When doing painting work, it is advisable to wear clothes that you are not afraid of staining. This allows you to have no regrets in the event of splashing. However, if you do not take this precaution, you may end up with paint stains that you could do without. Let’s also think of all those clumsy people who get a little too close to a painted wall or a bench or whose manual work ends badly… However, removing traces of still fresh paint is generally quite easy. However, the same is not true for stubborn dried paint stains. This is why you will need to act as quickly as possible with these grandmother’s tips. The quicker you act, the easier cleaning will be!
Tips for removing fresh paint stains
First of all, scrape off the excess paint with a spoon, spatula or the back of a round-edged knife. If the fabric is not too fragile, bathe it in boiling water to help rinse and remove the stain. Then if that wasn’t enough, try one of these techniques for removing paint!
– For acrylic paint stainsgently rub the stain with soapy water (dishwashing liquid, Marseille soap, etc.).
– On oil paintit will be better to use butter and leave it on the stain for 20 hours. Then rub the next day with a clean cloth soaked in turpentine. You can also use the latter alone by applying it with a cloth. Then rub with a toothbrush to thoroughly soak the fabric and rinse.
–For water-based paintprefer a clean cloth soaked in methylated spirits then rinse well.
-And otherwise, there remains the solution of white spirit. Place a cloth on one side of the stain to absorb the pigments (you will need to move it to place a clean side under the stain as the stain is removed). Then with a cloth soaked in this product, rub the stain. Then rinse quickly!
After each of these tips, rinse with clean water and put the garment in the machine.
And to get rid of dried paint stains?
As with fresh paint, remove as much as possible by gently scraping with a spoon before moving on to one of these solutions.
Against water-based paint (gouache, watercolor, etc.) or acrylic stains
It doesn’t contain any fixative, which is fortunate because it makes stains less tough. Just gently dab the stain with household alcohol on a clean, dry cloth. Then rinse and repeat if necessary to completely remove the stain before washing. If it is a old or thick acrylic paint stainyou can absolutely do the same. And if that’s not enough, soak the item of clothing in a bucket of water and while it’s soaking, mix some white vinegar, ammonia and a handful of fine salt in a bowl. Use this mixture on the stain until it starts to come off. You can then rinse.
Against oil paint stains
In contact with air and light, this paint, whose binder is a tough drying oil, tends to harden quickly. To dissolve a dry stain, you will need to pour a little turpentine and leave to act for at least an hour. Then, rub with water and Marseille soap to finish removing the stain.
And what about glycero paint?
It is one of the stickiest paints, hence the difficulty in cleaning it! A cloth soaked in mixture of white spirit and white vinegar dabbed generously on the stain should take care of it. Leave it on for about half an hour, before rinsing with cold water. Otherwise, it is also possible touse an oven cleaner. Very stripping and chemical, it should not be used without caution… Gloves are therefore essential, just like the mask! Additionally, it can discolor your clothes, so be careful. Test on an inconspicuous area to make sure it’s safe. Pour some onto a cloth and rub the stain before rinsing with plenty of clean water.
Last option if nothing works: the paint solvent rub locally on the stain before rinsing. Be careful, certain products and solvents can cause discoloration of clothing. Consider doing the test on an inconspicuous corner of the garment.
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