Question 031: If someone does ghusl and after a week finds out that there was a barrier, such as nail polish on their left foot, do they need to repeat the entire ghusl or is it sufficient just to wash that area.
Answer 031: If the Tartibi (sequential) Ghusl was performed, one must only wash that part where the barrier was and that would be sufficient, even though time has passed and all parts of the body had become dry. Therefore, there would be no need to repeat the entire Ghusl nor to repeat washing the whole left side of body. However, if the barrier was on the right side of body and the Tartibi Ghusl was performed, one must wash that part and then wash the whole left side of body.
According to Khomeini (r.a), if one finds out that there was a barrier on his or her body, one must repeat the entire Ghusl if he or she was performed Irtimasi (submerging the whole body) Ghusl, whether or not the barrier was on the left side of the body or right.
It should be noted that all prayers offered after the Ghusl was performed are invalid. The obligatory prayers must be repeated, however fasts are treated as valid.[1]
[1] . Imam Khomeini, Tahrir al-Wasilah, Vol. 1, Pg. 41, issue number 7; for further information please refer to: Tabrizi, Jawad bin Ali, newest Isteftaat, Vol. 1, Pg. 143, Q. 672, first edition; Bahjat, Muhammad Taqi, Isteftaat, Vol. 1, Pg. 206, Q. 719, the office of Ayatollah Bahjat, Qom, first edition, 1428 A.H.