone dipped cotton dab on the affected area.
Soak the skin in warm soapy water.
This will soften the glue. Add cool vinegar to help. Try to loosen the glue from the skin. If this doesn’t work, pat the skin dry and move on to the next step.
Use an acetone-based nail polish remover.
It consists of acetone, as acetone softens cyano acrylate, try to rub it on the super glue. The dried glue must start peeling off. Do not use a cotton swab, as it can react very violently with cyano acrylate. Let the area dry, use a nail emery board to remove the glue.
Let it peel off on own.
It will turn white, without hurting and eventually come off without any help.
Try margarine.
In case of a sensitive skin, a little grease might work better. Rub a little margarine on the area repeatedly until the glue can be gently peeled away.
Use laundry detergent.
Mix liquid laundry detergent (any brand) with hot water. 1/4 cup of laundry detergent with the hot water will be sufficient. Rub and soak it for 15-20 minutes to loosen up the glue.
Use salt.
A paste made of salt and water is good and abrasive to scrape away the glue. Put two tablespoons (30 ml) of salt in hands. Put a little water in the salt to turn it into a paste. Rub the paste in hand for about 30 to 60 seconds. Rinse a little off.
Use petroleum jelly.
Wash hands and the area which has glue on it in hot, soapy water. Apply petroleum jelly generously on the affected area. Rub the affected area with a nail file for about a minute.
Removing Super Glue from the Eyes
Bathe stuck-together eyelids with warm water.
Dip a very soft cloth in warm water and gently wash well the eyelid to apply a gauze patch. After 1-4 days, the eyelid will eventually open naturally.
Allow tears to flow freely.
The glue will lift off the eye protein in a few hours and the tears will help to wash it out. Relax until the glue detaches and is washed out of the eye.
See your doctor.
It is highly recommended to visit a doctor after super glue has been near or in your eyes. The eye area is very delicate to ensure that there is no lasting damage.
Removing Super Glue from the Lips
Act quickly.
If lips have stuck together with super glue, it is no laughing matter.
Fill a small bowl with warm water.
Dip your lips in the water and immerse as much as possible of the lips.
Allow the lips to soak for one or two minutes.
Try to allow a build-up of saliva inside your mouth. Push the saliva against your lips from the inside to moisten and soften the glue from the inside of your mouth.
Carefully peel or roll your lips apart.
Wait until all sides are thoroughly moistened before attempting this, and do not pull! Doing so could cause more damage to your lips.
Eat and drink as normal.
Your saliva will eventually remove any remaining stuck adhesive but do not swallow it. Instead, discard any detached adhesive. Don’t worry about swallowing liquid adhesive. It never happens.
Removing Super Glue from Surfaces viz. Wood, Metal, Stone
Try peeling the glue from the surface first.
Use fingertips or nails and see if it will roll back. If so, all done. These solutions should work for most smooth surfaces, like wood, metal, and stone. Do not use on glass or plastic. Always spot test a solution on a hidden part of the material.
Soak the area.
Add liquid dish soap to warm water, then soak a cloth in the mixture. Lay the cloth over the glue and let it sit for hours. Try scraping away the glue to soften it.
Try acetone nail polish remover.
Pull glue off a finished wood surface risks to lift the surface with it. Dip a cleaning rag into acetone or nail polish remover.
Rub the dampened part over the glue.
For small areas, stick finger behind the rag to make circular motions. For larger stains, swirl around with cloth surface area coming into contact with the stain.
Use a rubber or silicone spatula to lift the glue off.
Hopefully, the acetone will help lift up edges of the glue and you can slide the spatula in under the edge and keep working at it till all the glue is removed. Wash the area with soapy warm water to remove the acetone. Polish the furniture with beeswax or olive oil.
Use lemon juice.
If acetone nail polish remover is unavailable or wish to have a slightly less corrosive solution, consider using lemon juice. Apply the lemon juice to the glue in a similar fashion. Apply a small amount of lemon juice to the glue using a scrap toothbrush dedicated to household cleaning.
Try mineral oil.
Provided the surface isn’t painted, this might lift the glue. Dampen a cloth with the oil and rub on the glue stain until it lifts. Wash the oil off with warm soapy water and polish to complete.
Sand glue off the wood.
In some instances, sanding the area may be the best option. Place masking tape around the glue stain, to protect the areas around it. Then sand over the glue until it lifts.
Removing Super Glue from Fabric
Flush the clothing with warm water first.
To remove super glue from fabric, rub at the stain to remove as much of the glue as possible just by rubbing. Add some heavy-duty liquid detergent to the water to make this solution more effective. About 2 Tbsp (30 ml) should work.
Use acetone on natural fabrics.
Dampen a cloth, clean an old toothbrush with acetone and rub the glue stain to try to lift it up. Scrape the glue off with a blunt knife or spatula, then wash the clothing as usual. You can pre-treat the stain before washing.
Take expensive clothing to the dry cleaner.
If the clothing is expensive or not get the glue off, take it to a professional. Better safe than sorry.
Removing Super Glue from Plastic
Try rubbing and rolling it off.
Use fingernails to try to lift up at the ends of the glue stain. Giving a small lift, keep working at the stain and then try to roll it back off the plastic object. Use a plastic spatula or knife to help scrape off the glue without scratching the plastic.
Dampen the glue.
Make up a solution of warm, soapy water. Use a gentle dishwashing detergent. Dip a cloth or paper towel into the soapy water and drench and wring it. Leave the items there for several hours. The damp cloth or paper towel will moisten the glue, causing it to soften a lot.
Use rubbing alcohol.
It is best to do a spot test before proceeding. Dampen a soft cleaning cloth with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol). Dab the cloth on the glue stain to soften. Pick at the lifting, softened glue to remove.
Removing Super Glue from Glass
Try to remove as much glue as possible with a sharp blade.
If you manage to get the blob of glue off, simply wash off the residue with warm, soapy water, rinse and let dry.
Saturate the stain.
Soak it in warm water by placing the glass object in a bowl of warm soapy water. Scrape off the softened glue with a blade or spatula. Rubbing alcohol, eucalyptus oil or acetone can be used to get rid of any remaining residue.
Tips
- Check the label for the ingredients to remove the glue.
- Some proprietary products, like citrus cleaners, will lift super glue from a range of surfaces.
- Pour on hands and start rubbing it into skin for about a minute. Then wash the area with soap and water and dry it off.
- Whether it is body, cloth or wood, focus on the edges of super glue stains. Moistening and lifting is a priority for getting rid of the whole blob.
Warnings
- Acetone or rubbing alcohol can dull colors, lift off decals and print and harm other aspects of many materials. Always use with care and test an inconspicuous spot first.
- Be aware that wearing cotton or wool clothing (especially gloves made from either) is not advised when working with cyanoacrylate products owing to the fact that these products can inter-react and release a lot of heat, potentially burning skin or even bursting into flame