While working with paints, a few drops may fall on your cloth and ruin the beautiful fabric. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw away your dress. You can try some easy fixes and wear them again. But if you don’t know how you should try those fixes to remove dried paint from clothes, it is definitely a hassle. So, how do I remove dried paint from my clothes?
You can use iron and tissue paper to remove dried paint from your clothes. First, place the tissue paper on the paint stain and iron. The heat will melt and remove the paint. Repeat this process several times, and then use olive oil to remove the paint stain altogether.
There are other ways to remove the dried paint from clothes, such as using baking soda, acetone, rubbing alcohol, etc. Stay with me till the end if you want to remove paint stain from clothes.
Top Methods to remove dried paint from clothes
You can try various methods to remove paints from clothes. Depending on what items are available at your home, you can try any of the methods below:
- Iron & olive oil
- Rubbing alcohol
- Baking soda
- Acetone
- Liquid dish detergent
- Paint remover
- Hairspray
All of the methods will work perfectly fine for water-based latex paints. But if the paint is oil-based, then you must follow method 6. Let’s discuss the details of all the methods to remove dried paints from clothes.
Method 1: Iron & Olive oil
You will need the following items to remove dried paint from your clothes with iron & olive oil:
- Iron
- Olive oil
- Tissue paper
- A table close to an electricity output
- Brush
- Soapy water
Step 1: Iron on the paint
First, plug in the iron & ensure it gets hot. Now, place the tissue paper on the dried paint and start ironing it. The heat will melt the paint and stick to the tissue. Then repeat this process several times and use a new tissue surface each time.
Caution: You must use tissue paper, or the paint will stick on the iron.
Step 2: Apply olive oil
When you remove most of the paint, pour a few drops of olive oil on the paint and start rubbing with a brush. Do this for quite a few minutes or until you remove the majority of the dried paint from the cloth.
Step 3: Wash off with soapy water
There will still be some paint left on the cloth after step 2. Use soapy water and rub well to wash off any remaining paint from the cloth. Now, there shouldn’t be any paint left.
Method 2: Rubbing alcohol
You also can use rubbing alcohol to remove dried paint from clothes if you have the following items at home:
- Rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol
- Brush
- Sponge
Step 1: Apply rubbing alcohol
First, take a little bit of rubbing alcohol and pour it on the painting. Then start rubbing with the brush. Continuously do it and take more rubbing alcohol every few minutes. You may even need to repeat this process for almost an hour to get the best results.
Step 2: Rub sponge
Use the rub sponge to prevent cloth damage when there isn’t much paint left. The brush is harsh and may ruin your clothes, so you can use a sponge in the end.
Step 3: Wash off
Finally, wash off the residues with water. You may or may not use soapy water.
Method 3: Baking soda
Almost everyone has baking soda in their kitchens. You also can use this item to remove dry paint from clothes. You will need the following items for the process:
- Baking soda
- Detergent powder
- Dish soap
- Water
- Bowl
- Brush
Step 1: Mix the ingredients
First, take a bowl and mix baking soda, detergent powder, and dish soap, one teaspoon each with a cup of water. You can increase the amount if necessary. Besides, you also can add rubbing alcohol into the mixture for better results.
Step 2: Let the cloth soak.
After preparing the mixture, let the portion of the cloth with dry painting soak in the water. Give it around 10 to 20 minutes to soak well.
Step 3: Brush & wash
Lastly, take out the cloth and start brushing on the paint. You may need to use a little bit of pressure to take off the paint. Then finally, wash off the cloth with water.
Method 4: Acetone (nail polish remover)
Acetone or nail polish remover not only removes nail polish but can also dissolve the paint and clean your clothes. You will need the following items for the process:
- Acetone/Nail polish remover
- Sponge
Step 1: Apply acetone
You can purchase acetone separately or use the nail polish remover at home. First, drop a little acetone on the paint and let it soak for a few minutes. If it dries fast, pour a little bit more.
Step 2: Rub the acetone
After soaking, rub the dry paint area with a brush. It will have a similar effect as rubbing alcohol. Continue rubbing until all the paints come off. Use more acetone if necessary for a better result.
Step 3: Wash the cloth
After removing the paint from your clothes, wash off the cloth with clean or soapy water. It will vanish the latex paint from your clothes.
Method 5: Liquid dish detergent
Using liquid detergent is one of the simplest methods you can follow. You will need:
- Dish detergent
- Rag
- Rubbing alcohol
- A bowl
- Water (optional)
Step 1: Mix the ingredients
First, take a cup of water in a bowl and mix with dish detergent and rubbing alcohol. You can avoid using water if the fabric is more rigid.
Step 2: Blot with the rag
Then, pour the mixture onto the dried paint and let it soak for a while. It will dissolve the paint after a few minutes. Use the rag to rub the paint and remove it from the cloth.
Step 3: Clean with water
When you have removed all the dried paint from your cloth, wash it off with water.
Method 6: Paint remover (Turpentine/Paint thinner)
All the methods above work well for latex paints. But if you have dropped oil-based paint on your cloth, then the above method may not be helpful. You will need a commercial paint remover to do the job. You will need the following things for the process:
- Paint remover
- Paper towels
Step 1: Sack paper towels in paint remover
First, take a piece of paper towel and sack it into the paint remover. You can use any paint remover, including turpentine and paint thinner. Both work well to remove oil-based dry paint from clothes.
Step 2: Remove paint
After sacking the paper towels, dab them on the paint and rub a little bit. Change the paper towels and repeat the process as necessary.
Step 3: Clean, wash
When no paint is left, clean and wash the cloth to finish the process. However, don’t forget to check the instructions on the product body to get the best results.
Method 7: Hairspray
Hairspray is another good substance to remove latex-based paints. Most hairsprays include alcohol that helps to loosen the paint stain and eliminate it from cloth. You will need the following items for the process:
- Hairspray
- Brush
- Warm water
Step 1: Apply hairspray
First, spray a generous amount of hairspray on the paint to dissolve the paint.
Step 2: Brush
Then use a brush to rub the paint and try to remove the stain. Use more hairspray if necessary.
Step 3: Wash
Lastly, wash the area with warm water. Warm water will help to remove the paint stain from the cloth further.
FAQs:
- How to remove dried acrylic paint from clothes?
You can use isopropyl alcohol or ammonia to remove dried acrylic paint from clothes. Use cotton balls to rub these chemicals on the paint. It will dissolve and remove the paint stain from the clothes.
- How to remove dried fabric paint from clothes?
Mix liquid detergent with a little bit of vinegar and rub it on the paint stain to remove dried fabric paint from the cloth. Apply a good amount of pressure to remove all the paints.
- How to remove dried gloss paint from clothes?
Use a blade to remove dried gloss paint from the clothes as much as possible. Then apply a paint remover to remove the gloss paint stain completely. However, be careful not to cut the fabric while using the blade.
Conclusion
These are some of the best and easiest methods you can try right now to remove dried paint from your cloth and use it again. If you ask me which method is the best, I will recommend you go for using the paint remover. This is the most efficient way to remove dried paint from clothes or other surfaces.
