3 Easy Ways to Get Paint Out of Clothing

• Scrape as much paint off of the fabric as you can with a butter knife or metal spoon.
• For latex or acrylic paint, rinse the stain under warm water and rub it with liquid laundry detergent. Dab stubborn stains with rubbing alcohol to lift them before washing.
• For oil paint, blot the stain with oil paint thinner or turpentine to lighten it. Then, soak your clothes in warm water before washing them like normal.

Latex, Acrylic, or Water-Based Paint

Identify water-based paint stains by seeing if they lift with rubbing alcohol. If you have the can or tube of paint nearby, look for the words "latex" or "acrylic latex” to determine if your paint is water-based. If you’re not sure what kind of paint you’re using, wet a clean cloth with a little rubbing alcohol and lightly dab the stain. If color transfers onto the cloth, then you have acrylic or latex paint. Water-based paint is the most common type. If you were painting interior walls, you’re probably cleaning latex paint. If you spilled some low-cost craft paint, then it’s probably acrylic. Think back through your past painting projects and try to remember if you cleaned your brushes with water or paint thinner. If you used water, you were most likely working with a water-based paint.

Scrape excess paint off the fabric with a butter knife or spoon. As soon as the spill happens, gently scoop off as much paint as possible so it doesn’t set into your clothes. The more time the paint has to dry, the more likely it is to permanently stain your clothing. If you’re getting dried paint out from an old stain, still try to scrape off as much as possible before you attempt to clean it any further. Dried paint stains are more difficult to fully remove, but there’s a chance you’ll be able to lighten them. If your clothing has a few layers of dried paint or small bits you can’t scrape off, apply a strip of duct tape over the stain. Then, quickly remove the tape to bring the dried paint with it. EXPERT TIP Susan Stocker Susan Stocker Cleaning Guru Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices. Susan Stocker Susan Stocker Cleaning Guru Our Expert Agrees: If the paint is still wet, put dishwashing liquid on the paint, then scrub and rinse in cold water. If the paint dried, scrape off as much as you can with a metal spoon, then blot the remaining paint with a dry white cloth and rubbing alcohol.

Rinse the stain from behind with warm running water. Turn your garment inside out so you’re rinsing the back of the stain. Hold the garment under warm running water and gently rub the fabric together. Alternatively, rub the stain with your fingers from the outer edges toward the center. Rinsing the garment loosens the paint stuck in your clothes and helps the water pass through the stain.

Apply liquid dish detergent to the stain. Put a few drops of dish detergent onto the stain and gently lather it in with a sponge, white cleaning cloth, or toothbrush. After about 1 minute, rinse the stain under warm water. Add more soap and rub it into the stain again until it disappears or is nearly gone. Work from the outer edges of the stain toward the center so you don’t spread the color to other parts of your garment.

Try rubbing alcohol or hairspray to remove stubborn dried stains. Apply the rubbing alcohol or hairspray onto a clean white cloth or sponge. Rub the hairspray or alcohol onto the stain for 1 minute, and then rinse it out using warm water. Keep dabbing the stain with rubbing alcohol or hairspray until it completely disappears or fades to a lighter color. Then, rinse the stain out with warm water. Check that your hairspray contains alcohol since alcohol-free varieties won’t lift water-based paint. Alternatively, try applying a commercial paint remover, like Goof Off. Test any cleaning solutions on an inconspicuous part of your clothing to make sure it doesn’t damage the fabric or cause the dye to run.

Wash your clothes like normal. After you have rinsed the cleansing agent out from your clothing, launder it according to the item’s care instructions. Your machine’s wash cycle will remove any remaining paint. Just be sure to check that the stain is fully removed before you put your clothes in the dryer. The heat from your dryer will only set the stain and make it more difficult to remove. If you still notice the stain, try repeating the steps a few more times until the color lifts. If the stain doesn’t lighten after a few treatments, then it may be permanent on your clothing.

Oil-Based Paint

Dab the stain with rubbing alcohol to check if it’s oil-based paint. Check the can or tube of paint for the words "oil paint" or "oil-based paint." If you don’t have the original paint container, then wet a paper towel with rubbing alcohol and gently dab the stain. If the paper towel comes back clean, then you’re cleaning up oil paints. While oil-based paints are primarily used for fine art and specialty crafts, it could also be used for interior wall colors. Oil paint tends to be thicker and glossier than latex paint, and takes considerably longer to dry. If you notice the stain lifts up with rubbing alcohol, then use the steps for cleaning water-based paints instead. Try to remember the last time you used the same paints. If you cleaned your brushes with paint thinner or turpentine, you were most likely using oil paint.

Scrape off as much paint as possible with a butter knife. If the paint is still wet, try to scoop up the excess with a dull knife or the edge of a spoon. Then, blot the stain with a dry white cloth. If the paint has dried, scrub it with the serrated edge of the butter knife or a strong-bristled brush. Applying water to an oil-based stain will only make it more difficult to remove, so keep your garment dry when you’re first starting to clean it.

Get an oil paint solvent or turpentine for fresh and dried stains. Since the paint is oil-based, a chemical solvent works best to strip the fabric of the stain. Check if the paint can lists a recommended cleaner in case it stains your clothes. Either get a solvent made specifically for oil paints or use generic turpentine to dissolve the paint. Avoid using turpentine on fabrics containing acetate, triacetate, or rayon, since you could damage your clothing. Check your garment’s care tag to determine what solvents work best.

Dab the solvent onto the article of clothing. Test the solvent on an inconspicuous area of the garment to make sure the colors don’t bleed. If the color holds, turn your stained clothing inside out and place it on top of a white absorbent cloth or a stack of paper towels. Using another white cloth or paper towel, sponge or blot the paint solvent over the stained area until the stain disappears. Replace the cloth or towels under the clothing once they become saturated. This helps ensure they’ll continue absorbing the paint as it dissolves. Watch the fabric for any color bleeding or running. If you notice that the colors in your clothing are beginning to run, stop applying solvent.

Soak your clothes in laundry detergent and warm water. Apply liquid laundry detergent over the stain and gently rub it into the garment. Leave the garment to soak for at least 1 hour, but leave it overnight for the most effectiveness. Every 30 minutes or so, try rubbing the stained area with your hands to loosen the remaining paint and solvent in the fabric. If you don’t have laundry detergent, mix liquid dishwashing soap into the warm water to help cut the grease in the paint and solvent.

Wash the garment normally immediately after soaking it. Remove your clothing from the warm water, give the stained area one last gentle scrub, and then toss it into your washing machine. Follow the care directions on the clothing tag and use the correct cycle to wash the remaining paint and discoloration out of the fabric. Avoid putting your garment in the dryer if you still notice a stain since it could set permanently. If you still notice a stain, try using a solvent and soaking your clothes in warm water again.

Stains on Sensitive Fabrics

Check the care tag to see if your clothes are sensitive or dry-clean only. Look for the tag on the collar or along one of the seams on your clothes and check if it says “Dry Clean Only.” Typically, fabrics like acetate, silk, wool, and velvet are dry clean only, and require special cleaners to avoid ruining your garments even more. This method works for both water- and oil-based paints. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, take your garments to a dry cleaner as soon as possible and explain the type of paint that left the stain.

Remove excess paint from the fabric with a butter knife or a spoon. Try to treat the paint stains when they are still wet to remove as much as possible. Gently scrape the paint with the edge of the knife or spoon so it doesn’t set into the fabric. If the paint has already dried, then try to scrape off the hardened pieces. Just use a light touch since scrubbing too hard or using harsh brushes could potentially damage the fabric.

Blot the stain with dry cleaning solution. Work in a well-ventilated room, and put on rubber gloves and a face mask. Wet a sponge or a white cleaning cloth with the dry cleaning solution, and gently blot the stain. To keep the stain from spreading, begin blotting from the outside edge of the stain and work your way to the center. Then, pat the stain dry with a clean section of the cloth. Test the dry cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area of your clothing to make sure the colors don’t bleed. If the solution damages the fabric, then take your clothes to a professional instead. Dry cleaning solution has fumes that may cause nose and skin irritation, so ventilation and protective gear is important to wear any time you use it.

Apply dry spotter to treat stubborn paint stains. Dry spotter is a solvent powder that absorbs grease and oil. After you wet the stain with dry cleaning solution, apply some of the powder onto a clean white cloth and dab it onto the stain. Keep blotting the stain or lightly brushing it with a toothbrush until the stain lightens or completely disappears. Work in a ventilated room with the window open and a fan running.

Rinse with your dry cleaning solution. Once the stain has been completely removed, rinse the area one more time by blotting it with a cloth soaked in dry cleaning solution. Dab over the stain to lift any remaining oil or grease. Then let your clothing air-dry since the cleaner will evaporate without you having to rinse it out.