How to Remove Paint from Clothes

Home improvement and craft projects are notoriously messy and messy, especially when paint is used. While the best way to avoid those pesky paint stains is to wear old clothes to work, it’s easy to forget this and get your favorite t-shirt or jeans stained. Fortunately, many paint stains on fabrics can be removed with household cleaners and a little effort.

Table of Contents

Latex paint stain remover

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Identify latex paint stains. Latex paint is the most common paint used in modern interior decoration and is often preferred as a low-cost craft paint. Latex paint is also known as acrylic paint or acrylic latex paint.

Check the can or tube of paint for the words “latex” or “acrylic latex.” If you see those words on the label, follow the steps below to remove the paint stain.
If you don’t have a paint can or tube of paint available, recall previous paint projects. Do you wash the brush with water or a paint thinner? If using water, the paint you are using is probably latex paint and the following steps can be applied.

Remove paint stains from clothing. As soon as the paint is applied to the garment, use a butter knife, the edge of a spatula or similar object to scrape off as much paint as possible. The longer the stain dries, the harder it will be to remove.

If the paint has dried or is old, scrape off as much as possible before attempting to remove it with water or other liquid.
If your clothes have lots of dry paint on them, you can use tape to remove a few layers. Apply a layer of cloth tape, technical tape or automotive tape on the paint stain, then quickly peel off the tape. It will pull the paint out with it! ^{[1] X Research Source}
Be sure to dispose of paint properly, following the procedure outlined on the paint can.

Wash stains under warm water. Latex paint is a mixture of water and acrylic, so you can remove new paint stains with water. Start washing the paint stain from the back of the fabric. Brush or scrape the paint while rinsing to loosen the paint and help the water seep through the stain.

Use cleaning solution. Use an emulsifier to dissolve and remove paint stains. You can use a commercial cleaning product like Goof Off or make your own at home.

A mixture of hand soap and dishwashing liquid makes a great paint remover, especially with new paint stains. Mix hand soap and dishwashing liquid in a small bowl in equal proportions. Use a sponge to absorb the solution on the paint stain and beat several times for at least 1 minute. Rinse again with warm water and repeat if necessary until the stain is clean or nearly clean.
If the stain has dried, use a hairspray or isopropyl alcohol to remove the stain. ^{[2] X Source of Study} Rub hairspray or alcohol on the paint stain, then rinse with warm water. Repeat this step if necessary until the stain is gone or completely faded.

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Wash clothes as usual. After you have rinsed the detergent used to remove paint stains from your clothes for the last time, you can wash them again according to the instructions on the clothing label. The washing process will remove any remaining paint, but be sure to check to make sure the stain is clean before drying. Stains will be more difficult to remove when dried.

Remove oil paint stains

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Identify oil paint stains. Although once a popular choice for all types of projects, now oil paints are used primarily in painting and craft work. Oil paint is usually thicker and glossier than latex paint and takes much longer to dry.

If you’re not sure if the stain to be treated is oil paint, you can check the paint can or tube of paint for the words “oil paint” or “oil-based paint.”
If you don’t have a paint can or tube of paint available, try to recall how you washed your brushes or other items after painting. Do you use water or a paint thinner like pine oil? If you’re using pine oil, white wine, or another similar product, it’s probably oil paint and you can follow these steps.

Remove as much paint as possible. If the paint is still wet, scrape off the paint with a knife or the edge of a spatula, then blot the stain with a white cloth. If the paint has dried, you will need to use a knife or stiff bristle brush to scrub it.

Do not use water or flush. Water will only make the stain harder to remove.

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Determine the oil paint solvent to be used. To remove oil paint stains, you will need to use a chemical paint thinner. There are many products on the market, and the paint stain you’re dealing with may require a special cleaner.

Check the paint can for paint remover recommendations.
If you’re dealing with a special craft paint, you should ask your paint supplier about a special cleaner. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
If you can’t find a special paint remover recommendation or don’t have the time to find and purchase one, you can use pine oil or white wine to remove most oil-based paint stains. Distilled pine oil is available at home improvement supply stores or paint stores.
However, never use pine oil on materials containing acetate, triacetate or rayon, so you should check the instructions on the garment label before handling it. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Paint removal on delicate materials

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Determine the type of clothing that needs to be handled lightly or dry cleaned only. If you’re not sure if your clothes need to be dry cleaned, check the information and materials on the label. Materials that require dry cleaning typically include acetate, silk, wool, and velvet. Even if your clothes don’t belong to these materials, if the label on the garment says “Dry Clean Only”, you’ll need to follow the steps below to remove latex or oil-based paint. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Use a butter knife or spatula to scrape off the paint. It is best to treat paint stains while they are still wet, so you need to remove them as soon as you find them.

Delicate fabrics can be damaged when you scrub too hard or use a stiff brush. So it’s best to scrape off the paint with the blunt edge of a spoon or something similar.

Things you need

Butter knife or similar with a blunt edge
Emulsifier (Goof Off or homemade solution)
Laundry soap
Solvent oil paint or pine oil
Dry cleaning solution
Dry bleach

Steps

Latex paint stain remover

Remove oil paint stains

Paint removal on delicate materials

Things you need

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