Acetone is a commonly used chemical in households for many reasons, including removing nail polish. That said, acetone is dangerous when mishandled, so you should know how to use it safely. Learn how to take the right precautions today with this list of important tips for safely using acetone at home.
Prioritize Good Ventilation
Always remember to have good ventilation in the area where you’ll work with acetone. Although acetone is safe under the right circumstances, you should avoid excessively breathing in the fumes. Acetone has a strong odor and can release harmful fumes when used in confined spaces. Your first plan may be to use acetone in your bathroom to remove nail polish.
Likewise, using acetone is one of the best ways to safely remove acrylic nails at home. So you may want to retreat to your personal supplies in the bathroom to get everything done. It’s convenient, away from others in your house while they do daily tasks, and seems like a safe solution. However, you should actually handle acetone in rooms with consistent airflow so that you have some fresh air to breathe. You should always open windows and use fans to keep the air circulating while using acetone. This will help prevent you from inhaling too much of the fumes.
Practice Fire Safety
Acetone is highly flammable and can easily catch fire if exposed to a spark or flame. As a result, one of the most important tips for safely using acetone at home is to assess potential ignition sources. A candle may seem like a no-brainer to have nearby to combat the smell of acetone, but it can make the situation worse.
Make sure to keep any sources of ignition, such as candles or cigarettes, away from the area where you’ll be working with acetone. It’s also wise to have a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case of an emergency.
Always Protect Your Skin
Acetone is a strong solvent that can irritate your skin, so it’s crucial to always protect yourself when handling it. You can apply petroleum jelly on the skin around your nails to guard it against the acetone. It’s also smart to tear the cotton balls you use into smaller pieces that are close to the sizes of your finger nails. This way, they’re less likely to soak your surrounding skin with the acetone.
Don’t worry; all this may seem daunting, but these are relatively straightforward precautions that will help you remove nails or nail polish beautifully. It’s always better to lean on the side of caution when dealing with potentially hazardous substances.
