How to Get Paint Out of Your Carpet
So you had yourself a little spill? You got paint on your beautiful carpet floors, and now you’re panicking. Well fear not, intrepid homeowners. No matter the type or the severity of the spill, there are many ways to get paint out of your carpet. Whether it’s acrylic, latex, or oil-based paint, we’ll outline best practices for removing it from your carpeted floors.
Removing acrylic paint from your carpet:
Acrylic paint removal is a relatively painless process. Follow these steps to promptly remove acrylic paint from your carpeting:
If the paint is wet:
If you’ve recently spilled acrylic paint on your carpeted floors, the key is to move quickly! Find yourself a sponge or microfiber cloth, dampen it, and blot the paint until it disappears.
If the paint has dried:
Expectedly, dried acrylic paint is more complex to get out of your carpet than a fresh spill, but it’s still entirely doable. Follow these steps to remove acrylic paint from your carpet:
1. Begin by scraping the dried paint off of your carpet with something sharp, like needle-nose pliers or a razor.
2. Dampen a microfiber cloth with rubbing alcohol and blot the stained area for 10-15 minutes or until the paint is no longer visible.
3. Use a dry cloth and blot the area to help remove any remaining wetness.
Removing latex paint from your carpet:
Removing latex paint from your carpeting is a similar process to that of acrylic paint. Use these steps as a guide to ensure your latex paint is properly removed from your carpet:
If the paint is wet:
If the latex paint is still wet, blot the area with a damp microfiber cloth or sponge. Fortunately, wet latex paint is relatively easy to get out of your carpeting if you act quickly!
If the paint has dried:
1. Much like acrylic paint, the first step is to scrape off any dried paint using a razor, a dull knife, or needle-nose pliers.
2. Dab the area with rubbing or alcohol (or water if you prefer).
3. If the paint persists, dab the area with a homemade cleaner mixture of 1:1 dish soap (or detergent) and hot water. Do so using a sponge or microfiber cloth.
4. With the paint now removed, soak up any remaining wetness or moisture with a dry towel.
Removing oil-based paint from your carpet:
Of the three types of paint addressed here, oil-based is the most difficult to remove. Follow these guidelines to ensure proper removal:
If the paint is wet:
Oil-based stains, if dried, can be challenging to get out, so if the paint is still wet, you’ll want to address it very quickly. Do so by finding yourself a damp cloth and blotting away at the stain until it disappears.
If the paint has dried:
1. Dab the area with a paint thinner recommended by the (now spilled) paint manufacturer. This will help to loosen up the dried paint substance.
2. If the stain remains, dab with that 1:1 cleaning substance we mentioned in the instructions for removing dried latex paint (equal parts hot water and dish soap or detergent).
3. With the paint removed, place a dry towel over the area to absorb any remaining wetness or moisture from your cleaning.
So you spilled some paint on your carpet? No big deal! Just follow this helpful guide for tips on removing acrylic, latex, and oil-based paint from your carpet, and you’ll be fine. When in doubt, contact the experts at Flooring 101. We can help answer any carpet-related questions or even help you find the carpeting of your dreams!
