Wearing nail polish every day can result in stained, yellow nails. Numerous inexpensive at-home treatments can help you return your nails to white. Choose an at-home nail-whitening method that you are comfortable following on a regular basis, and keep an ample supply of nail-whitening ingredients on hand to keep your nails white and healthy.
Lightly buff your fingernails to remove surface discoloration, then squeeze about 4 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice into a small container. Soak your fingernails in the lemon juice for about five minutes, then rinse them in lukewarm water. Alternately, rub fresh lemon slices directly onto and under each nail. Let the juice sit on your nails for five minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water. Repeat a lemon nail-whitening treatment two to three times per week.
Use a simple bleaching solution to whiten nails. Mix 2 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide until it forms a paste. Use a cotton swab or cotton ball to apply the mixture under the tip of each fingernail. Leave it on for three minutes, then rinse it off with warm water. Repeat every six to eight weeks.
Dissolve one to two denture-cleaning tablets in 1 cup of water. Soak your fingernails in the solution for 15 minutes, then rinse off with lukewarm water. Repeat three times per week.
Use toothpaste to get your nails white. Apply a small amount of toothpaste, then use a soft nail brush to work in the toothpaste. Let it sit for about five minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Repeat two to three times per week.
Use a white nail pencil, available at grocery stores and drug stores, to color underneath each nail. This method only lasts until the color wears off, so repeat as needed.
Use a clear base polish to add a protective layer between your nails and colored fingernail polish. The dyes in colored nail polishes may cause nails to remain yellow after the polish is removed.
Go without nail polish for a week or so if none of the nail-whitening home remedies work after several weeks of use. The nails may not be getting the oxygen they need to maintain their natural color, and may subsequently stay yellow as a result of the oxygen deficiency.