Comments on How to Remove Latex Paint from Clothing

The rubbing alcohol and Scotch Brite worked wonders, and it came out! Thanks and good luck on your paint stains.

Pure acetone removes dried latex paint on clothing. I used a Q-tip and acetone on sneakers, and it came right off. You can buy it in hardware stores near the paint thinners, but you can also get it at a beauty supply store, since it's used to remove nail polish (but make sure you get 100% acetone, not nail polish remover). And is very cheap.

The rescue can be found at your local hobby store. It's call "CA Debonder", and is used (mainly by radio-control airplane modelers) to remove hardened cyanoacrylate glue from fingers!. This glue is what folks commonly call "crazy glue", and as this stuff bonds within three or four seconds - the debonder is the only way to get your objects apart. I just finished painting our living room with a flat, pale green, latex in a pair of bone-colored shorts. Big mistake - but the debonder softened the hardened latex, Tide detergent and the washing machine finished it off - all before my wife came home!

The rescue can be found at your local hobby store. It's call "CA Debonder", and is used (mainly by radio-control airplane modelers) to remove hardened cyanoacrylate glue from fingers!. This glue is what folks commonly call "crazy glue", and as this stuff bonds within three or four seconds - the debonder is the only way to get your objects apart. I just finished painting our living room with a flat, pale green, latex in a pair of bone-colored shorts. Big mistake - but the debonder softened the hardened latex, Tide detergent and the washing machine finished it off - all before my wife came home!

I poured on the alcohol as others suggested, scrubbed with toothbrush, an SOS pad and a pocket knife (which nearly took the blue off the jeans), and finally decided to try what I had already considered before finding these other hints. I laid them on the driveway and hit them with the pressure sprayer. Alcohol, pressure sprayer, done.

The rubbing alcohol and Scotch Brite worked wonders! The stain is gone!

I poured on the alcohol as others suggested, scrubbed with toothbrush, an SOS pad and a pocket knife (which nearly took the blue off the jeans), and finally decided to try what I had already considered before finding these other hints. I laid them on the driveway and hit them with the pressure sprayer. Alcohol, pressure sprayer, done.

I was painting my son's magic wands for a school project and got red paint on my favorite white cotton shirt. I knew to quickly rinse the stain with water and throw into the washing machine. What I missed was a big splotch that dried hard and I almost thew away the shirt. But then I read this site and attacked the dried spot with dishwashing liquid. When that made a little difference, I rubbed the spot with peanut butter. When that made a little bit rinse away, I worked the stain with alcohol, then WD40, then detergent again, then alcohol, etc. All these things worked a little bit, and all together with some rubbing and scrubbing, finally the spot is almost entirely gone. I have just happily thrown the shirt into a hot wash with a warm rinse and feel confident that if there is any stain left at all, I can work the remainder out with all the solvents mentioned above.

I had dried latex paint on my husband's Polartec jacket. I tried the alcohol and it just melted away. I could not believe it. It is now as good as new.

I had dried latex paint on my husband's Polartec jacket. I tried the alcohol and it just melted away. I could not believe it. It is now as good as new.

I got bright red paint on my super duper blue jeans (super because they are just the right fit and duper because they are now the perfect color and broken-in-softness). I thought all was lost! I took your suggestions. Most important - start with the gentle swipe of the razor blade to remove excess, it is surprising how much comes off that way alone! Then, warm water and the Scotch Brite pad and most of it was gone just like that! I had to use some of the goo gone on the worst spot. But, alas, a happy ending. Thanks for saving my ol' blues!

I got bright red paint on my super duper blue jeans (super because they are just the right fit and duper because they are now the perfect color and broken-in-softness). I thought all was lost! I took your suggestions. Most important - start with the gentle swipe of the razor blade to remove excess, it is surprising how much comes off that way alone! Then, warm water and the Scotch Brite pad and most of it was gone just like that! I had to use some of the goo gone on the worst spot. But, alas, a happy ending. Thanks for saving my ol' blues!

I had a really nice pair of dress slacks. We painted our entire house and I got beige paint on these dark pants. I thought I was going to have to throw them out. It had been about two or three years (I had been wearing them around the house to work in and that kind of thing). I decided after reading about using rubbing alcohol and a steel wool scratcher to try it. I did mine a little different though. First I scraped the areas with a razor blade, gently, and then I wet a Brillo pad and scrubbed the spots. It was like magic! It came off easily and they looked brand new! All I did was toss them in the washer and they look good as new!! I highly recommend using a wet Brillo pad. Do a test spot first to make sure it doesn't damage the fabric!

I had a really nice pair of dress slacks. We painted our entire house and I got beige paint on these dark pants. I thought I was going to have to throw them out. It had been about two or three years (I had been wearing them around the house to work in and that kind of thing). I decided after reading about using rubbing alcohol and a steel wool scratcher to try it. I did mine a little different though. First I scraped the areas with a razor blade, gently, and then I wet a Brillo pad and scrubbed the spots. It was like magic! It came off easily and they looked brand new! All I did was toss them in the washer and they look good as new!! I highly recommend using a wet Brillo pad. Do a test spot first to make sure it doesn't damage the fabric!

Put rubbing alcohol right on the spot and scrub the material with your hands; like you were washing clothes. It works wonders! The paint starts coming off so easily. Once done, put it in the washer with the regular detergent.

Put rubbing alcohol right on the spot and scrub the material with your hands; like you were washing clothes. It works wonders! The paint starts coming off so easily. Once done, put it in the washer with the regular detergent.

I can almost guarantee everyone has these products in their house: Windex, oxygen activator (Oxi-clean), dish soap, toothpaste, laundry soap, Arm & Hammer baking soda, toothbrush. Procedure: Mix all materials (except for toothbrush) in a sink. Add hot water and soak the paint covered item for 20 minutes. Scrub with the toothbrush and put into fresh, hot water and soak for 1 1/2 hours, then put item through a regular wash cycle. Do not cut short on rinse time or you will ruin your washer.

I can almost guarantee everyone has these products in their house: Windex, oxygen activator (Oxi-clean), dish soap, toothpaste, laundry soap, Arm & Hammer baking soda, toothbrush. Procedure: Mix all materials (except for toothbrush) in a sink. Add hot water and soak the paint covered item for 20 minutes. Scrub with the toothbrush and put into fresh, hot water and soak for 1 1/2 hours, then put item through a regular wash cycle. Do not cut short on rinse time or you will ruin your washer.

Goof Off, available at most hardware stores, removes latex paint from clothing. Apply it, agitate it with a brush a little, rinse and then launder the garment as usual. It worked great on a pair of cotton shorts and a pair of denim jeans.