Just like your hands, toe gel polish should be soaked off for at least 10 minutes. It's important that you resist peeling or scraping off the polish , because you can cause damage to the nail bed and cuticles. "The best way to remove gel polish is to soak it off with cotton and acetone," says Romah.It's also important to remember that removing the polish is best done by a professional, so factor that in when deciding if this is truly timesaving for your lifestyle.