Acetone is a strong solvent — the main ingredient in nail polish remover, and widely used for cleaning, degreasing and thinning. It dissolves oils, resins and plastics. It is not a medicine, though your body makes it naturally, and a smell of it on the breath can be a warning sign worth recognising.
What is Acetone?
Acetone is not a registered medicine and does not appear on the South African Medicine Price Registry. It is an industrial and household solvent, sold in hardware shops, pharmacies and beauty suppliers.
Chemically it is the simplest ketone — a clear, colourless, highly volatile liquid with a sharp sweetish smell. It mixes with both water and oils, which is unusual and is precisely what makes it such a versatile solvent: it dissolves things that water cannot touch, then rinses away with water.
It evaporates very quickly, taking heat with it — which is why nail polish remover feels cold on the skin.
Your body makes acetone. It is one of the three ketone bodies produced by the liver when fat is broken down for energy — during fasting, on a ketogenic diet, and in uncontrolled diabetes. This is the origin of the “fruity” or “nail polish remover” smell on the breath, and recognising it matters, which is covered below.
Acetone is not the same as “acetone-free” remover. Acetone-free products use ethyl acetate or similar solvents — gentler on nails and skin, considerably slower, and largely ineffective on gel or acrylic.
It is highly flammable. Its vapour is heavier than air, travels along surfaces, and can be ignited by a spark some distance from the container. This is the risk people most often underestimate.
What is Acetone commonly used for?
Around the home:
- Nail polish remover — its best-known use, and the only one that reliably removes gel and acrylic.
- Removing superglue from skin, surfaces and fabric.
- Removing sticker residue, tape adhesive and price labels.
- Degreasing surfaces before painting or gluing.
- Thinning and removing paint, varnish and lacquer.
- Cleaning paintbrushes used with oil-based products.
- Removing permanent marker from hard surfaces.
- Cleaning electronics contacts, in careful use.
- Removing scuff marks from tiles and porcelain.
Industrially: manufacturing plastics and fibres, as a laboratory solvent, and in cosmetics manufacture.
In medicine and testing:
- Skin preparation before some procedures.
- Urine ketone testing strips, which detect ketones including acetone.
- Breath testing in diabetes and ketogenic diet monitoring.
What acetone is not used for is treating anything. It has no therapeutic use applied to skin or taken internally, and it should never be swallowed, inhaled deliberately, or applied to wounds.
How Acetone fits into this medicine category
It does not. It appears here as a chemical people look up, and its genuine medical relevance is as a ketone rather than as a product:
| Context | Relevance |
|---|---|
| Ketone bodies | Acetone, acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate — made when fat is burned for fuel |
| Diabetic ketoacidosis | A medical emergency; acetone breath is a classic sign |
| Ketogenic diets | Ketones raised deliberately; acetone breath is expected and harmless |
| Fasting and starvation | Ketones rise normally |
| Solvent abuse | Inhaling solvents causes serious harm; see below |
For other guides here, see HP553 and K-Fenak OTC.
See the general medicines hub.
What to check before using Acetone
Fire risk first. Acetone is highly flammable and its vapour travels.
- No naked flames, cigarettes, gas appliances or pilot lights anywhere nearby.
- Ventilate — open a window, work outdoors where possible.
- Do not use it near a running motor or anything sparking.
- Store it away from heat and out of direct sunlight, tightly closed.
Surfaces it damages — this catches people constantly:
| Surface | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Glass, ceramic, stainless steel | Fine |
| Most plastics | No — melts, clouds or softens them |
| Painted and varnished surfaces | No — strips the finish |
| Laminate and veneer | No |
| Acetate, rayon, acrylic fabric | No — dissolves the fibres |
| Sealed natural stone | Test first |
| Perspex and acrylic sheet | No — crazes it permanently |
Test on a hidden area first, always.
On skin and nails:
- It is very drying. Repeated use leaves nails brittle and cuticles cracked. Moisturise afterwards, and take breaks between gel manicures.
- Avoid prolonged skin contact, and wear gloves for anything beyond nail removal.
- Keep it away from eyes. If splashed, rinse with plenty of water for 15 minutes and seek advice.
- Do not use it on broken skin or wounds.
Keep it locked away from children. Swallowing acetone is dangerous, and nail polish remover is one of the commoner household poisonings in small children.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Short exposure typically causes eye and airway irritation, headache, dizziness and dry skin. Heavier exposure causes nausea, confusion and drowsiness.
Get emergency help immediately for:
- Anyone who has swallowed acetone or nail polish remover, particularly a child, even if they seem well. Do not induce vomiting — take the container with you.
- Difficulty breathing, persistent coughing or wheezing after exposure. Get into fresh air first.
- Confusion, severe drowsiness, or unresponsiveness.
- A splash in the eye — rinse for 15 minutes and go.
- Burns, if it has caught fire.
Two situations deserve particular attention.
Acetone breath in someone with diabetes is a medical emergency. A sweet, fruity, nail-polish-remover smell on the breath, with high blood sugar, thirst, frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, deep rapid breathing, drowsiness or confusion, indicates diabetic ketoacidosis. This is life-threatening and needs emergency care immediately — it can develop over hours, and in type 1 diabetes it is a leading cause of death when missed. This is the single most important thing on this page.
Deliberate solvent inhalation causes serious and sometimes sudden harm. Sniffing solvents can cause sudden sniffing death syndrome from a heart rhythm disturbance — on a first occasion as easily as a hundredth — and repeated use damages the brain, liver, kidneys and bone marrow permanently. This is a real problem among young people in South Africa. If you are worried about someone, that is worth raising with a clinic or the SANCA helpline rather than waiting.
See a doctor for: persistent skin irritation or cracking from repeated use, a rash where it has been applied, breathing symptoms after exposure, or acetone breath in anyone who is not deliberately following a ketogenic diet.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is acetone used for? Removing nail polish, gel and acrylic; dissolving superglue and adhesive residue; degreasing; thinning and removing paint; and cleaning brushes.
Is it a medicine? No. It is a solvent. Its medical relevance is as a ketone your body produces when burning fat.
Why does nail polish remover feel cold? It evaporates very fast, taking heat from your skin with it.
What is acetone-free remover? Usually ethyl acetate — gentler on nails and skin, much slower, and largely ineffective on gel or acrylic.
What surfaces should I avoid? Most plastics, painted or varnished surfaces, laminate, veneer, perspex, and acetate or acrylic fabrics. Test on a hidden area first.
Is it dangerous? It is highly flammable, and its vapour travels along surfaces to find a spark. Swallowing it is dangerous, and it is a common household poisoning in small children.
Why does my breath smell of nail polish remover? Your body is producing ketones. On a ketogenic diet or while fasting, that is expected. In someone with diabetes it can indicate diabetic ketoacidosis — a medical emergency needing immediate care.
What if a child swallows it? Go to an emergency department immediately, even if they seem well. Do not induce vomiting. Take the container with you.