How to Remove Finger Paint From Carpet

Finger paint for children is non-toxic and most commercial brands are also non-staining. Homemade finger paint can stain carpet if the paint contains food coloring. If you notice the spill right away and get it up before it dries, you'll have a better chance at preventing a stain even from homemade finger paints. Immediately vacuuming the carpet with a carpet shampooer is ideal. If you do not own a carpet shampooer, however, you can still remove finger paint from your carpet.

Things You'll Need

• Large spoon
• Paper towels
• Trash bag
• Cup or watering can
• Water
• Wash cloths
• Foaming carpet cleaner

Instructions

1. Use a large spoon to spoon up finger paint on the carpet's surface. Use paper towels or rags to pull as much finger paint as you can up from the carpet. Don't rub the paper towels over the spill as this will just rub the paint deeper in. Put a paper towel or rag in your hand and grasp the carpet, pulling up. Discard used paper towels/rags in a trash bag, and keep doing this until you can't get any more paint off.

2. Fill a cup or watering can with warm water. Sprinkle water just on the area of the finger paint spill. This will make the paint remnants more moist so you can use paper towels again to remove more.

3. Spray carpet cleaner on the area, and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Dampen a wash cloth, and rub this over the carpet. If a lot of paint color comes up, switch to paper towels again to absorb more of the paint.

4. Press clean cloths to the area to absorb moisture and leftover paint pigment. Re-spray the carpet with carpet shampoo.

5. Allow the carpet to dry. Vacuum it well. If any paint color remains, reapply carpet shampoo.

Tips & Warnings

• If finger paint has already dried on the carpet, use a comb on it. Comb the carpet just as you would hair. This will loosen much of the paint from the carpet. Vacuum up the loose bits. Use water and carpet shampoo to make the paint moist. Use paper towels and wash cloths to remove more of the paint. Shampoo the area again, and vacuum well when it has dried.

• Carpet shampoo and other cleaners may fade or discolor some carpets.

References

• Using Cloths and Paper Towels To Clean Carpet Spills