How to remove paint from carpet?
If you spill a little acrylic paint during your next home renovation project, don’t panic. Many oil and water-based paint stains may be cleaned from carpet fibres with a little time and a few cleaning materials. Simply repair these carpet as soon as possible from paint spills and then move on to other activities such as removing paint from your clothing or cleaning your paint brushes.
The particular stain removal procedures and supplies differ depending on the type of paint and whether it is wet or dry. Let’s start with water-based paints like acrylic latex, finger paints, and watercolours, then move on to oil-based paint removal. Here’s how to remove paint from a carpet or area rug so it appears brand new.
How to Remove Water-Based Paint from Carpet?
Ideally, you should catch the paint stain when it is still wet and easy to remove from carpet fibers. Try the following procedures for wet or dry paint removal from latex and other water-based paints.
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What You’ll Require
- Dull knife, putty knife, or outdated credit card
- White rags or paper towels
- Dish soap and soapy water
- Soft-bristled brush
- Steamer for clothes
- VacuumsSteps Stains from New Paint
- Remove the wet or latex paint. To remove the wet paint, use the dull edge of a knife or the edge of an old credit card. Rubbing the stain with a cloth or paper towel will just drive the paint further into the carpet fibres.
Blot away any remaining paint on the carpet’s surface using a moist paper towel or white cloth. As the paint is transferred, keep moving to a clean region of the cloth. Continue blotting until all of the paint has been removed.
Steps for Removing Dried Paint Stains
Reassemble the dried paint. In a small bowl, combine hot water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Saturate the dried paint stain using a soft-bristled brush—an old toothbrush works well in the solution. Allow it to settle for five minutes to soften the paint.
Scrape and blot the surface. Once the paint has softened, carefully scrape it away from the fibre with a dull knife. As the paint comes off, blot it with a moist paper towel or cloth. As needed, use the brush to apply more of the hot soapy solution. Continue to work until the paint is gone. Remember not to rub or the paint may smear.
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Increase the heat. If the hot water solution does not soften the paint, use a portable clothes steamer to blast the stain with steam. Do not use a steamer nozzle or a hot iron directly on the carpet, as this might cause the fibres to melt. Scrape and blot carefully until the paint is removed.
Vacuum and dry. Allow the carpet to air-dry after removing the paint, and then vacuum thoroughly to lift the carpet fibres and gather any remaining loose paint particles.
How to Remove Oil-Based Paint from Carpet Oil-based paint?
It is significantly harder to remove from carpet fibres. The methods are the same whether the stain is new or dried.
What You’ll Require
- Dull blade
- Toilet paper
- Cotton rag, white
- Steamer for clothes
- The paper clip
- Turpentine or paint solvent.
- Dishwashing detergent
- Brush with soft bristles
- Wet paint should be lifted and blotted. If the paint drip is moist, pull it up and away from the carpet using a dull knife. As you take away paint and wipe the area with a damp paper towel, use a blast of steam from a clothes steamer to keep the paint moist. As you continue wiping with clean paper towels, straighten a paperclip and use it to separate carpet fibres.
- Dry paint should be scraped and blotted. If the oil paint is dried, gently scrape away as much as you can from the fibres using a dull knife. Pick up the dried paint flakes with a moist paper towel or vacuum.
Use a solvent to treat
Read the small print on the paint label after lifting or scraping and apply the suggested solvent (mineral spirits, paint thinner, turpentine). If none is specified, choose turpentine. To ensure that the solvent does not create a colour change, test it on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. Blot the stained area with a dab of the solvent on a white cotton cloth. As colour is applied, work slowly and move to a clear region of the rag.
Rinse and clean. After removing as much paint as possible, make a solution of hot water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Using a soft-bristled brush, carefully clean the area where the paint solvent was applied. Rinse the area with a clean rag soaked in water, then wipe away the excess water with paper towels.
Vacuum and air-dry. Allow the carpet to dry before vacuuming it to restore the pile.
It may be hard to remove all traces of latex or oil paint from the carpet if the spill is substantial. Consider hiring a professional carpet cleaner to assist you. If everything else fails, consider cutting out the destroyed carpet and putting it together with scraps, or covering the stain with an area rug until the carpet can be replaced.
