Painting can be messy, and more often than not, our clothes bear the brunt of it. If you get paint on your favorite T-shirt or find an old paint stain on your pants, don’t panic. I have been there and it’s fairly simple to remove.
The sooner you act, the easier it’ll be to remove the stain. Use a dishwashing soap solution to remove water-based paint stains and turpentine oil for oil-based stains. Read on to learn more about removing paint from clothes.
How to Remove Water-Based Paint
Water-based paint stains are the most common because, well, water-based paints are the most common. You can almost always make a water-based paint stain disappear even after the paint has dried. But don’t let it dry if you can avoid it. The sooner you act, the better.
Wet Water-Based Paint
What you need:
- Spoon, dull knife, or card
- Paper towel
- Old rag
- Dishwashing soap
- Sponge
Steps:
- Put an old rag inside the garment, behind the stain, to prevent the paint from bleeding through the fabric.
- Gently scrape off excess paint with a spoon, dull knife, or card. Be careful not to spread it or to damage the fabric.
- Use a damp paper towel to blot the remaining paint.
- Turn the garment inside out and rinse with warm running water.
- Rub the fabric together to loosen the paint stain.
- Apply dish soap and a few drops of water to the stain. Lather it with a sponge or toothbrush.
- Repeat the steps till you entirely get rid of the paint.
- When the stain is gone, rinse and wash the garment as usual.
Dry Water-Based Paint
What you need:
- Microfiber cloth
- Old rag
- Rubbing alcohol
Steps:
- Place an old rag between the cloth to prevent the paint stain from seeping to the other side.
- Apply a few drops of rubbing alcohol to a microfiber cloth. A non-acetone nail polish remover or commercial paint remover also works fine, but test those in an inconspicuous area to be sure they don’t cause the colors to run.
- Blot the stained area with a microfiber cloth for a minute or more until the paint disappears or fades.
- Rinse with water.
- Repeat the steps to get rid of the remaining paint stain.
- Rinse and wash the cloth as usual once the paint stain disappears.
How to Remove Oil-Based Paint
Oil-based paint stains can be difficult to remove, especially if the paint has dried. However, the good news is that oil paint takes about eight hours to dry, so you have enough time to act.
Wet Oil-Based Paint
What you need:
- Spoon or dull knife
- Old rag
- Microfiber cloth
- Turpentine oil
- Dishwashing soap
Steps:
- Put an old rag inside the cloth to keep the paint from seeping to the other side.
- Scoop up excess paint with a spoon or dull knife. Work from the outer edge to the center so you don’t spread the paint.
- Blot as much paint as possible with a dry microfiber cloth.
- Rinse the stained area with warm water.
- Apply a few drops of turpentine to a microfiber cloth and blot the stain from the other side. Remember to test the solution in an inconspicuous area to ensure it doesn’t fade the color or damage the fabric. A paint thinner or commercial stain remover will also do the job.
- Repeat the steps till you get rid of the paint. If the paint stain is still there, soak the cloth in a dish soap solution overnight.
- Wash the cloth normally in your washing machine.
Turpentine oil and paint thinner release strong fumes. So, ventilate the room properly to avoid breathing in harsh chemicals. I also recommend you wear gloves as they may cause skin irritation.
Dry Oil-Based Paint
Tools needed:
- Old rag
- Turpentine
- Microfiber cloth
Steps:
- Place an old rag inside the cloth to prevent the paint from seeping to the other side.
- Apply a few drops of turpentine oil or paint thinner to a microfiber cloth and blot the stain from the opposite side.
- Blot as much paint as possible.
- Rinse the stained area with warm water.
- Blot the spot again with a microfiber cloth until the paint fades.
- Rinse and wash the cloth.
Dry oil-based paint stains are difficult to remove. If you tried treating them and had no luck, give it to your local laundry care. They may be able to remove the stain. If they can’t, you have to live with the stained garment.
How to Remove Paint from Delicate Fabrics
Delicate fabrics like silk, wool, acetate, and velvet have a “Dry Clean Only” mark on the care table, which means you should only dry clean and not wash them. Obviously, don’t wear delicate fabrics when painting, but if you did and got paint on it, follow these steps to remove it. The techniques work for both water- and oil-based paints.
Tools needed:
- Spoon, dull knife, or card
- Two microfiber cloth
- Toothbrush
Steps:
- Use a spoon, dull knife, or card to scrape off excess paint. If the paint has dried, gently scrape off the hardened piece with a dull knife.
- Apply a few drops of dry cleaning solution to the microfiber cloth and gently blot the paint stain. Work your way from the outer edge to the center to avoid spreading the paint.
- Use paper towels or a dry side of the microfiber cloth to absorb the stain.
- Apply a dry spotter (solvent powder) to a microfiber cloth and blot the paint stain.
- Gently brush the stain with a toothbrush in circular motions until it fades.
- Repeat the steps until the paint disappears.
Dry cleaning solution and dry spotter emit strong fumes and may cause skin irritation. So, ventilate the room properly and wear gloves when using it.
If you find it difficult to get rid of paint stains from delicate cloth, you can give it to your local dry cleaner.
FAQs
No, although if you use rubbing alcohol, turpentine, or paint thinner, test it on an inconspicuous area to ensure it doesn’t fade the cloth or cause the colors to bleed.
You can use bleach to remove paint stains from white cloth, but not on colored or dark fabrics, as it can fade the color. Even for white clothes, check the care label and use bleach only if it’s safe for the fabric.
There is no definitive answer as to whether you should use warm or cold water to remove paint stains. However, I recommend using hot water as it effectively breaks down and loosens the paint.
For more painting resources, check out these guides:
Act Quickly
Remove paint stains from the cloth as soon as possible to prevent them from becoming a permanent problem. Before using harsh chemicals, test them on an inconspicuous spot to ensure they don’t damage the fabric.
Painting is a messy and time-consuming task. If you need help painting your home, get in touch with Home Gnome. We connect you with the best painting pros in your area who can help you with everything related to painting. You also don’t have to deal with dried paint on your favorite pair of jeans.
Main Photo Credit: Freepik
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