How to Remove Paint Stains

You know you've done it or you know someone who has. At some point in our lives we will spill paint but after reading this article you will know the best ways to remove paint stains.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Artist's paints on clothes (fresh spills):
   
   Blot the spill (water-based paints) with a dry paper towel. Then wash with soap and cold water (hot water can set the stain) in your sink. Then put in the laundry as you normally would.
   
   With oil-based artist paint spills on clothes, you will need to get the turpentine. Put a white towel or cloth underneath the stain. Dab clothes with a sponge or clean rag that has turpentine on it. Using a clean sponge dipped in cold water, you will sponge the stain. Then toss in the laundry as usual.

2. Dried artist's paint stains can be a little trickier. Place a clean white towel or cloth under the stain. Dab at the stain with a store bought stain remover (make sure it will handle paints) or you can use denatured alcohol.
   
   Oil-based paints will need to be removed with a paint solvent that you can get at art shops.

3. Latex Paints
   
   Blot immediately at fresh stains on fabric. Sponge with cold water and then toss in the laundry as usual.
   
   Dried latex stains (if fairly recent) should come off with the help of a store bought stain remover. Again, make sure the stain remover can handle paints.
   
   For older stains, you will need to apply denatured alcohol (test a small area first). Then you can toss in the laundry as usual.

4. Latex paint on carpets -
   
   You will want to use a sponge and cold water to dab at the stain (be careful not to spread the stain around - you will want to work from the outside to the inside of the stain. When clear, you can add carpet shampoo and follow carpet shampoo instructions.

5. Oil-based paints
   
   If you spill some oil-based paints on your clothing, you will want to dab with turpentine and then sponge with cold water. Repeat several times, if needed. You will NOT want to toss this in the laundry until you make sure there is no more stain on the clothing. Tossing in the laundry before the stain is gone might set the stain and then it will not come out.

6. A fresh spill of oil-based paints on carpet will need to be blotted with paper towels and then treated with carpet shampoo (per carpet shampoo instructions)
   
   For older stains you might try a commercial cleaner. If the stain is in an area that isn't very noticeable, you can try to snip off the top of the carpet pile. Only do this if the stain has not settle very far down into the carpet.

Tips & Warnings

• Dried paint stains can be removed satisfactorily, but you must be careful doing so.

[FrazzledNanny]

on 3/8/2009 Great tips. Thanks for the article on removing paint stains. 5*

[goodselfme]

on 3/7/2009 OH paint is one of the feared stains for me. I have done it before too and spread it around to the point I needed to replace carpet in that area. Your ideas will be with me next time so that won't happen again to have to remove carpet.