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Removing Nicotine Stains From Your Fingers

Submitted by Joe

Being a cheapskate, I usually smoke my cigarette until I burn my fingers. This, of course, leads to terrible nicotine stains. I overcome this problem, by using steel wool, and Fast Orange gritty hand soap.

You could probably use Brillo, or SOS, too. You're probably thinking, 'That's gotta hurt,' but it doesn't in the least.

Visitors comments

stained fingers Comments By: Harry on 2006-10-20

yeah, steel wool/SOS works, but if you use it regularly, like 3-4 times/week, it's pretty hard on the skin, and you end up with callous on 1 or 2 fingers! There's got to be a better way....

Removing nicotine from fingers Comments By: Nishna on 2007-08-08

Lemon juice does it and so does bleach...although I perfer the lemon juice and I do it twice weekly and viola no more *tattle tale stains*
Good Luck

potato helps too Comments By: pebbles on 2008-11-13

sliced potato does the same job. rub on, leave for 15 minutes, rinse off

Quick & Painless Comments By: Jay on 2010-02-15

I've allways used soap and a pumice stone. Like the ones you use for dry skin on your feet. It's gentle but Very effective.

Perm lotion..... Comments By: Rikky on 2011-03-30

Years ago when I was a hairdresser we used to use a cotton wool pad dampened with it. I'm not a hairdresser now but I still use the same method.
Rub the stains briskly, it will take about 15 - 20 mins, you will actually see the yellowing on the cotton wool as the stains lift off.
Rinse your fingers thoroughly in warm water afterwards.
However, if you have particularly sensitive skin or think you may be prone to skin allergies then tell your hairdresser what you're thinking of doing and ask him/her to do a skin test.
Obviously I can't speak for your hairdresser, but I did skin tests free for my clients.

lime juice Comments By: Beverley on 2011-04-10

I read the comment about lemon juice,, but could only find a bottle of lime juice in the fridge. I gave it a go and it works really well. I have always carried an emory board around with me and quietly 'filed' away at my fingers trying to remove the stains, as I work with the public and have found the staining quite shameful. So...thank you so much for all the tips on the site