So, you’ve gotten some gorilla glue on your skin and you want it off. We know that feeling! Getting glue off of skin is a pain, and it can be even worse when the glue in question is gorilla glue.

This type of adhesive is tenacious and difficult to remove from skin. With that said, there are some ways on how to get gorilla glue off skin!

In this article we will explore how you can use water, oil-based solvents like nail polish remover or acetone (be careful with these!), dish soap, alcohol wipes and more that will help you in removing gorilla glue.

What is Gorilla Glue

Gorilla Glue is one of the most popular adhesives in our world today and was invented in the 1970s by a company called Gorilla Glue Corporation.

The eponymous glue is marketed for its strength and how difficult it can be to remove from surfaces once it has been applied, which is what gives the product its namesake gorilla name.

Gorilla glues are vinyl polymers that have been cross linked together into a lattice. Through the cross linking, they form a strong web of polymer chains that are very difficult to break apart without causing damage to surfaces or objects.

The vinyl polymers used in Gorilla Glue Corporation products include other chemicals such as solvents, plasticizers, and preservatives.

What Can You Use Gorilla Glue For?

Gorilla glue has many uses. You can use it to assemble furniture, as a craft adhesive for projects like papier mache or scrapbooking, and even in the art world.

You can also use it for household repairs like fixing loose tiles or putting together a broken vase. You can use gorilla glue by itself with no other materials needed but you may need more if you’re doing a larger project.

How To Get Gorilla Glue Off Skin

When applying Gorilla glue to any of your projects you may end up getting it on your skin.

Time is crucial when you have Gorilla Glue on your skin. You may be lucky enough to notice it right away, while it’s still wet or you may not notice it and the Gorilla glue has hardened.

Here are a few tips and techniques that cover removing Gorilla glue from skin whether it’s hard or soft:

How To Remove Gorilla Glue From Skin with Warm Soapy Water

You have about a minute to get Gorilla glue off hands and skin before the Gorilla glue dries. If you notice it right away, you can wash it off with warm soapy water. The glue will start to harden quickly so act fast if you get any on your skin!

The best way to do this is to keep some paper towels or a clean cloth as well as a small basin or bucket filled with warm soapy water next to the project you’re working on so you can wash the glue off your skin quickly.

Scrubbing

A pumice stone can be your best friend when it comes to removing hardened Gorilla glue from your skin. Grab some baby oil and put it on the affected area.

You’ll want to use a circular motion as you rub the oil over the glue. This will help to soften the glue so you can use the pumice stone to scrub and remove the glue.

Best Pumice Stone for Scrubbing

Use Vegetable Oil

You can use vegetable oil to clean off the top layer of gorilla glue. It is a non-toxic, natural method that works well on skin and hair as well!

Take a small amount of vegetable oil and apply it to  the area where the glue is. Let it sit for a few minutes before using an oil-free cotton pad or tissue to remove the excess residue. Make sure you don’t rub it in and only gently dab the area!

Use Nail Polish Remover

Polish remover has a chemical in it called Acetone. In my opinion, this is the best way to remove Gorilla Glue from your skin or any other surface for that matter.

Pour a generous amount of remover onto a cotton ball and rub it on the glue. Then wash away with some soapy warm water.

One thing you need to know is that it will cause your skin to dry out, so make sure to apply some moisturizer afterwards.

Get Pronto Professional Remover

Remove Gorilla Glue from Skin Using Rubbing Alcohol

If the Gorilla glue has already hardened, use rubbing alcohol (or isopropyl alcohol) to get the glue off your skin.

This removes all of the adhesive residue without damaging the skin. Rubbing alcohol is like acetone in finger polish remover.

Pour some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball or paper towel. Soak the affected area until all of the dry Gorilla glue is removed from skin.

If you are having trouble getting rid of the excess residue, use a different cotton swab dipped in more rubbing alcohol to wipe away any remaining glue stuck onto your skin.

Much like finger polish remover, this will dry out your skin so you will want to use a moisturizer afterwards.

Getting Gorilla Glue From Skin with WD-40

WD-40 can also be effective for getting Gorilla glue from your skin. It is a very powerful and versatile product that you can use for many things.

It can also be used to remove gum, grease and other residue as well as Gorilla Glue. If you decide to try this method, you’ll want to be careful because you can get some skin irritation and try not to inhale while applying.

Simply spray some WD-40 on a clean rag or towel and hold on the glue for a couple of minutes. Once you remove the towel you should notice the Gorilla glue peeling off.

You Can Get WD-40 Here

Remove Gorilla Glue with Lacquer Thinner or Paint Thinner

Lacquer thinner or paint thinner can also be used as an effective solvent for removing Gorilla glue from skin without damage.

Pour lacquer thinner on a cloth and rub it across the affected area to remove. It may take a few minutes to see results.

Petroleum Jelly

Using petroleum jelly can be an effective way for getting Gorilla glue off your skin without damage. Rub the petroleum jelly into your skin until all of the glue is removed from it and then wash off with soap and water.

Hand Lotion

Hand lotion works the same way as petroleum jelly. If you only have a little Gorilla glue on your hand or skin, hand lotion should work.

How To Get Gorilla Glue Off Skin with Citrus – Lemons, Limes, Oranges, Grapefruits

Using any of these citrus juices can be another way to remove Gorilla glue, although I think lemon juice works best to get the glue off your skin. All these juices have acidic content which helps break down the glue.

Squeeze about one-third of a cup of lemon juice into two cups of warm water and rub on the glue. If you have damaged skin, this could sting a bit.

Use a Hair Dryer

This trick works well if you have enough time! Plug in your hair dryer and simply aim it at the trouble spot using the hair dryer’s lowest setting.

It will take a while, but it should eventually loosen up and peel away! This is also how you get glue off of fabric as well so if this doesn’t work for your skin, try using it on clothing, carpet or curtains instead!

Rub with Dish Soap

Using dish soap is another way to remove gorilla glue. Simply rub a little bit of dish soap on the gorilla glue for about 30 seconds and it should start to break up.

How To Get Gorilla Glue Off Skin with Goo Gone

Goo Gone is designed to remove most types of glue from skin and surfaces. It can be found in the cleaning section at any grocery store or hardware store and costs around $12-$15 for an 11 oz container.

To use Goo Gone, simply spray or rub liberally over the surface of the gorilla glue until it becomes wet/dissolved.

Allow to sit for a few minutes before wiping off with a dry cloth – don’t try scrubbing! Scrubbing will break down how strong the chemicals are.

You Can Get Goo Gone Here

Shaving Cream and Razor

You only want to use this method if the glue is on a flat surface of your skin to avoid cuts. Just put some shaving cream on the glue, dip your razor into some warm water and shave the dried Gorilla glue from your skin.

Have You Glued Your Fingers Together?

Don’t laugh, this happens a lot. If you get your fingers glued together, never try to pull them apart. You can rip off skin and it will be very painful.

Here’s a quick way to separate your fingers without hurting them. Fill up a small bowl or container with acetone or nail polish remover, put your stuck fingers in the solution for at least 3-5 minutes.

Take your fingers out of the acetone or polish remover and use a fingernail from your other hand to gently try to pry the fingers apart.

You can also try to use a pen or pencil to apply pressure by rolling in between the fingers.

Using Gorilla Glue Without Getting It On Your Skin

If you want to avoid having to use these tips by not even getting Gorilla glue or any glue on your sensitive skin in the first place, here are a couple of suggestions.

• Wear gloves and protective clothing to protect your arms.
• Instead of using your fingers, start using toothpicks or cotton buds when you apply the glue.

Gorilla Glue FAQ’s

While we have tried to cover all the different ways to remove Gorilla glue from skin, these are some frequently asked questions about how to get Gorilla glue off of different things.

How To Remove Gorilla Glue From Glass?

You can use acetone to remove the glue. Gently dab at it with a cotton ball soaked in acetone.. Let it soak in for 5 to 10 minutes and then use a credit card or razor blade to scrape off.

How To Remove Gorilla Glue From Wood?

Dampen a paper towel with acetone and quickly scrub over the glue stain. Use a paint scraper to remove what’s left.

How To Remove Gorilla Glue From Clothing?

Let the Gorilla Glue dry on the clothing. Rub the glue carefully and gently as to not make holes in the clothes or wear down the fibers. If the glue doesn’t come off, use nail polish remover.

Acetone is not good for some fabrics. Test a hidden spot first before you try to remove the glue from clothing.

If everything is okay, use a soft cloth and some acetone to clean the stain gently. This can take some time to dissolve.

Once the glue is gone, wash the clothes as usual. Don’t put your stained clothing in the dryer. The heat causes stains to set in.

How To Get Gorilla Glue Out of Carpet?

Use a cloth and dampen it with rubbing alcohol. Set the dampened cloth on the affected area for 5-10 minutes and hopefully this will soften the glue. You can then remove it from the carpet with a little scrubbing.

How To Remove Gorilla Glue From Hair?

The best way for removing dried Gorilla glue from the affected area is with baby oil, olive oil or almond oil. Massage it in for 5-6 minutes.

Leave the oil in your hair for at least 15 minutes. Then use a fine tooth comb to carefully comb out the softened glue.

Is Gorilla Glue Harmful?

Gorilla glue is not harmful to your skin but the glue for some people can cause irritation and make the skin red. If this happens you can rub some baby oil on it and this should help.

Gorilla Glue is harmful if inhaled and can cause gastrointestinal blockage if ingested by people or pets.

Some people can get a bad reaction to from inhaling these fumes. They can make someone with allergies have a runny nose, itchy eyes, and irritated lungs.

Make sure to work in a well ventilated area. Turn on a fan, or work outside. Another choice is to hold your breath while applying Gorilla glue and leave the area after application.

If the glue is swallowed it can irritate your throat and mouth and can cause gastrointestinal blockage. Even if you swallow a little bit of Gorilla glue, it can expand and fill your whole stomach. It can then harden into a big mass that cannot be passed through either end.

How To Get Gorilla Glue Off Skin – Conclusion

Gorilla glue is a very sticky adhesive and it can be hard to get glue off hands and skin, but hopefully these tips and techniques will help you get Gorilla glue off skin!

Any other tricks for removing Gorilla glue from skin that we should know about or share with our readers? We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Share them in the comments below!

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