How to Remove Spray Paint from Hands

Spray paint can be very useful, but it can also cause a lot of dirt. How to keep the paint from sticking to your hands every time you use it seems impossible. But you have nothing to worry about! Cleaning spray paint on the skin is not a pain. Here is a list of things that can help you remove spray paint stains that you probably already have in your home.

Table of Contents

Dish soap

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Rub soap into lather and rub into skin. Put a few drops of regular dishwashing liquid on your hands. Rub your hands together so the paint particles come off and stick to the soap, making it easier to wash off.

Dawn dishwashing liquid is common, but you can use any dishwashing liquid formulated to remove grease.

Olive oil

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Gently rub the oil on the skin to help the paint come off more easily. Once it dries, the spray paint will be more difficult to wash off. Natural oils such as olive or vegetable oils can help break down the molecules in the paint that cause the paint to stick to the skin. Rub the oil onto your hands and rub into your skin to loosen the paint.

Any natural oil will work. You can use coconut oil, avocado oil, or even soybean oil to remove paint.

Mayonnaise

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Use mayonnaise to remove oil-based spray paint. Apply a generous amount of mayonnaise to the painted hands and rub your hands together to rub the mayonnaise into the skin. Leave the mayonnaise on the skin for about 2 minutes, then wash it off with soap and water. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Coffee grounds

Mix coffee grounds with soap. Put a few drops of dishwashing liquid on your hands, rub up a lot of foam, then scoop a spoonful of coffee grounds mixed with soap. Rub your hands together to dissolve and loosen the paint on your skin, then rinse off the soap and coffee grounds with hot water. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Nail polish remover

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Use acetone to break down paint particles. After you’ve scrubbed and there’s still paint on your skin, you can pour some nail polish remover on a cotton ball and dab it directly on the paint, then try rinsing it off with hot water. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Cleaning alcohol

Scrub the stain with rubbing alcohol until the paint begins to peel off. If you don’t have acetone or if you don’t want to use nail polish remover, you can use rubbing alcohol instead. Pour rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and dab it directly on the paint stain. Rinse after the paint has soaked up the alcohol. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Coconut oil and baking soda

Use this homemade cleaner to scrub the paint off. Mix ½ cup (120 ml) of coconut oil with ½ cup (120 ml) of baking soda. Mix the two ingredients well and spread the mixture on the skin. Rub your hands together as if you were rubbing soap to let the oil rub on your skin and loosen the paint. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

If you don’t have coconut oil, don’t worry. You can use olive oil or vegetable oil.

Paint thinner

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Rub the paint thinner all over the painted skin. If your hands are covered with paint that is too difficult to remove, rub paint thinner on the affected skin. The paint thinner will break down the paint particles and make it easier to clean the paint. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Remember to use paint thinner in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling chemical vapors.

Toothbrush

Rub a toothbrush over small paint stains after washing your hands. Paint that sticks to smaller areas of skin, such as around fingertips, under fingernails and in finger lines, can be extremely difficult to clean. You can use a toothbrush to scrub the paint off these spots after you’ve removed the paint elsewhere on your hand. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Soak the toothbrush in warm water to soften and soften the bristles.
You can also use a toothbrush to scrub stubborn paint stains on your hands.

Advice

Try to clean the paint as soon as possible. Once the paint has dried and adhered, it will be harder to remove.
Wash your hands several times until the paint is clean.
After you have removed the paint, you should use a moisturizing lotion to rehydrate and soothe the skin. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Warning

Be sure to wash your hands in a well-ventilated area if you are using paint thinner or acetone.

Steps