Asked on Mar 10, 2016

How do I remove nail polish from grout in floor tiles?

Red nail polish, soaked straight into the grout on floor, I have tried nail polish remover with no results.
  18 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 10, 2016
    Try using pure acetone on the grout. Give it a good soaking with a rag and leave on long enough for it to surface. You could also try making a solution of oxiclean and baking soda into a paste and rub in to the grout.
  • MN Mom MN Mom on Mar 10, 2016
    If you have a Clorox bleach pen you can use that right in the grout line. If all else fails, you can remove the affect area and re-grout that section.
  • Becky Becky on Mar 10, 2016
    I used pure acetone and a tooth brush, but it was pretty fresh...and I wanted to kill the kiddo! :) If you get really desperate, get the grout refresh.
  • Charlene Charlene on Mar 10, 2016
    Old toothbrush borax and juice from a lemon. Make a paste and scrub with toothbrush. Let soak if need be.
  • SHARI B SHARI B on Mar 11, 2016
    Not sure, but maybe Goof Off - I have used that for a myriad of things, and it's my new "go to" for tough stuff. (It removes the gel nail polish off your nails when you use it! - You can buy it at most any hardware store or Home Depot or Lowe's
  • Barbara Barbara on Mar 11, 2016
    Hydrogen peroxide might remove the stain.
  • Susan Susan on Mar 11, 2016
    Touch up with craft paint. If you've ever spilled THAT on grout, you already know how impossible it is to get rid of. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
  • Lori Lori on Mar 11, 2016
    Definitely Peroxide or Goof Off.
  • Elaine Elaine on Mar 11, 2016
    Have you tried straight bleach? If that's a "yes" and you've tried everything under the sun, I'd buy a bottle of liquid "white-out" from Staples (or Walmart or Dollar store) and dab it on. It might flake off a bit with time, but just add more as you need it.
    • Linda Holmes Keating Linda Holmes Keating on Mar 11, 2016
      This would work if it was white grout 😀 Unfortunately it's like cement colour and texture. But thanks anyway!
  • Glenn Moore Glenn Moore on Mar 11, 2016
    Painters use lacker Thinner.
  • Dee Dee on Mar 11, 2016
    Painters also use Acetone, the kind you buy in Lowes or HD not regular nail polish remover. I used it and it took bright red nail polish off my new floors immediately.
  • Dee Dee on Mar 11, 2016
    You can also buy a product on Amazon or in floor stores, I think HD may sell it too it is called grout renew, it comes in about 100 colors. I have actually used it to change the color of my grout in a bathroom about 4 years ago and it still looks new. But if the nail polish is also on the tiles, just let the acetone sit a minute and wipe off with a cotton ball or paper towel. Be sure to open the windows because acetone smells terrible and you do not want to be inhaling those vapors.
  • Patricia Bell Patricia Bell on Mar 12, 2016
    Well this probably sounds crazy but my sister spilled red polish on her carpeting and she was able to remove it completely using Windex.
  • Julia Kreighbaum Julia Kreighbaum on Mar 12, 2016
    Goof off and a stiff grout brush. I clean apartments and this works every time and if I do not have any I have used oven cleaner.
  • Kelli Rupe Kelli Rupe on Jul 01, 2017

    Baking soda and peroxide. ..make a paste and scrub with old toothbrush

  • Don Don on Oct 26, 2020

    My wife spilled a whole bottle of red nail polish on our white tile bathroom floor. Goof Off is the only product that worked and it worked great!

  • Deb K Deb K on Dec 18, 2020

    Hi Linda, depending on what color the grout is and how much polish is on it, hope these help!

    Apply a small amount of acetone to a clean cloth, and gently rub the fingernail polish in a circular motion until it disappears. If you do not have acetone, use a fingernail polish remover containing acetone.


    Since grout is porous, it will absorb more of the polish so you'll have to scrub more aggressively to remove stains. Try using a denture cleaner and an old toothbrush to bleach nail polish stains out of grout lines. You can also try using a scrub brush and powder cleanser to work on the surface stains

  • Lilian Lilian on Jan 09, 2021

    Use ZEP grout cleaner. You will be amazed. But be careful not to put on your tile. Use it carefully on the grout only..bleach does not come close to what this cleaner does.