How to Open Nail Polish

Knowing how to open nail polish seems rather obvious, right? All you need to do is twist the cap and voila.

Except, sometimes it isn’t that easy.

What happens if your nail polish bottle is stuck and refuses to open? No matter how many times you’ve twisted and pulled, it just won’t budge.

We’ve all been there. It’s annoying and you might be trying to contain a screech of frustration. We know your pain.

But not to worry, we have a solution for you.

What This Article Covers:

How To Open A Stuck Nail Polish Bottle

We’ve all had a stuck polish bottle at some point. It’s a pain to get open and incredibly frustrating. Especially if you had your heart set on that nail polish color .

You know how to swirl nail polish to remove any lumps but it’s useless if you can’t get the polish open.

The good news is that there’s an easy solution: use hot water.

Use Hot Water

Hold the lid of the nail polish bottle under running hot water. The water needs to be as hot as possible but be careful not to let it touch the bottle too much.

Hold it under the water for 30-seconds. This is the quickest and easiest way to open a stuck nail polish bottle. In fact, this method will work on just about any glass container with a stuck lid.

how to open a stuck nail polish bottle

The heat from the water expands the metal, while also softening any dried polish. This loosens the lid, making it easier to twist off. Hot water can also thin out nail polish that has turned lumpy.

If you’re worried about burning your hand, soak the cap in a bowl of hot water. Hold the bottle upside down so that the water won’t touch the bottle too much.

Since most nail polish bottles are glass, they could crack in hot water.

If you’re soaking in a bowl, you’ll need to let the lid soak for about 5-minutes.

Once you’re done with the hot water, carefully dry the top so it’ll be cool enough to touch. You can now twist the cap open.

Extra Steps if Hot Water Doesn’t Work

If the hot water didn’t help, the bottle might need a little extra nudge.

For an extra grip on the slippery cap, wrap a rubber band around it. This will provide you with extra leverage when twisting the cap.

If that still doesn’t work, then the water might not have softened the dried polish enough. Soak a Q-tip in nail polish remover and try to get it between the cap and the neck of the bottle.

Once you’re satisfied, run the hot water over the cap again for the designated time. Dry the cap and try twisting it again.

Preventative Measures

If you want to prevent struggling to open nail polish in the future, there are a few things you can do.

The most obvious one is wiping away any polish that coats the neck of the bottle before sealing it. Since it's the dried polish between the cap and the neck that causes it to get stuck.

Having nail polish inside the cap will cause the same problem.

Are you wondering how to clean a nail polish brush to prevent this in the future? You can soak the brush in nail polish remover and then in soapy water. Rinse the brush with plain water and then allow it to dry a bit.

You also need to be careful where you store your nail polish. The best way to store nail polish is in a cool, dry place.

how to open a nail polish bottle

Constant temperature changes will expand and contract the cap, causing it to become stuck. This will turn the nail polish thick and clumpy as well.

The temperature needs to be consistently cool. Not too hot or too cold. Our article on can nail polish freeze discusses the effects of cold temperatures.

Final Note

Opening a stuck nail polish bottle doesn’t have to be difficult.

All you need is hot water, an elastic band, and some nail polish remover. Remember to avoid getting the bottle too hot or it might crack. And be careful not to burn yourself either.

To prevent any more stuck nail polish bottles, clean the neck of the bottle after every use. With no dried polish between the bottleneck and the cap, there shouldn’t be any more problems.

If you found this helpful, try our article on how to make nail polish last longer in the bottle.

Good luck with your stuck nail polish bottle and happy nail painting.

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