Paint removal from carpet may seem like an impossible challenge, but it is possible. Your carpet can be saved if you use the proper methods and procedures. Using suitable cleaning agents and a little elbow grease, you can get rid of most paint stains, fresh or dried.
With the help of this guide, you can remove paint from the carpet. We’ll look at how to remove oil, latex and water-based paints.
1: Identify the type of paint you have spilled
You must first identify the type of spilled paint before attempting to remove it from the carpet. You can find out if the paint is latex-based, oil-based or water-based from the label on the paint can.
2: Preparation for Removing a Wet Stain
- Paint spills should be cleaned up as soon as they occur, if at all possible.
- To remove the excess liquid, dab the area with a thick paper towel or cleaning cloth.
- Make sure you don’t press on the spill, because you may end up pressing it deep into the backing of the carpet.
3: Preparation for Removing a Dry Stain
- Removing dried paint from the carpet is more complicated and will require little more effort.
- Start off by scraping away the thicker paint chunks with a utility knife or a pair of needle-nose pliers.
- Remove any extra debris from the carpet by vacuuming it thoroughly.
4: Water-based or Latex Paint: Removal Guide
Follow these steps to remove water-based or latex-based paint from the carpet once the area has been prepared:
- To moisten the stain, apply a thin layer of hot water to the affected area.
- To clean up a wet area, use a small amount of mild dish soap. Slightly lather up the dish soap and water by scrubbing the area with a stiff-bristled scrub brush until it disappears.
- Continue scrubbing until the paint stain disappears. Keep going until the stain disappears. Use a carpet cleaner, either upright or handheld, to remove tough stains.
5: Oil-Based Paint: Removal Guide
Synthetic or natural oils are used in the formulation of oil-based paints. This type of paint is moisture-resistant and long-lasting. So, like shoe polish which can also be oil-based this type of paint stain is difficult to remove. So it’s recommended that you call on the services of a carpet cleaning company.
But if you still want to have a go, follow these steps after preparing the carpet to remove oil-based paint:
- Blot the affected area with a wet cleaning cloth dipped in paint remover.
- Use either a paint remover product, 100 percent acetone or hydrogen peroxide for the next steps.
- Test your chosen solution on an inconspicuous part of the carpet to ensure it doesn’t damage or discolour/bleach the carpet. Wait several minutes when doing this test as the affects on the carpet can take time to show.
- Continue blotting the affected area until the stain disappears.
- It may take a while for the pigment in oil-based paint stains to dissolve completely, so patience is required.
- Shampoo your carpet after removing the stain.
Safety tip: Ensure there is lots of ventilation when using paint remover or an alternative. In most cases these fixes for paint spills should work like a charm. If so bring out the wine bottle and celebrate (but be careful not to spill anything the last thing you want to deal with now is a wine stain)! Otherwise give us a call!