How to remove paint from clothes home remedies

Find out how to remove paint from clothes with these tried and true methods.

There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to brighten and update any room of your home. The problem is, no matter how careful you are, paint always seems to end up not only on the wall, but on your clothes, too. If you’ve had a paint accident, don’t throw it out just yet. Here are a few tips on how to remove paint from clothes.

• How Do You Remove Water-Based Paint from Clothing?
• How Do You Remove Oil-Based Paint from Clothing?
• How to Remove Dried Paint From Clothes
• Home Remedies to Remove Paint from Clothes
• Preventing Paint Stains in the Future
• Popular Videos

How Do You Remove Water-Based Paint from Clothing?

If you accidentally splattered paint on your shirt while painting your bedroom, chances are it was a water-based paint. Water-based paint includes indoor and outdoor latex paint, finger paints, acrylic craft paint and poster paint. Here’s how to remove it from your clothing:

1. Scrape off any wet paint and then run the stain under warm water.
2. Spot treat the stain with dish soap or laundry detergent, scrubbing with a soft brush.
3. Launder as you normally would.
4. Repeat the process if the stain is not removed.
5. If any paint remains after washing, don’t put it in the dryer—the heat will set the stain.

How Do You Remove Oil-Based Paint from Clothing?

Oil-based paint is more difficult to remove, and may even be impossible if it dries on your clothing. The one thing to remember with oil-based paint is to never use water when treating the stain. Follow this process to remove oil-based paint:

1. Scrape away any wet paint with a dull knife.
2. Moisten a clean rag with a little paint thinner, then blot the stain.
3. Continue blotting with paint thinner until the stain is gone, moving to clean areas of the rag as you work.
4. Once you’ve removed all the paint that you can, rinse the area and spot treat with dish soap or laundry detergent.
5. Launder the clothing normally and repeat the spot treatment as needed.

How to Remove Dried Paint From Clothes

The first thing to do when removing dried-on paint from clothes is to grab a spoon or a dull knife. Carefully scrape the paint free, taking care not to damage the clothing underneath it. Rinse the spot in warm water and then apply a mixture that it half detergent, half warm water.

Home Remedies to Remove Paint from Clothes

If you’ve got most of the paint off of your clothing but there’s still a stain left behind, don’t worry! There are a couple of home remedies that may just do the trick. One option is rubbing alcohol. Flip the clothing inside out and then saturate the stained area with rubbing alcohol. Use an old toothbrush to work the alcohol into the fibers of the clothes and keep scrubbing until the paint is lifted. Voila! Then launder as usual in the washing machine. No rubbing alcohol on hand? Try hairspray or nail polish remover.

Preventing Paint Stains in the Future

One final note: When painting, it’s best to wear clothes that you no longer care about so that if you get paint on them, it’s no big deal. If you will be doing more painting, keep that one set of clothes as part of your painting gear.

Popular Videos

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If you accidentally spill paint on your shirt or pants, don't panic: We asked Carolyn Forte, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, how to get this tricky stain out of your belongings. The most important thing she says is to treat paint stains as quickly as you can, because once the paint dries, the stain may be impossible to remove.

Another thing to keep in mind: while some materials may be able to stand up to these stain treatments, more fragile ones, like silk, may be permanently damaged. To make sure your cleaning products and method are a match with the material, spot test them first. At the first sign of color bleeding or fading, stop what you're doing and accept the sad fate of your garment. And next time, please, oh, please, wear a smock.

Latex or Water-Based Paint

Good news: "Fresh latex paint washes out quickly," says Forte. But if it's dry, start by scraping off excess paint. Working from the back of the fabric, vigorously flush the stain under warm running water. Mix a solution of one part dish soap, like Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap ($2, amazon.com), to one part warm water. Sponge the stain with the detergent solution, tamping it vigorously. Rinse and repeat this process until no more paint is removed. If the stain remains, try blotting with acetone. Caution: Do not use acetone on fabrics containing acetate or triacetate — it will melt these fibers!

Oil-Based Paint

If the stain is dry, soften it by treating it with the product the paint manufacturer recommends for thinning the paint (check the paint can's label). If the paint is wet, scrape off excess, then use a clean white cloth to blot up as much paint as possible. Rinse, but don't let the fabric dry. Place the stain face down on a stack of white paper towels or cloths. Blot with turpentine, like Winsor & Newton Distilled Turpentine ($13, amazon.com). Tamp the stain to help break up the paint. Repeat, replacing the paper towels or cloth until no more paint can be removed. Treat the remaining stain with liquid hand dishwashing soap and soak overnight. Rinse well and launder. If the stain remains, treat with a prewash stain remover, like Shout Advanced Gel ($14 for a 3-pack, amazon.com), and launder again.

Acrylic Paint

Flush the spot with warm water, then sponge it with a solution of one part dishwashing liquid soap and one part warm water. Repeat as necessary, then rinse and launder.

How to Remove Paint From Everything Else

Upholstery

Scrape off excess paint. Mix a solution of one part liquid hand dishwashing detergent to one part cool water. Sponge the stain with the detergent solution, tamping it vigorously. Rinse and repeat until no more paint is removed. If the stain remains, try blotting with acetone.

Carpet

Scrape off excess paint and, starting at the outer edge of the stain, apply acrylic paint and varnish remover. Gently scrape away the paint as it softens. Repeat, using the remover sparingly, until you have removed as much paint as possible. Be careful to keep the paint and varnish remover from spreading the stain. "Otherwise you may create a bigger stain," warns Forte. To avoid this, work on the individual tufts, carefully applying the remover and working it in so it doesn't spread to the surrounding tufts.

If any paint remains, work glycerin into the stain and let it soak for several hours. Sponge the stain with a mild solution of liquid hand dishwashing detergent to one part cool water. Blot until the liquid is absorbed. Sponge with a solution of one part white vinegar to 10 parts water. Blot until the liquid is absorbed. Sponge with cold water and blot dry.

Now that you know how to fix stains, learn how to dispose of or donate your leftover paint after you finish your project.

Senior Editor

Lauren is a senior editor at Hearst. She was previously the senior editor at WomansDay.com and the home editor at GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com. Her book club, ramen, and jean jackets are a few of her favorite things.

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