A Penny Saved...Not Worth the Headache Earned

The Question:

How DO you get nail polish out of carpet?

The Recap:

Wednesday 11.45 p.m.

In an effort to save money during this 'underemployment' period, I decided to economize and rather than go to my local nail salon, I would do my own mani/pedi at home (salon price $25). So I hunker down for my evening Sex and the City ritual and proceed to polish. Afterwards, I spray my nails with quick dry, wait a few more minutes and begin to prepare for bed. At which time, I scoop up my nail products to put them away and for some reason, the polish cap hadn't been replaced tight and the entire bottle of Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ (O.P.I.) went crashing to the floor but not without splashing this beautiful shade of BBQ onto my coffee table, sofa and BEIGE carpet! I was so angry with myself! I've been polishing my nails since I was twelve and, although I've spilled a drop here or there on various surfaces which I was able to easily remove, I've NEVER spilled on furniture or carpet! I was beside myself. I was so upset with this fumble, I couldn't even address it. If I tried to clean it up while it was wet, it would just smear all over more of the carpet. In my experience with nail polish, it's usually best to leave it alone and let it dry. Then it can often be 'picked' off more easily. I took several long deep breaths and made myself walk away from this disaster. I'm so pissed off at myself, I don't even know where to begin anyway. I'd have to deal with it in the morning. After my own nails were also fully dry.

Thursday 9.00 a.m.

I walked into my living room only to find the nail polish debacle was, in fact, real. Not a dream as I had hoped. It's not only there, but it's baaaad. I couldn't have spilled the clear topcoat, or some softer less noticeable color like 'flesh' or 'nude'. No, I always were bright or dark colors. Great. I donned my rubber gloves and began with the first product of choice. Nail polish remover. Well, as any of you know, nail polish remover is tricky business and must be dealt with the utmost care. I used the non-acetone version. I was afraid of what the acetone might do to my carpet. Which by the way was brand new when I moved in and I've treated it with kid gloves for the past year. I always remove my shoes and ask my guests to do the same. I am careful about eating from the sofa and vacuum regularly.

The non-acetone remover was not really doing much of anything.

Thursday 9.30 a.m. Put out an A.P.B.

Call first friend, W, to get advice. "Use Spot Shot," she says. "That stuff is amazing. It takes out EVERYTHING." Cool, I happen to have some on hand. Probably from some other mishap that she advised me on previously. I Spot Shot the spot. No luck. Nothing. I scrub and scrub. Rub and rub. Circular motions. First my right hand, then my left. Still nothing happening. I have some K2 spot remover in the closet. I give that a try. No results.

Note: The stain does come off the sofa and the coffee table, but it's the carpet now that is the major concern. First of all, it's not mine! The stain is in the middle of the room. I can't hide it.

I call second friend, J, leaving my 911 distress message on her voice mail. When I hang up, third friend, KO, happens to ring up. "So glad you called. I'm having a melt down," I explain my dilemma. She has two small children and drinks loads of red wine. She is the master of spill cleanup. "Oxyclean," she says simply. "That works every time. I've used it on red wine, kid spills, you name it. If that doesn't work, just get the checkbook out, cause you're screwed." Okay, not what I want to hear. I'm not working, remember...I was trying to save money. However, I have hope that this Oxyclean actually is the miracle potion. I'll pick some up this afternoon. But before I leave, I try the Spot Shot one more time. Nope.

11.00 a.m.

Second friend, J, calls and leaves a detailed message on my voicemail while I'm talking with KO. She reads off an Internet printout her husband gave her. It pretty much goes like this:

"Keep the stain wet (great, first thing and I've already blown that!)
Use hot water.
Spray 15-20 shots of hair spray onto the stain, use rubbing alcohol and hot water.
Very important to keep the stain wet (Again with the wet thing!)
Rub in with a small brush.
Can also try hydrogen peroxide, brake fluid cleaner, hair removal cream (huh??), nail varnish remover (but, they advise, be very careful with that), hot water, Oxyclean. "

Hmmm, two people said Oxyclean. Must be some good stuff. I go out for my afternoon dog walks and errands. Pick up the Oxyclean (5.99) on my way home.

4.00 p.m.

Spray Oxyclean onto the stains. Scrub scrub scrub with old toothbrush. Rummage through closet for old white T-shirt to use as a clean rag for more scrubbing. The stain is smearing, and festering. But not coming out. My small muscle groups are getting a workout from all the scrubbing. I continue to work on this project until 6.30 when I have to go to a friend's for dinner. I literally have to step away from this little project to stop from messing with it. I'm obsessed!

11.30 p.m.

I come home and immediately check on my stain. Yes, it's still there. I go to bed exhausted. But not until I try more spraying and scrubbing. I even had all cleaning products lined up around the stain as if they were trying to bully the stain out just by being present.

Friday 9.00 a.m.

I'm at it again.

I email fourth and fifth friends, KSM and LB, for further advice. KSM is a property manager and has more than likely run across stubborn stains in her line of work. LB has a background in fashion design and is an expert on fabrics.

10.00 a.m.

KSM writes back after having consulted with her 'carpet guru' who suggested WD40 based on the oily composition of the nail polish. But he doesn't hold out for much results since the stain has probably already dried and set in (aarrrggh). Next time he's in my area, he'll stop in and take a look.

LB suggests I get a remnant from my landlord and patch the carpet. Or, since I'm trying to keep my landlord out of this whole scenario, I can pull a piece from a closet or around my hot water heater and use that to patch the area without it being noticeable. I'm really doubting my ability to patch a carpet without it being noticeable. However, I'll take both of these bits of advice into consideration. Thanks, girls.

I rummage through my medicine closet and find some Acetone Nail Varnish Remover and small grooming scissors. What the heck. I may as well try it if my next option is to cut the stain out and patch it up anyway! What do I have to lose at this point? I begin to snip away at the carpet fibers. But it's too big a job for these little scissors. The stain seems to go deep into the carpet roots. Oooh, but the Acetone remover is kinda working. I go find another white shirt to rip up and keep at it. I even go so far as to pour the remover right onto the carpet. A dangerous move for sure. Unfortunately, I only had a small amount of the remover in the bottle and I ran out too quickly. I need more.

12.00 noon:

I leave again to go walk the dogs and make yet another store run (giving the stain one more squirt of Oxyclean on my way out the door). I buy Acetone Nail Polish Remover (1.69) , Brake Fluid (2.99) and WD40 (2.49)! I'm not getting anything else done. The past two days have been consumed by this nail polish cleanup project. And I'm starting to feel like the Karate Kid, 'wax on, wax off.'

4.00 pm.

I'm home again with my new bag of tricks. Once again I don the rubber gloves awaiting me. Get down on all fours with my white rags, hot water, and toothbrush. Eeny meany, mighty moe. Which weird flammable product shall I try next? I know the Acetone remover was beginning to work a little. But for some reason I go with one of the other less obvious liquids. I reach for the "super heavy duty Pennzoil brake fluid. I dabbed a bit onto my white rag, rubbed it gently onto the worse part of the stain. By now I'm beginning to worry a bit about all the chemicals I've been dousing onto my carpet for the past two days. I'm expecting to walk into the room and find the area smoldering from self-combustion.

Low and behold, it was working! The brake fluid was working and it was working quite well. I kept at it, working it vigorously and steadily into the stains until the entire stain was gone! I was elated! Oh the joy! The relief! After almost two full days, several dollars, and more angst than I care to have in my 'stress free' life, I could finally relax and move on to do something else with my time (like find a job).

6.30 p.m.

Friend, W, comes by to pick me up for an evening out. She came up to my apt to check out my work. She takes a look, circles the area, scrutinizing the carpet. She looks up at me and says with a laugh, "I think you're going to get away with this!"

Saturday 2.30 a.m.

Came home after a night on the town. Went to bed peacefully....but not without first checking on my carpet one more time. My stain free, beige carpet.

Thanks to all my friends who offered great advice...and to the lucky penny I picked up earlier in the day!