Whether it’s done for fun or renovation, painting is a recreational activity that inspires beauty and design. In most cases, painting is done on a blank canvas to create art and express individual creativity. On the other hand, painting can also apply to home and space improvements as people aim to enhance the look and feel of an area with a new pop of color. But regardless of the intention, paint stains do not discriminate and are almost inevitable to occur. From making a few gentle strokes to big splashes of movements during painting, there’s always a big chance that your clothes will get paint stains. Although it may appear alluring and even visually appealing, removing paint stains should be treated seriously as it is not an easy task to do.
Related article: How to Remove Most Stubborn Stains
In this article, we’re gonna show you the different ways to remove common paint stains from different fabric materials. From water-based paint to acrylic paint, you will find helpful tips to remove these marks from your clothes with the help of home cleaning materials and powerful cleansing agents.
How to Remove Paint Stains From Different Surfaces
1. Clothes
- Fresh water-based paint stains - To remove this type of paint from clothes, use a spoon or a dull knife to chafe away solid paint particles that have formed. Afterwards, gently blot the stained area with cloth to remove excess stain residue. Create a mixture of detergent and water and apply it to the stained area using a sponge. Rub the stained area gently using your fingers to further break the stain particles before rinsing thoroughly. Keep repeating this process until you no longer see any trace of this type of paint stain in the piece of clothing. If the issue still persists, however, get an absorbent cloth and dip it into a nail polish remover and blot the stained area before rinsing well and laundering.
- Dried-on water-based and acrylic-based paint stains - Remove dried-on water-based and acrylic paint from clothes by brushing it off as much as possible using a hard bristled brush. Apply a mix of soap and water or a paint varnish remover into a clean cloth and apply it to the affected area. Once the paint stain has begun to soften, gently scrape away the stain to break it down for washing. For the last part, apply a detergent mix into the dried paint stain and launder and rinse until cleaned.
- Oil-based paint stains - If the oil-based paint stain is still wet, try chafing the stained area with a knife or a spoon. Blot and rinse well afterwards. Once done, place the fabric’s stained area over an absorbent cloth and sponge the garment with a little amount of turpentine. Continue doing this process until the stain is eliminated and replace the absorbent cloth below once it becomes wet. Before rinsing, rub it with a laundry detergent first and soak it into hot water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Rinse and wash thoroughly according to the garment’s care label instructions. However, if the oil-based paint stain has already dried into the clothing, you will need to brush and chafe off as much stain as you can using a hard bristled brush. Once the stain softens, scrape it off again by repeating the process. Although quite difficult to remove, oil-based paint stains can still be eliminated with the use of the right cleaning materials.
- Non-Washable Clothes or Fabrics - For most non-washable fabrics, you can only do so much by scraping away some of the paint stain from the surface. But in order to remove it altogether, it needs to undergo a special cleaning process that can only be performed by professional laundry cleaners. If this is the case for you, try going to your nearest cleaner and consult with them if the stain is able to be removed.
2. Furniture
- Water-based paint stains - Start by scraping up as much paint as you can by blotting it with an absorbent towel. For the best stain removal, try to keep it moist. However if the paint stain has dried up, you may use a hard bristled brush to scrape away the stains as much as possible. Afterwards, add in a mix of soap and water or a paint remover and scrape the stained area further. If there’s still a trace of stain, try to use a sprayer with water and blot with alcohol and repeat the process until the stain is completely gone.
- Large paint stains - When it comes to large paint stains, simply soak the stained area with water and place towels over it. Gently blot before washing it with soap and water. Alternatively, you can also wash the fabric with the help of a washing machine.
- Oil-based paint stain - Scrape off as much paint as you can from the stained area by using a brush and blot with a paint remover or varnish to soften the stain. Afterwards, remove any excess stain by blotting and spraying it with water. Use a small amount of turpentine to dab the stain. Blot it to the stained area and repeat it until the stain is removed. For additional measure, use a mixture of lukewarm water with detergent mix and blot it on the stain using a sponge. Let it dry before dry vacuuming.
3. Upholstery
- Start by scraping away the paint stains away from the surfaces using a spoon or a dull knife. Afterwards, inspect the fabric type of the furniture to know the best way to proceed with the washing process. You can do this by looking at the tag of the furniture and checking for letter codes that indicate the cleaning instructions. Here are the following codes for these instructions:
W - Sofa must be cleaned with water-based detergent
S - Sofa must be cleaned with dry-cleaning detergent
WS - Sofa must be cleaned with either water-based or dry-cleaning solvent
X - Sofa must be cleaned by either vacuuming or a professional laundry cleaner
O - Sofa must be cleaned using cold water and organic-friendly methods only
4. Carpet
- Water-based paint stains - If your carpet has a fresh water-based paint stain, simply start cleaning it by removing excess marks with a spoon, a dull knife or an old credit card. Doing this will help break down the excess paint particles in the carpet fibers. Once done, use a clean and wet paper towel or cloth to blot the remaining stain. However, if the paint has dried up, you can remove this by mixing hot water and dissolving laundry detergent into it. Use a toothbrush or any soft-bristled brush and dip it into the mixture and apply it to the carpet. Alternatively, you may also use a cloth steamer to break the stain down.
- Oil-based paint stains - When it comes to removing oil-based paint stain from the carpet, you would need to make double the effort as it is more difficult to get rid of. First, you must blot a clean white cloth onto the stained area to absorb as much excess paint as possible. Do this gently to avoid further pushing the paint particles deeper into the carpet fibers. Afterwards, use an acetone solution, a paint thinner or turpentine and add a small amount into a cloth to blot away the remaining paint stain. Do this thoroughly and gently to ensure that the stain will further break down without any spreading.
Get Rid of Paint Stains and Keep Your Home Clean
Although difficult to remove, getting rid of paint stains from clothes and different surfaces is something that you can do using your essential cleaning ingredients and materials. By using the laundry detergent, paint thinner, rubbing alcohol to warm water and natural ingredients to remove paint, you can eventually find what ultimately works for you and your fabric. But before you remove any dried paint or wet stain, it is important to pay attention to the fabric and its cleaning instructions to avoid any further damage to the material.
If you need a professional home cleaning service to help you save time and remove paint stains for you, drop us a call here at Homefresh! Our team of friendly cleaning experts will do the cleaning to remove wet or dried paint stains for you. Book us now and experience quality home cleaning and service in an instant.
