Last updated on June 2, 2022 6:31 am by the writer.
Have you had Gorilla glue stuck on your fingers?
Or have you been worried about how to remove super glue from your skin? Getting this stuff on your skin is something woodworkers have to sometimes deal with, especially when joining wooden pieces together.
We all know what life is like trying to get super glue off your skin – glue removal isn’t a pleasant experience.
Furthermore, if you get some on your fingers, your skin could tear if that sticky stuff fully drys and you try to pull them apart.
Without sounding too dramatic, remove that sticky solution before that glue goes fully hard, or depending on the type you are dealing with let it dry first.
Methods to remove Gorilla glue from skin
Here are the best methods on how to get water-activated gorilla glue off your skin. We share the importance of knowing how to get Gorilla glue off your skin in the easiest way because not doing so can cause skin irritation.
- Acetone or nail polish remover. Acetone is a strong solvent that can easily break down some polymers and effectively dissolves super glue.
- Soaking in warm, soapy water. This can help if the glue is not yet fully dry. After soaking for 5-10 minutes, the glue softens and is easier to remove.
- Glue removers. There are special-purpose glue removers for sale that can easily remove most types of glue from the skin.
Glues to watch out for
There are a lot of glue types out there.
The glues that you need to remove urgently are the types that dry the most quickly.
Many types of glue can damage your skin, your clothes, or your hair.
- Cyanoacrylate. Is the main component of most super glues found in the hardware store. This chemical cures quickly upon exposure to the air and can cause serious irritations and sometimes even light burns if the substance contacts your skin.
- Polyurethane glue. For example, gorilla glue is another type of glue that should be removed from the skin as can become irritable and can cause skin tearing if picked once dry.
How to get Gorilla glue off your skin with acetone?
Using acetone is one of the best ways to solve how to remove super glue from the skin.
Acetone is an extra-strong solvent that easily dissolves all sorts of chemicals like glue.
This solution is great because the solution poses little to no threat to your skin; just take care, not to let any of the liquid make contact with a fresh wound or cut as the solution is poisonous if the chemical happens to enter your bloodstream.
Soak the affected area for about 2-3 minutes or until the glue is completely off your skin.
Before using acetone, you can try to remove as much uncured glue as you can with a cloth to speed up the process.
How to get Gorilla glue off the skin without acetone?
Since acetone is potentially harmful when ingested or when the vapors are inhaled, you can go with a safer but slightly less effective alternative.
- Simply soak the affected area in warm water mixed with either hand soap or a dishwashing detergent for 5-10 minutes.
- This solution softens up most types of glue and makes the crusty flakes a bit easier to peel or scratch off. Because this method usually takes longer, pause for a while if your skin starts to get painful from rubbing or scratching.
- Another good alternative is to soak your skin in isopropyl alcohol for 5 minutes. While this is faster, your skin may get dry afterward, so have some lotion and/or moisturizer ready.
How to get Gorilla spray foam off skin?
Gorilla spray is also available as a spray can which makes for easier insulation in tight spots such as around window frames.
While spray foam does offer wider reach, the substance also has a high chance of accidentally getting on your skin or work wear. The glue-like insulation is a real pain to have on your skin.
Fortunately, this foam is easier to avoid than to remove, unless intentionally applied.
Seriously leave this stuff away from your Jobsite pranks the stuff is not easy to remove.
Small droplets that may latch onto your skin are not easily dissolved in warm or soapy water.
You can also use acetone or isopropyl instead of soap for greater efficiency. Similar to how you remove regular Gorilla glue, simply soak the affected area for about 5-10 minutes and wipe off any remaining small glue bits with a cloth.
But this stuff is seriously hard to remove when wet on your skin, removal might be better if you wait for the foam to dry before picking that hard sticky foam off.
Tips: Use the nozzle and avoid ever touching this stuff.
How to get Gorilla glue off clothes?
Getting Gorilla glue on your clothes may sound like permanent damage, but you can actually remove that sticky stuff without having to destroy your clothing.
Before anything else, be patient and make sure that the Gorilla glue is completely dried up.
Trying to remove this sticky stuff without ensuring that the substance is totally dry could cause even worse permanent staining. Don’t spread the mess even more.
Lay your piece of clothing that is victim to glue on a flat surface and soak your jacket in acetone or hot lemon juice water for about 15 minutes.
This should soften up the glue, making glue removal and cleaning a bit easier.
If you invest in a leather apron you can use the protection as a layer to stop glue or paint from getting onto your clothes.
How to get Gorilla glue off hair?
As unfortunate as this might be.
Tiny droplets can accidentally get stuck to your hair if you touch your head while having gorilla glue on your hands.
Luckily, you can simply treat your hair with a cotton ball soaked in acetone or isopropyl alcohol to get rid of small droplets.
Avoid getting acetone on your scalp as this can potentially damage this area of your skin.
Have a thorough shower after to remove softened glue that might still be attached to your head.
Apply shampoo and conditioner generously as acetone or alcohol can dry up your hair.
How good does gorilla glue work
Gorilla glue is water-activated and made out of polyurethane and cures and sticks instantly [1] upon contact with moisture such as what’s on your skin.
It’s one of the best agents for high-strength adhesion when joining structural wooden boards. You’d want a pretty stronghold, especially when you’re working with quality types of wood for your furniture projects.
This type of glue is perfect for wood as the substance expands into the wood’s naturally porous structure. The same holds true for other porous surfaces like our skin and clothing – the glue anchors itself on the microscopic holes in our skin, resulting in a tight and well-held bond.
How to work with Gorilla glue without causing a mess?
Nobody wants a big mess, in their hands, face, or hair.
When working on a great-looking project, and especially when you’re working on woodworking projects that you will sell you want yourself and your project to remain clean and tidy.
Working with super glue without taking necessary precautions can get quite messy. To make sure that you don’t get Gorilla glue on your skin or on any unwanted space, here are a few tips:
- Keep the tube of Gorilla glue away from your work – as much as it’s convenient to keep the glue close to you, rushed use of glue can also lead to potentially inconvenient mishaps.
- Having large amounts of Gorilla glue near you means that you can accidentally knock the tube over, touch it, or get it on where you wouldn’t want it to be on your piece. Instead, try to funnel a certain amount into a smaller container such as a tin can or plastic bottle cap for application with a brush.
- You can work neatly and with more accuracy by using toothpicks or popsicle sticks to apply glue on your piece instead of directly from the tube. This gives you more control in terms of amount and helps prevent any excess applications.
Alternatives for glue for joining wood
Now that you know how to get dried Gorilla glue off of your skin, you may want to avoid the hassle altogether.
Thankfully, a good alternative to gorilla glue for joining wood is PVA wood. PVA wood is normal wood glue that’s white and commonly used in woodworking.
PVA’s primitive nature is slow-drying, meaning that the substance can be easily and safely removed from the skin before the glue has dried.
The main drawback to PVA wood is the long setting time.
However, this is an acceptable trade-off if this also means not having to painfully remove hard glue that accidentally stuck onto your skin during your DIY projects.
Where and how to store Gorilla glue?
Storing Gorilla glue properly ensures that it has a longer shelf life and won’t harden with time.
When storing Gorilla glue, make sure that the container, jar, or tube is completely sealed and is air-tight.
This is to prevent air from getting in or out of the tube which causes the chemical reaction that results in the glue curing and hardening.
Store Gorilla glue in a cool, dry place.
It’s recommended to seal the tube in a zip-lock bag with silica gel to eliminate moisture and help prolong the shelf life.
Stay strong.
I recommend gloves, they can really help avoid most of a mess but there’s no surefire way to completely avoid getting glue on your skin if you are dedicated to your art.
If your head is stuck on a job and you’re not paying full attention, having more clamps on hand might have helped avoid your mess from the beginning.
What can we say though, accidents do still happen. Fortunately, there are just as many ways to easily get gorilla glue off your skin with the help of common household items.
Acetone, alcohol, nail polish remover, and even soap and warm water all do a decent job at ridding unwanted glue bits.
Prevention is always better than a cure, or so the saying goes. Store and use gorilla glue properly and neatly to avoid messes and accidents.
Now that you’ve learned how to get gorilla glue off of your skin, we hope that you stick (pun intended) around and catch us in the next guide.
Keep it together now!
More information:
- The truth about polyurethane glue, posted on https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/the_truth_about_polyurethane_glue/

My name is Aaron, and thank you for reading my article. As a qualified builder, I share some tips here at Bangingtoolbox to help provide accurate DIY information on the internet.
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