The Ultimate Guide for Removing Super Glue from Anything

I'm a dad who likes to do crafts with his son. We've done everything from some easy Christmas tree crafts to even more advanced DIY projects. Sometimes though that means using superglue, and sometimes using super glue means removing superglue from anything. Skin, glass, plastic, metal; you name it! Luckily, it's real easy to remove super glue. The hard part is actually not losing your cool about it! But I've been reading a lot of Buddhism so I think I'm getting better at not getting mad.

"Are you sure your skull isn't full of super glue?!" That's what the old me would say. The new me just calmly says: you can use an emery board to file the glue off your hands.

Alternatively, to get this powerful adhesive off your paws, you can use acetone, nail polish remover, hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar. "Use it to clean the super glue off your brain!" the old me would say. But the new me says, "Acetone is actually good for removing superglue from anything, almost."

"Way to go, butterfingers! Can you do nothing right?! WHY DO YOU EVEN BOTHER??!" Twelve months ago I might have shouted that at my kid. These days I say, "Nameste," and thank him for the practice in patience.

Just grab the acetone and dab it on the affected area. Since acetone can damage plastic, try it on a small part of whatever you're cleaning first. Or you can try niromethane, which is often times even marketed as a "super glue removing liquid." Soaking the plastic in white vinegar in glue can remove it too.

How to Remove from: Metal

Nail polish remover, acetone, a white vinegar soak, and maybe even sandpaper will work. You're getting super glue on everything and these are the tools for removing superglue from anything. My therapist says that a propensity for breaking things is the unconscious mind's way of expressing deep-rooted neurosis that undermines manual dexterity. So, I've been trying to create a safe and open environment for my son to let some of those harder feelings out. He also sees a therapist of his own now. We're making progress!

Glass got with glue?! Alliteration is more fun than getting mad; that's what I've learned! As I said, acetone is good for removing super glue from anything. So, grab some acetone or isopropyl alcohol. Rub and scrub gently. If you gotta, you can use sandpaper, a scrubber, a knife, whatever. If you got it on your phone somehow, then use a moistened soft cloth. I'm not mad, I swear!

If you got superglue on wood, you can use nail polish remover or acetone. But if you've got wood stuck to wood, like on the floor, you can use coconut or olive oil. Once they come apart, scrub the area with sandpaper. That's a cool trick Dad picked up, right? Because Dad was doing a craft on his own and dropped a piece of wood glue side first onto the floor. Ain't no thang but a chicken wang because Dad's been learning about removing superglue from anything! You can also put your coconut oil in your coffee so that you get extra energy.

How to Remove from: Leather

You can use acetone for removing superglue from anything... almost! You can't use it on leather. Instead, lather on some soap and water and use a rag to apply directly to the affected area. If that doesn't work, just sew on a cool patch to hide the superglue! That's what Dad had to do.

If you have the power of removing superglue from anything, make it sure to include clothes and hair. That's what we really care about. Dad doesn't have the funds to be buying new clothes. That's why I'm always on the lookout for the coolest things you can buy at a military surplus store. So, I've soap-soaked plenty a suit to get out super glue. I've even made a paste of baking soda and detergent or baking soda and white wine vinegar to make things easier for me. I've applied lemon juice. But the main thing is you want to remove the glue as gently as a hug.

Dad doesn't have carpet, so he doesn't have to do this trick. This is a tile floor studio! But if you do have to clean carpet, wrap a comb in tissue paper and make the teeth of the comb come out. Acetone might be good for removing superglue from anything but it's no bueno if it soaks into the carpet's base. So, the tissue paper catches the acetone while you rub the affected area with a cotton ball full of acetone. And it can't be a plastic comb because the acetone will likely eat into the plastic. See, it's a whole ordeal! Plus, you gotta repeat this process for a while. That's why it's great that my studio has hardwood floors.

Just cutting out the affected area is a way of removing superglue from anything. I had to get rid of my beard because I got super glue in it! I could have tried to save the beard by using cotton balls to apply nail polish remover to break up the superglue, but the glue was in there so bad that I just didn't want to bother. So, no more beard!

How to Remove from: Body

You know when I said I got superglue in my beard? That's because I got it in my mouth. Luckily you can't accidentally swallow superglue because it hardens so fast. It was gone from my mouth in 1 to 2 days thanks to my spit. And while acetone is good for removing superglue from anything, you should definitely not gargle it.

Some people drink acetone since it causes feeling drunkenness; it also causes nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. That's in addition to difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and slowed breathing. The reason I know all that is because I read about the worst life hacks that you should never try so that I knew what you kids were doing to get high. Drinking acetone is luckily not one of them! Besides, you can always get a natural high from doing crafts with dad.