The Best Tips on How to Get Paint Out of a Carpet

If you’ve splashed, spilled, or dropped paint on your carpet, don’t despair. Yes, you’re going to need to work quickly, but no, you won’t need to replace your flooring. Or at least, you won’t if you follow the proper cleaning procedure. The tricky part, of course, is knowing what the proper cleaning procedure is… a problem that increases tenfold when you take into account that paint comes in a myriad of different forms (acrylic, oil, water, enamel, and latex to name just a few), with each requiring a different form of removal. To get started, check out these top tips on how to get paint out of a carpet.

How To Get Latex Paint Out Of A Carpet

  • Step 1 – As SFGate helpfully points out, start by removing as much dried paint from the carpet as possible by gently scraping away the surface with a putty knife. Any big clumps can be loosened with a needle-nose pliers.
  • Step 2 – Next, soak the paint-splattered area with water. Once its good and wet, use a wet/dry vacuum to clean. The paint should start lifting as you vacuum: keep going until you think as much has been removed as is going to be.
  • Step 3 – Add one and a quarter teaspoons of cleaning detergent to a spray water bottle along with 32 ounces of water. Give the bottle a good shake, then spray the contents liberally over the affected area. Scrub the solution into the carpet, then repeat. And repeat again. In fact, keep repeating until all the paint has gone. It may take a while, but the results will be worth it.

How To Get Acrylic Paint Out Of A Carpet

  • Step 1 – Start by soaking a clean white cloth in a mixture of water and one tablespoon of laundry detergent. Blot the paint to help loosen it from the carpet fibers.
  • Step 2 – Soak your cloth in acetone (nail polish will do), then start blotting at the paint stain, working from the outside in. Keep the windows open as you work, and wear a mask if possible to protect yourself from the fumes.
  • Step 3 – Once the acetone has dislodged as much of the paint as it’s going to, clear up the rest of the spillage by soaking the area in a commercial carpet cleaner before scrubbing it into the stain with a stiff scrubbing brush. Once you’re finished scrubbing, let the cleaning solution sit for around 5 minutes before vacuuming up the solution and paint with a wet/dry vacuum. If the paint stain is still visible once you’ve finished vacuuming, repeat the steps as many times as needed.

How To Get Oil Paint Out Of A Carpet

  • Step 1 – If you’ve spilled oil paint on your carpet, Wiki How recommends scraping up as much of the paint as possible with a metal or plastic putty knife. Be careful not to scrub the paint into the carpet if It’s still wet. If it’s already dry, try blasting it with a carpet steamer to soften.
  • Step 2 – Start blotting the affected area with a clean white cloth. Keep blotting (not scrubbing) until you’ve soaked up as much of the paint as possible.
  • Step 3 – Soak a fresh white cloth in turpentine, and repeat step 2. Repeat until the paint has lifted. If the turpentine has left an area of discoloration on the carpet, proceed to step 4.
  • Step 4 – Add one tablespoon of dishwashing detergent to two cups of cold water. Soak a white cloth in the detergent mixture, and blot the area until clean. Once you’ve finished, place a paper towel over the damp area to soak up any remaining cleaning solution.

How To Get Water Or Latex-Based Paint Out Of A Carpet

  • Step 1 – If the paint is still fresh, soak up as much of it as possible with an old towel. Use a blotting, rather than scrubbing, action to avoid pushing the paint further in.
  • Step 2 – Mix one tablespoon of dishwashing detergent to one cup of lukewarm water. Soak a clean white cloth in the mixture, then blot the stain from the outside in. if the paint has already dried, soak the affected area in the cleaning mixture and let it sit for around 5 minutes before you start working.
  • Step 3 – Use a wet/dry vacuum to hoover up the remaining solution and paint fragments. If you still have any paint remaining at this point, keep repeating the steps until its removed.

How to Get Any Paint Out of a Carpet

If you’re dealing with a paint spillage but have no idea what variety of paint caused the problem, try this “cover-all-bases” solution.

The Goo-Gone Method

  • Step 1 – As directed by Housewifehowtos.com, spray the paint-splotched area with a liberal dose of Goo Gone. Count down 5 minutes. Take a plastic or metal putty knife and gently scrape up the loose paint. Remember, gently does it – removing the paint is all well and good, but you don’t want it to come at the cost of causing permanent damage to your carpet. If the paint shows any sign of resistance, let the Goo Gone do its business for another 5 minutes before resuming the attack.
  • Step 2 – Add a few drops of liquid soap to a spray bottle of water before spraying the affected area. Spray enough for it to be damp, but not soaking.
  • Step 3 – Dab away at the area with a clean white cloth (don’t be tempted to use a colored cloth, as its dyes could transfer to the carpet and leave you with an even bigger mess to clean up). Rotate the cloth as you go so you don’t end up driving any of the lifted paint back into the carpet. Whatever you do, don’t scrub!
  • Step 4 – Vacuum the area with a wet/dry vacuum to remove any last traces of solution and paint. If any paint remains, repeat the steps until gone.

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