Painting can be a satisfying job when you are renovating your home but it can be a real mess when you get paint stains on your clothes. Treating the paint spills immediately would be great if you don’t want permanent marks. Whether working with a fresh paint spill or a dried stain, it’s not easy to get rid of the paint with cleaners.
To restore the look of your clothes and get stain-free fabric pieces, Interior Painting Services is here to walk you through the easy and effective ways to treat those stains. Go through the different methods explained in this comprehensive guide for a DIY project.
Expert Cleaning Tips To Get Rid of The Stains From Clothes
When it comes to paint removal, knowing the type of stain you are dealing with is essential to proceed with the best method and cleaning solution to remove those stains. Depending on the different types of paint stains, you’ll need the following supplies and equipment.
What Tools & Materials You’ll Need?
- Sponge
- Paint Scrapper
- Water
- Detergent
- Vinegar
- Bucket
- Duct Tape
- Stain Remover
- Washing Machine
1. Latex, Acrylic, Or Water-based Stains
The easiest stain types to deal with are acrylic, latex, and water-based and you can follow the simple steps mentioned below to remove them.
Identify Stain Type
Look for paint spray or can to find the latex and acrylic words to determine whether they are water-based or oil-based. If the paint can or spray you used is unavailable, you can check it by rubbing alcohol using a clean cloth over the affected area. If stain transfers, you are dealing with acrylic or latex paint.
Scrape Off The Paint
Use a scraper or a sharp blade to remove the dried paint from your clothes. The scrapping process with lighten the paint as it will get off from your clothes in a powder form. Suppose you work with different paint layers on your clothing and then remove it quickly. This duct tape will bring the dried paint along.
Rinse Stain With Running Water
Now, turn your fabric’s inside out to rinse the stain from behind. Hold your clothes under the warm running water and gently rub the fabric stain with your hands. While rubbing the stain, move your fingers towards the center following from the outer area of the cloth. Now rinse the fabric to lose the stuck paint, ensuring water passes through the stain.
Apply Liquid Detergent Or Try Alcohol
After you rinse the stain, put a few liquid detergent or alcohol drops onto the stain. Now rub the stained fabric piece with a sponge and keep doing it until the paint color disappears from the surface. When scrubbing, work from the outer edges so the paint color doesn’t spread even more. Rinse the fabric with warm water to eliminate the cleaning agent thoroughly.
Wash Your Clothes
Now that you have rinsed your cloth from the cleaning agent, launder it using a washing machine for the proper cleaning. Read the care instructions for fabric to clean in the washing machine. Keep the machine cycle low, use the mild detergent, and rinse the cloth with clean water. Put the fabric into the dryer on low heat for efficient drying.
Check Out > DIY guide To Remove Spray Paint From Floor
2. Stubborn Oil Based Stains
Oil-based stains are difficult to remove compared to oil-based ones, particularly when drying. Here’s what you have to follow to treat those stains.
Identify The Stain Type
Check out the container or paint tube and find the “oil paint” or “oil-based paint ” tag to assess the paint type. Use a wet paper towel if you don’t have the paint tube. Use this towel with rubbing alcohol and gently dab it onto the painted cloth. If this towel doesn’t catch the stain’s color, you’re dealing with oil-based stubborn stains.
Scrape Off The Paint
Primarily used for fine arts and crafts, oil-based stains are thick, glossy, and have a slow drying process. If the paint is still wet, you can easily scoop off the excess using a butter knife. Then, blot away the stain using a clean towel. You can use a sharp knife with serrated edges to scrape them off for dried paint. Also, you can use a soft-bristled brush to scrub. Never use water when you are scrapping off the oil-based stains.
Get An Oil Paint Solvent
A chemical cleaning solution works best for cleaning splashes of oil-based paint from clothes. Aside from specifically designed paints for fabrics, you can use a generic turpentine for paint dissolving. Ensure to check the fabric care label tag to pick the right cleaner because fabrics containing acetate, triacetate, or rayon can get damaged with turpentine. To tackle this issue, you can test the cleaning solution on any inconspicuous area to ensure it won’t fade fabric color/ quality.
Dab The Solvent On Cloth
If the solvent works well with your clothing, pour drops over the stained area. Try Blotting away the stain from the cloth utilizing a clean towel. The oil-based stains take longer to get off the fabric so you can gently scrub the area using towels until the mark disappears.
Soak Fabric Piece In Cleaning Agent
Next, make a soapy solution in a bucket using laundry detergent and warm water and add your garment. Let the garment soak for at least an hour and try rubbing the stains every 20-25 minutes to loosen the paint solvent. You can also leave the fabric soaked overnight for the most effectiveness.
Wash The Cloth In the Machine
Wash your clothes immediately in the washing machine after removing them from the soapy solution. Give it a final gentle scrub and add it to the washing machine. Read the manufacturer’s instructions on fabric and use the correct machine cycle accordingly. Never toss the cloth in the dryer while it still has a stain. Use a cleaning agent and warm water to soak your fabric again for this purpose.
Instructions To Remove Paint Marks From Delicate Fabrics
- Look for the care tag before cleaning to see if they are only dry-clean.
- Scratch or scrape excess dried paint from the cloth using a sharp blade.
- Blot away the stain with a dry cleaning solution.
- To treat stubborn stains, apply a dry spotter solvent powder.
- Always work in a ventilated room with a fan on and window open.
- Rinse the portion using a cloth soaked in a dry cleaning mixture.
- To remove any remaining oil or grease, dab over the stain.
To Wrap Up!
Stains on clothes look unappealing and need to be treated immediately with any effective cleaning method. Before you begin cleaning, you need to assess the type of stain whether it is latex, water, or oil-based. This is because every type of stain needs to be treated differently depending on the fabric type. These stains can be easily DIY-removed if you have all
the essential supplies and materials available.
Using a sharp knife, water-based stains can be effortlessly removed with a simple paint scraping. Add a few detergent drops, rub the stains, and wash with lukewarm water. For oil-based dried stains, you can use an oil paint solvent or turpentine and clean your clothes in a washing machine. Also, to treat stubborn stains over delicate fabrics, you can use a dry spotter and rinse the stain on the fabric using a dry cleaning solution. Hopefully, these methods will help you remove the stubborn stains from clothes.
