How to Remove Latex Paint from Clothes

Clothes with latex paint are really annoying. Did you accidentally swipe on a freshly painted wall, or did you drop a few drops of yellow paint on your new sweater? Don’t worry! Depending on the extent of the stain and the fabric, you can treat latex paint stains with soap, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, even hairspray!

Table of Contents

Use rubbing alcohol

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Moisten the painted canvas with warm water. Dip a clean rag in warm water and dab the painted cloth to moisten it. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Pour rubbing alcohol on the stain. Although there are many ways to remove latex paint stains, by far the most effective solution is still rubbing alcohol. Open a bottle of rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol and pour a generous amount onto the stain. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you have a clean watering can, you can pour rubbing alcohol into it and spray it on the stain.
If the paint has been on for a long time, wait a few minutes for the alcohol to break down the paint.

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Scrub the painted cloth. Once the fabric has soaked up the alcohol, you can rub it to start removing the stain. You just need to rub and rub the fabric parts together. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

At this point you can pour more alcohol on the paint stain, if needed.
It’s a good idea to rub a little vigorously, unless the fabric you’re dealing with is too delicate.

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Use a clothes brush to scrub the paint off. Depending on the area of the stain, you can use a clothing brush or toothbrush to rub isopropyl alcohol into the stain to remove the paint. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If you like, you can scrub with a pumice stone instead of a brush. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Rinse the stain with warm water. Dip a clean rag in warm water to scrub the paint and rubbing alcohol off the fabric. At this stage, you can probably just let the tap water run over the fabric in the tub. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

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Use dish soap

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Pour warm water over the latex paint stain. Place the painted cloth under warm running water. Try to remove as much latex paint as possible, especially if the stain is fresh. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Check to make sure the fabric is not discolored. Pour some dish soap on the seam inside the item to be cleaned and rub the soap into the seam to see if the color bleeds. If the color does not bleed, the fabric is durable and you can continue to use dish soap to remove stains. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If it’s a non-color-fast fabric, you’ll need to take the item to a dry cleaner.

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Make a soap solution with one part soap and one part water. Dish soap works to dissolve grease, so it can also help dissolve latex paint. Mix 1 part dish soap and 1 part water to make a paint remover. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Dip the sponge in the soapy solution and dab it on the paint stain on the fabric. Let it sit for about 3 minutes, then use a clean rag or clothing brush to scrub the stain. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Rub the sponge over the paint stain to lather up. Scrub the paint with a sponge until the soap bubbles up. Continue scrubbing until the paint stain is gone. ^{[12] X Research Source}

You can apply more soap solution and scrub again if necessary.
If the paint cannot be removed with soap, you will have to use rubbing alcohol.

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Drain and wash the item. Run warm water over the paint stain to rinse off the soap and paint. The final step is to put the item in the washing machine. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Follow the instructions on the clothing label when washing.
You should separate painted clothes to wash separately instead of washing them with other items.

Clean small paint stains

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Spray hairspray on small paint spots. Spread the garment on a flat surface and spray hairspray on small paint spots. Let the alcohol sit for a few minutes to dissolve the paint, then scrub the stain with a clothes brush. Once the paint stain is clean, you can wash it as usual, and finally dry it with a tumble dryer. ^{[14] X Research Source}

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Scrub the stain with hand gel. Spray some hand sanitizer on a small stain, then brush with a toothbrush to dislodge the paint! Hand sanitizer contains alcohol and is easy to carry, so it is very effective in treating paint stains on clothes as soon as the incident occurs. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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Scrub the stain with paint thinner. Pour half a cup of paint thinner into a container. Dip a clean rag in the paint thinner and rub off the latex paint. When the rag gets dirty, you can squeeze the dirty water into another container. Continue scrubbing until all paint is gone. ^{[16] X Research Source}

If the paint stain is too bad, you can pour the paint thinner directly onto the fabric.
Note that paint thinners can damage delicate fabrics.

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Use a special cleaning product to remove paint stains. There are some cleaners like “goo-gone” or “goof off,” which work to remove sticky substances. If you use specialized cleaning products, you should work in a well-ventilated area, as their odors are often quite strong. Pour the cleaner on the paint stain and let it soak for about 2 minutes. You can use a pumice stone or other tool to scrub. The final step is to rinse and rinse. ^{[17] X Research Source}

If necessary, you can repeat the process again.

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Remove small paint stains with rubbing alcohol soaked in cotton balls. For small paint stains on clothes, you can use alcohol soaked cotton balls to clean them. Place a cotton ball over the mouth of the alcohol bottle and turn it upside down to allow the alcohol to soak into the cotton pad. Use a cotton pad soaked in alcohol to scrub away the stain. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

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Apply lavender essential oil to small paint spots. You can use lavender essential oil to clean small paint stains, although this product is relatively expensive compared to rubbing alcohol. Put 5-7 drops of lavender essential oil on the stain and wait for about half an hour for the essential oil to work, then use a spoon to scrape off the paint. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Scrape off dry paint

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Scrape off the paint with a butter knife. Although knives can easily damage delicate fabrics, you can use a razor to scrape latex paint on denim and thick fabrics. Spread painted clothing on a flat surface, such as an iron. Press the knife down into the fabric and away from you to scrape off the paint. ^{[20] X Research Source}

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Apply cloth tape over the paint stain. If the paint has dried, you can use cloth tape to remove the paint. Cut a piece of cloth tape and stick it on the paint, remembering to press down to stick. Finally, peel off the tape to remove the paint! ^{[21] X Research Source}

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Scrape off paint stains on thick fabrics with a disposable razor. While razors can damage cotton, silk, and many other delicate fabrics, you can still use a razor to remove latex paint from wool and denim. Spread the painted garment on a firm flat surface like an iron and use a razor to scrape the paint off the fabric.

Using an old, dull razor is best, as a new razor can damage the fabric.

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Try scraping off the paint with a nail file. If you’re dealing with a small paint stain on a thick cloth, you can scrape or scrub the paint off with the help of a nail file or fine sandpaper. Carefully scrub the stain, using your fingernails to scrape off any adherent paint. Complete the process by washing and drying. ^{[22] X Research Source}

Remember to shave gently, otherwise you may accidentally scrape the fabric.

Advice

If there is only a single dot or speck of paint on the fabric, you can peel or scrape it off.
You can use oxygen bleach (oxyclean) to wash painted clothes. ^{[23] X Research Sources}
Use an old toothbrush to scrub away small latex paint stains.
If you’re using dish soap, be sure to test the garment to see if it’s colorfast.

Warning

The longer the latex paint stays on the fabric, the harder it is to remove.
There is a risk of damage to the fabric if you use a pumice stone or a knife to scrape the paint, especially with cotton and silk fabrics.
If you use a razor to scrape the paint off, it’s very easy to accidentally cut into the fabric.
Paint thinners can be dangerous to use, as they are extremely flammable and toxic.

Things you need

Paint thinner
Isopropyl alcohol
Dish soap
Lavender oil
Hand sanitizer gel
Pumice
Razor
Toothbrush
Clothes brush
Tape
suck
Clean rags

Steps