Cleaning advice: ‘My baby got nail polish on my leather couch’: Mum’s plea for help over stubborn mess

A mum was confronted with a terrible mess after leaving her toddler alone for what was probably seconds. Yes, that’s how fast they can do it.

“My baby got nail polish on my leather couch and I don’t know how to get it out,” she shared on Reddit’s ‘Cleaning Tips’ thread.

The woman explained she’d already attempted to fix it, but nothing was working so far. 

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“I’ve tried nail polish remover and a mixture vegetable oil with white wine vinegar,” she continued.

“Anyone know any other ways I can get it off?”

Redditers pointed her to a thread with “leather experts” who could possibly offer some advice.

Most on the ‘Cleaning Tips’ thread came up empty when it came to giving advice on removing it “without damaging the leather”.

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One Redditer asked the mum to identify the type of nail polish it was, which could help come up with a solution.

“Whatever you do, do not use acetone on leather,” they advised, adding she may need the services of a leather repairer instead of trying to remove it herself.

“You will need to get a professional leather cleaner on this. If you aren’t sure how to find one, you can contact an upholsterer nearby and explain and they may be able to point you in the right direction. You can also talk to a cobbler/shoe repair place for a referral,” they shared.

“Oh man, it’s gone,” another simply said.

9honey Living reached out to cleaning expert Tina Nettlefold of T.House for help.

The founder and interior designer warned against using nail polish remover on messes like this.

She said the first step should be to “gently remove” as much of the excess as possible. If still wet “dab (don’t rub) with a clean cotton cloth or paper towel”.

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If already dry, Nettlefold says to “carefully scrape off any dried clumps without scratching the leather”.

The next step is to use “a few drops of isopropyl alcohol (eco-safe in small amounts) you can buy this at any chemist” and a cotton ball or soft cloth.

“Gently blot the polish stain, don’t soak or rub harshly,” she says. “Work in small sections and keep blotting with a clean cloth.”

Nettlefold explains the alcohol “breaks down nail polish without acetone’s harshness. Use sparingly to protect the leather’s finish”

The next step is to give the area a good clean with a natural solution such as warm water and mild dish soap

Then, you want to restore and condition the leather.

“A natural leather conditioner (like Clydes or Oakwood) or mix one part olive oil with two parts white vinegar,” she explains.

“Lightly rub it onto the cleaned area with a microfiber cloth, let it sit for 10 to 15 mins, then buff with a dry cloth.”

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