Super glue is cyanoacrylate. It polymerizes in seconds with surface moisture, which is why a drip that looked liquid at 10:00 is a hard ridge by 10:01. Removal is a solvent problem, not a scraping problem — and the solvent that works on a fresh smear is not the one you want on skin, eyes, or a phone screen.
This page covers hard surfaces, fabric, and tools. If the glue is on skin, use the dedicated skin removal guide instead. Eyelash adhesive is the same chemistry with a worse location: how to get eyelash glue off.
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What actually dissolves cyanoacrylate
We maintain a solvent-effectiveness matrix for every adhesive type in the directory, split into uncured and cured ratings. For cyanoacrylate the household-relevant rows look like this:
| Solvent | Uncured | Cured | Use at home? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acetone | High | Medium | Yes, with ventilation. First choice for rigid, solvent-safe surfaces. |
| Ethyl acetate | High | Medium | Yes. Often the active in nail-polish remover blends. |
| Isopropyl alcohol | Medium | Low | Yes. Useful on fresh glue; weak on a fully polymerized film. |
| Ethanol | Medium | Low | Yes. Same class as IPA, slightly weaker. |
| D-limonene | High | Low | Yes for residue cleanup, not for a thick cured bead. |
| Commercial CA debonder | High | Medium–high | Yes. Formulated for this job; follow the label. |
| Toluene, MEK, THF, DCM | High | Medium | No. Lab/industrial only. They work, and they are not a kitchen-counter product. |
| Benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride | High / medium | Medium / low | Never. Present in the matrix as chemistry, not as a how-to. |
The pattern is boring and useful: polar ketones and esters attack the polymer; alcohols only help while the glue is still wet; chlorinated solvents work and have no place in a house.
Uncured vs cured — pick the method before you pick the solvent
If the glue still smears, you are in the uncured window. Wipe with a dry paper towel first, then IPA. Water accelerates cyanoacrylate, so a wet rag makes a thin smear worse.
If it chips like glass, it is cured. Acetone or a debonder has to swell the polymer until you can roll it off. That takes minutes, not seconds. Mechanical force on a brittle film just drives chips into the grain of wood or the weave of fabric.
Method 1 — Acetone on hard, solvent-safe surfaces
- Confirm the surface survives acetone. Safe: glass, glazed ceramic, most metals, many thermoset worktops. Unsafe or risky: acrylic (Plexiglas), polycarbonate, ABS, vinyl flooring, lacquer, oil-based paint, some laminates.
- Ventilate. Acetone vapors are flammable. No pilot lights, no cigarettes.
- Soak a cotton pad with 100% acetone and hold it on the bead for 2–5 minutes. Re-wet. Do not flood electronics or unsealed wood.
- Roll or lift the softened film with a plastic scraper or a fingernail. Repeat. Stop if the finish clouds.
- Wash with soapy water so the solvent does not keep attacking the finish.
On metal tools, a short acetone soak in a glass jar is faster than dabbing. Dry and oil the steel so it does not flash-rust.
Method 2 — Commercial debonder
A dedicated cyanoacrylate debonder is the right tool for a thick fillet on a model, a nozzle, or a clamp. De-Glue Goo is a gel, which stays put on a vertical surface better than thin acetone. Apply, wait the label time, lift, then wash. Debonders still attack some plastics — test on a hidden edge.
Method 3 — Heat, freeze, and mechanical lift (no solvent)
Use this when acetone is banned: car paint, phone screens, varnished furniture, ABS, polycarbonate.
- Freeze: ice pack or a sealed bag of ice for 10–15 minutes. Brittle glue cracks. Flex fabric or pop the chip off a rigid part.
- Heat: a hair dryer, not a heat gun, on a metal or ceramic part. Soften, then wipe. Heat on plastic warps the part before the glue yields.
- Dental floss / guitar string: saw under a blob sitting on a flat top, then clean the haze with IPA.
Fabric, carpet, and clothing
Work from the back of the stain. Place a towel under the fabric. Freeze first to crack the bead, pick off the solids, then dab acetone on a cotton swab. Stop the moment dye transfers to the swab. On leather and suede, skip acetone; use the vinyl/leatherette approach in the leatherette glue guide only if you are bonding, not stripping — for removal, a tiny amount of debonder on a Q-tip, then saddle soap.
What not to do
- Do not pry with a razor on glass that might be tempered, or on phone glass. You will chip the panel.
- Do not use a propane torch. Cyanoacrylate can release irritant fumes when burned.
- Do not soak a whole garment in acetone. You will delaminate prints and melt acetate lining.
- Do not put “industrial strength” solvents from the matrix on a kitchen spill because the rating said high. The rating is chemistry, not a shopping list.
Prevent the next mess
Gel formulas stay where you put them. Loctite Super Glue Gel Control is a control gel: slower run, same chemistry. For a bond you might want to reverse, PVA or a removable tape is a better design than CA. If you are choosing glue rather than removing it, match both materials before you open a bottle.
FAQ
Does acetone remove cured super glue?
Yes, slowly. Our matrix rates acetone high on uncured cyanoacrylate and medium once the film is fully polymerized. Dwell time matters more than volume.
What dissolves super glue besides acetone?
Ethyl acetate and commercial CA debonders. IPA only helps while the glue is fresh. Toluene and dichloromethane work in a lab and are not household products.
Will super glue come off clothes?
Often, if you freeze and pick first, then spot-test acetone from the back. Some synthetics lose dye or sheen. Accept a small mark before you accept a hole.
How do I get super glue off a countertop?
Plastic scraper plus a short acetone dwell on solvent-safe laminate or metal. Unfinished wood needs scraping and refinishing, not a solvent bath.