Super glue is a cyanoacrylate glue that sticks to everything just about instantly. But, if you spill it or accidentally stick items together, how do you remove super glue? Here’s the answer, based on chemistry and the advice of the glue manufacturers.
Key Points
- Remove super glue or any cyanoacrylate glue using acetone or a product specifically made to remove it (e.g., Goof Off).
- Acetone is not appropriate for all materials. It damages plastic, varnish, and many natural fibers and is not appropriate for use near the eyes, nose, or mouth.
- For skin, eyes, and mouth, letting the glue weaken and detach on its own is best. However, acetone in small amounts is fine on unbroken skin and nails. Peeling glue off skin is a viable option.
- Isopropyl alcohol weakens super glue on plastic, wood, and fabric and may loosen it enough for scraping it away.
How Super Glue Works
“Super Glue”, “Loctite”, and “Krazy Glue” are brand names for a type of adhesive containing ethyl cyanoacrylate and similar esters. The cyanoacrylate monomer subunit polymerizes when it reacts with water, either as a liquid, from skin, or in the air. Specifically, the hydroxide ions from water react with the cyanoacrylate and connect the chains:
The ends of the chains readily adhere to most surfaces, even smooth ones.
How to Remove Super Glue
The long chains make an excellent adhesive, but they have a couple of weaknesses that aid in their removal. First, the polymer has a low shearing strength. What this means is that it’s pretty easy tearing or abrading super glue.
Also, the nature of the chemical bonds connecting the subunits makes them susceptible to attack by various chemicals. Solvents that dissolve super glue include acetone, nitromethane, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, gamma-butyrolactone, and propylene carbonate. Most of these chemicals are neither widely available nor particularly safe. However, acetone is readily available as nail polish remover or as a hardware store solvent. Propylene carbonate is the active ingredient in commercial debonders.
Heat also weakens the polymer chains. Keep this in mind in removal situations.
Despite what Reddit and Quora tell you, vinegar, alcohol, soap, turpentine, oil, etc. are not very helpful for removing super glue!
How to Remove Super Glue From Specific Materials
Glass, Metal, Stone
Use acetone for removing super glue from nonporous inorganic materials. Soak a paper towel, apply it to the glue, and wipe the area clean.
Plastic, Resin, Varnish, Synthetic Fabric
Acetone attacks most plastics and resins in much the same way that it unbonds cyanoacrylate glue. Try a commercial debonder, but test a small section of the material first. Another option is loosening the bonded area using isopropyl alcohol. Unfortunately, the solution often involves sanding or filing.
Cotton, Linen, Hair, Fiberglass
Cyanoacrylate participates in an exothermic reaction with natural fibrous materials. These include cotton, wool, silk, cotton balls, yarn, and fiberglass. The outlook for removing super glue from these materials is not good because the glue actively damages them. Try acetone or a commercial product. Also note that heat damages super glue, so judiciously heating an area may make flaking away the glue possible.
Eyes, Nose, Mouth
Getting super glue in your eyes is a medical emergency because the glue reacts with the cornea, producing heat, releasing irritating chemicals, and causing abrasion. First aid involves rinsing the eyes with sterile saline and seeking medical attention. Because the surface of the eye regenerates so quickly, the glue usually detaches in a few days without causing permanent injury.
How does it happen? Typical scenarios involve dripping into the eyes while applying false eyelashes or accidentally mistaking super glue for an eye ointment.
Getting super glue in your nose or mouth produces irritation and sometimes a chemical burn. Rinse the affected area immediately. Seek medical attention in the event of a burn, severe allergic reaction, or respiratory distress. Note that these reactions are uncommon and the toxicity of the chemicals is pretty low. Usually the glue detaches on its own.
How does it happen? Options include pranks and uncapping glue using teeth.
Skin and Nails
Remove super glue from skin or nails using acetone. Alternatively, rinse the affected area with warm, soap water and gently peel away the glue. Applying lotion, oil, or butter helps lubricate the skin. Roll the edge of the glue away from the top of the skin rather than trying to pull stuck skin apart.
How to Remove Epoxy Glue
People often group super glue or cyanoacrylate glue together with epoxy glue. However, the adhesives are not the same, so their removal differs. With epoxy glue, removal options are wider and include isopropyl alcohol, hand sanitizer that contains alcohol, acetone, turpentine or mineral spirits, vinegar, heat, or scrubbing. Removing cured epoxy is more difficult than loosening or dissolving it when it’s fresh, but still possible.
References
- Clarke, TFE (2011). “Superglue (Cyanoacrylate) in the Nose”. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. 64 (7): e170–3. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2011.03.009
- Ohara, Takashi; Sato, Takahisa; et al. (2020). “Acrylic Acid and Derivatives”. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. pp. 1–21. doi:10.1002/14356007.a01_161.pub4. ISBN 9783527303854.
- Petrie, Edward M. (2000). Handbook of Adhesives and Sealants. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-049888-4.
- Reddy, S.C. (2012). “Superglue injuries of the eye”. International Journal of Ophthalmology. 5 (5): 634–637. doi:10.3980/j.issn.2222-3959.2012.05.18