Acetone: Beauty, Industrial Uses, Possible Hazards (2025)

Acetone is a chemical commonly used in industrial, cleaning, and household products, such as nail polish remover. It's also naturally produced in small amounts in your body and throughout the environment.

While most people are not exposed to enough of the chemical for it to be harmful, experts recommend some safety tips regarding acetone use and exposure.

What Has Acetone In It?

This clear, flammable liquid has a distinct smell and taste. Because it evaporates quickly and is easily dissolved in water, acetone has many, different uses.

Cosmetic Uses

Acetone is perhaps most commonly known for its use as a nail polish remover. It works by breaking down and stripping the polish from the nail plate. In addition to removing regular nail polish, acetone can also be safe for removinggel nail polish.

Acetone is not generally used in other cosmetic products. However, some temporary hair color, glitter sprays, and at-home false nail glue remover may contain small amounts.

Cleaning Uses

When it comes to household use, acetone is often found in cleaning products. As a deep cleaning agent, acetone may be used for the following:

• Dissolve acetate, which is another chemical found in linens and home furnishing items
• Dissolve super glue from surfaces
• Erase scuffs on tile and laminate flooring
• Help remove stubborn clothing and surface stains as a result of paints, adhesives, melted plastics, soap scum, and more
• Remove sticker adhesive from glass and metal surfaces without damage

Check the product label to confirm whether acetone is a listed ingredient in household cleaning products.

Tobacco Product Uses

Smoking products, including tobacco cigarettes and vaping devices, also release acetone when used. Acetone and other chemicals are emitted into the air when smoked (traditional and electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes ), so exposure occurs with the person using the tobacco product and anyone in the vicinity who is exposed to secondhand smoke.

Extraction Uses

Acetone is also sometimes used to extract a by-product from a plant, likerosemary, for an essential oil or other product. This involves soaking the plant in acetone, straining it, and allowing the acetone to evaporate. The remaining product would be the rosemary (or other plant) that's been extracted.

For these purposes, acetone works because it evaporates quickly, has a low boiling point, is organic and nontoxic in small amounts, and is more cost-effective than other solvents used in extraction processes.

How Naturally Occurring Acetone Differs

Naturally occurring acetone is found in small amounts in the human body and the environment. It differs from the acetone used in household products and other industrial items.

Low acetone levels are usually present in the body from body fat breakdown. In addition, people are exposed to small amounts of acetone from drinking water, eating food, or breathing air containing acetone.

Acetone Safety: What Is Hazardous or Poisonous?

Most people are regularly exposed to small amounts of acetone at levels that aren't directly harmful. This differs from exposure to higher, more dangerous amounts of acetone, which can be toxic and damaging to the airways, eyes, skin, and internal organs.

Potentially hazardous levels of acetone are present in the following situations:

• Working around large industrial machinery, plastic manufacturing, or hazardous waste sites
• Working in commercial painting, household cleaning, and beauty salon industries
• Consuming food or water that's been contaminated with acetone
• Living near certain landfill or emission source sites

Other circumstances where some additional acetone exposure may occur include:

• Smoking tobacco products or breathing in secondhand tobacco smoke
• Frequently using acetone products, like nail polish remover, or being in enclosed spaces where these products are used

Research suggests that the chances of experiencing a life-threatening medical issue from acetone exposure are rare.

Acetone Alternatives

You may be worried about acetone exposure from regular household or cleaning products, but chances are you are already using a safer version of the chemical.

The American Chemical Society (ACS)–grade (or reagent) acetone available to consumers is safer than technical-grade acetone used for industrial purposes. ACS-grade acetone is approved for use in certain medical procedures and pharmaceuticals and as an indirect additive in food packaging.

There are a few anecdotal at-home tactics for those specifically seeking an alternative to nail polish remover. However, these alternatives are not necessarily scientifically proven.

Consider looking into the following:

• A mixture of orange juice (or lemon juice) and vinegar: When applied to the nails, this mixture can soften the polish due to its high acidity levels.
• Toothpaste: When applied to the nails and then gently buffed with a nail file, toothpaste may scrape away the polish.
• Baking soda: As a natural abrasive, baking soda can be massaged across nails with a damp washcloth to (slowly) scuff off the layer of polish.
• Soy-based nail polish remover: A plant-based formula found in some specialty stores is gentler on nails and skin than acetone nail polish remover.
  

Steps to Minimizing Acetone Health Risks

Experts recommend a few tips to help minimize your exposure to acetone and any potential health risks. To start, consider reducing the amount of time spent around chemicals overall whenever possible and avoiding smoking tobacco and inhaling secondhand smoke.

When using acetone around the house in cleaning products, take precautions such as:

• Avoiding mixing acetone with other chemicals like hydrogen peroxide or chlorine
• Avoiding using acetone near an open flame or hot surfaces because it's flammable
• Keeping the area well-ventilated
• Opening a window for proper ventilation in case of accidental acetone product spills
• Storing acetone-containing products in a cool, well-ventilated place
  
• Supervising children and keeping them away from products containing acetone
• Wearing gloves

Summary

Acetone is a chemical found naturally in the environment and the body and is also produced for industrial, cleaning, and household uses. While low levels of exposure to acetone occur on a regular basis from breathing air, drinking water, eating food, and using products containing the chemical, some people who work in industrial careers may be exposed to acetone in greater quantities.

Research suggests that acetone is generally safe in small amounts, and it would be rare to experience a life-threatening medical issue due to acetone exposure. Still, it is a good idea to take some safety precautions when using consumer acetone products, like wearing gloves if applicable, ensuring proper ventilation, avoiding contact with open flames or hot surfaces, and keeping it away from children.