How to Get Paint Out of Clothes
Paint stains are an unfortunate common occurrence when getting creative and doing arts and crafts projects. Fortunately, there are a few ways to remove evidence of your painting activity from clothing.
Remove Latex Paint
- Rinse the area with cold running water. This helps to rinse away excess paint and dilute the stain. Apply pressure the area to help the water work its way through the fabric.
- Apply liquid detergent directly to the area. Gently work it in to the fabric, and again use pressure to work it the cleaner through the fabric.
- Rinse the area again. Repeat this several times until the area is free from any residual soap.
- Wash the garment. Wash the garment according to the fabric care instructions. After the wash cycle is complete, air dry the item with the stained area still facing downwards.
- Check for any remaining stains. If you still see the paint stain, treat again with the method above.
Remove Acrylic Paint
- Gently brush away the excess paint. Doing this with a soft bristled brush will help gently remove the excess paint, while being careful not to break the fibers of the fabric.
- Soak the garment in warm water and liquid detergent. Let the garment sit in this solution for at least an hour before rinsing out with cold running water.
- Pre-treat the garment. Pre-treating with a good quality stain remover will help to loosen the hold the of the stain to the fabric. If a specific acrylic paint remover is not available, a liquid dishwashing detergent should work as well.
- Wash the garment. Wash the garment according to the fabric care instructions. After the wash cycle is complete, air dry the item with the stained area still facing downwards.
- Check for any remaining stains. If you still see the paint stain, treat again with the method above.
By following the steps above, you should be able to remove paint stains from most fabrics. If you are unable to remove the stain completely, it may be better to seek professional assistance for getting the paint out.