Gorilla Glue is specifically designed to create a strong bond that is not quickly broken. It will resist damage from water and changing temperatures, which is usually the downfall of lesser adhesives. Because of this, it is essential to be careful when using Gorilla Glue, as it is often a challenge to remove it. So, what do you do if you get gorilla glue on your skin or other objects? How are you supposed to know how to remove gorilla glue from skin and other surfaces? Look below.
Removing Gorilla Glue from Skin
Here are some options for how to get the glue off.
Use soap and water to wash the affected area
Mix a tablespoon worth of dish soap with about 2 cups of warm water. Submerge the glued in the water and let it soak for 5 minutes, at least. After the 5 minutes, get fresh water and soap, and repeat this process at least one more time. This will help the gorilla glue loosen from the skin.
Drop some citrus juice into the glue
Put a few drops of citrus juice right onto the glued skin. Or, you can also cut a lemon in half and press it directly on the glued skin. This would also work with lime. Keep whatever you used on the glued skin for about five minutes. The citric acid should start to break down the gorilla glue, hopefully making it fall away.
Be careful with this method. If you have any sores or cuts on your skin, the citrus acid can cause pain and irritation.
Apply some nail polish remover that is acetone-based
Put a cotton swab or ball in some nail polish remover. Soak the area of glued skin for around 6 to 10 minutes. After, take the glued skin wash it off the nail polish remover with warm, soapy water.
Make sure the nail polish remover is made with 100% acetone, as that will break down the gorilla glue.
Use a pumice stone to Exfoliate
Grab a pumice stone in one hand and rub it across the glued skin, back and forth. Apply enough pressure that you will be able to feel the drag of the gorilla glue, but not so much pressure that you begin to tear your skin. Repeat this process for a couple of minutes. The gorilla glue should start to separate away from the skin.
Rub the glued skin with some sugar or salt
Take a small bowl and mix a spoonful of sugar, salt, and enough water to moisten them. Rub this mixture on the glued skin with your fingers. After a minute or so, wipe it off, replace it with more of the mix, and keep rubbing the skin.
Rub some warm oil onto the glued skin
Use a microwave to heat a small bowl with sunflower oil, baby oil, coconut oil, or olive oil inside. Heat it for about 10 to 20 seconds. The oil should be warm but not burning hot. Take a cotton swab and use it to apply the oil onto the glued skin directly. Allow it to soak for around 3-4 minutes. If the gorilla glue does not dissolve after this, repeat the process until it does.
Allow it to just fall off naturally
Skin will naturally regrow. If the spot that has been glued is not too big or painful, wait and let it flake away naturally after around 5 or 6 days.
Apply some moisturizer afterward
After getting the gorilla glue off your skin, use some skin moisturizer to help keep your skin healthy after exposing it to the gorilla glue and whatever chemicals you used to get it off.
Do not pull the skin apart
After accidentally gluing your skin, you will feel an urge to try and yank it away from whatever you are glued to, don’t do this as it can heavily damage your skin. If you are in pain, you should seek medical attention.
As some added tips, look below to see how to remove Gorilla Glue from other objects.
Removing Gorilla Glue from Other Surfaces
Do a test
Find an area on the surface that is hidden. Take a cotton ball and soak it in the chemical you plan on using to remove the glue. Lay that wet cotton ball down onto the surface. Let the cotton ball sit there for about 5 minutes. Remove the cotton ball and see if the spot has any damage or discoloration. This will help you to know if it is safe to use that chemical on the surface.
Apply some acetone to the surface
100% acetone can be used to help loosen Gorilla Glue from both fabrics and hard surfaces. Grab a standard cotton ball and let it soak in some acetone. After that, place the acetone-soaked cotton ball on the top of the glued surface and let it sit there for about 5 minutes. Then, remove the cotton ball and use a rag damped by water to wipe down the surface. If the glue stays stuck, repeat this process until it is gone.
Be careful that you do not ever allow acetone to make contact with plastic surfaces. The acetone can further damage the plastic.
Use an isopropyl alcohol solution on any surfaces that are metal or non-plastic
Take a cotton ball or a paper towel that has been folded, and dampen it with isopropyl alcohol. Then, place it against the area that has been mistakenly glued. Allow the alcohol to sit for about 5 minutes on the surface. Remove the alcohol-soaked object and use warm and soapy water to wipe down the surface then. You should then use a putty knife to scrape away the glue that should now be loosened.
Use a blunt tool to peel away the glue if it has been stuck on a hard surface
Get a standard putty knife or any other similar tool and apply some pressure onto the glued area’s side. Use the means to make a small and gentle scraping motion to try and lift the edges of the glue-up. If the glue does not move, take a cotton ball soaked in acetone, apply it to the area, and try again.
Use a toothbrush to scrub fabric with.
Take the bit of fabric that accidentally got some gorilla glue on it and put a bit of soap and water or acetone onto it. Then, grab a spare toothbrush and use it to rub all over the area that got glued on it. For best results, try alternating between directions while you are rubbing, and you can also use a light jabbing motion with the toothbrush on the fabric as a way to try to flake away from the glue.
Wash any affected clothing and fabrics
After you have managed to remove all the glue that you can from the fabric’s surface, put it into a washing machine all by itself and run it on the warmest setting that it has. To avoid damaging the material any further, read the instructions on the label that came with the fabric to know how best to treat it.
It is usually a good idea to wait for the Gorilla Glue to fully dry on the fabric before completing this step. Doing this will help prevent the area of the material that has been glued from sticking onto another area of the fabric and ruining the fabric further.
Place a soaking wet cloth on plastic surfaces
It is not a very easy task if you manage to get gorilla glue onto plastic products and want to remove it. It can be complicated to remove the glue because solutions such as alcohol and acetone will end up eating right through the surface of any plastic. To get rid of the glue, you have to mix warm water and dish soap and soak a cotton cloth in it. Lay the fabric on the top of the area glued and leave it there for about 2 to 4 hours. During the 2 to 4 hours, you will want to keep the cloth moistened by slowly dripping more of the mixture of warm water and soap.
After 2 to 4 hours, remove the cotton cloth and wipe away the gorilla glue if it got dissolved. If the gorilla glue is still there, then try to scrub it out gently using a toothbrush.
Gorilla Glue is specifically designed to be a powerful and long-lasting glue. This is why it can be so frustrating when you want to remove the glue from a surface or your skin. But, now you know how to remove gorilla glue from skin and other surfaces so that next time it happens to you or someone you know, you will be able to help fix it!
