Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I bumped into a door with wet paint and got paint on my jean dress. How can I get it off my dress?

By Rosrich from Baton Rouge, LA

---

Use Rubbing Alcohol

The rubbing alcohol did the job. Thank God for the ability to read and access to the internet. Was packing for vacation when I realized my favorite pair of black shorts had white paint on them, ugh. Read about using rubbing alcohol and gave it a try. Happened to have an old spin toothbrush handy which made it even easier. Boy am I a happy camper now. Ready for V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

By DeeW1965

---

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

With any stain, you want to treat it as quickly as possible. If paint is allowed to dry on your clothing it will be more difficult to remove all traces of the stain.

Read the Paint Container

Nearly every paint container is going to have instructions for removing and thinning that particular kind of paint.

Tempera Paint Stains

Carefully scrape off excess paint, being careful not to make the stain much bigger. Pre-treat the stain with cold water and a detergent. I usually use a little Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent and blot it into the stain, being careful not to spread the paint. Then let the garment soak for a while, apply detergent again if the stain persists. Once the stain is removed, wash the garment in warm water (assuming this is washable fabric).

Latex Paint Stains

Latex paint can be really tough to remove once it dries, so try to get to it early. It is water soluble, so if you get to it before it dries you can have some success with just detergent and water.

If there is excess paint, carefully scrape it off with a dull knife. Then blot the stain with a mild detergent (like Dawn) and luke warm water. Then rinse with clean water and repeat the first step if necessary.

Oil Based Paint Stains

Carefully scrape of any excess paint. Blot the stain with a sponge with a small amount Turpentine or whatever solvent the paint can recommends. Then mix one teaspoon of a mild detergent (like Dawn) with a cup of luke-warm water. Blot the stain with this solution. Lastly, sponge with clean water.

Commercial Product

I have had some success using Goof Off for removing paint stains from clothing. Follow the instructions on the container.

Tip: Remove paint splatters from your hair by rubbing the splatters with baby oil.

Do you have any tips for removing paint from clothing? Please share them below...

---

Hairspray

For all those who have gotten paint on clothing, here is an inexpensive way to get it out. HAIRSPRAY! Spray it on the paint, rub till the stain disappears and laundry as normal. The item will be as good as new. (02/20/2005)

By Gwen

Hairspray

If the paint has dried completely on the clothing, need not worry, get a bottle of hairspray, spray it directly on the paint and get a steel wool and scrub. NB:make sure it is ok fabric to use the steel wool on. (12/09/2005)

By Alyce

Rubbing Alcohol

My son got paint on his brand new (expensive) Burton jacket. And we panicked. We tried hairspray but it didn't quite work very well. Then we tried rubbing alcohol! It completely took out the WHOLE stain. Please try this. (01/11/2006)

By JAne

Hairspray

Just tried the hairspray tip for paint on my husband's jeans. THe paint stain was from over 2 weeks ago and it works. I sprayed and rubbed, and kept doing that until the paint came off. Many many thanks because my cousin was saying because it was oil based paint it would never come off. Many many thanks (02/18/2006)

By Aly

Alcohol

The alcohol worked great on Acrylic Latex which was 2 days old and had been washed. Couldn't use hairspray as I have no need of it due to being foliculely challenged. (02/25/2006)

By Dave

Alcohol

Alcohol worked fantastic for removing white latex paint from my blue jeans and a very expensive Blue Willi blue jean sweater. I had tried using a stain remover called Goo Gone on the day old paint with no success. The garments had just come out of the washing machine and were still damp. I used the alcohol (over the counter Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol from the drug store which contained 70% alcohol). When I put it on the paint and rubbed a bit, the paint just melted away. I put the items back in the washing machine and the stain is now totally gone. This is a method that I highly recommend. Easy, cheap and best of all it works! (03/12/2006)

By Bob

Alcohol

Alcohol was great. Dried paint on my nieces jacket. Should have ruined it. Alcohol worked very well with a minimum of rubbing (04/02/2006)

By Mary

Rubbing Alcohol

My husband just bought a lovely beige upholstered couch for our living room. While carrying an open can of Iced Mocha (dark chocolate) colored latex paint, I accidentally slipped and spilled it on one of the seats. I tried the rubbing alcohol and it worked! Thanks so much for your useful posts. (04/03/2006)

By Suzanne

A couple 'rules' for removing stains like this.

Remember from chemistry class that 'like dissolves like'. Water is a polar molecule (the oxygen is relatively negative, hogging electrons from the hydrogens) and the so other polar substances are needed to dissolve it. Unfortunately, I can't think of anything besides water that should really work well.

Anything oil based at all needs something non-polar. That's why alcohol works. Same with baby oil. Hair spray contains alcohol... so it's like a sticky version of rubbing alcohol.

Detergents (dish or laundry soap) works on most things because it surrounds molecules of the bad stuff and takes them to the magical land of spilled liquids.

Check everything for color-fastness (color-fastitude?) before you go bathing your clothes in it. (04/10/2006)

By Ryan

Alcohol

I have a Jacket, my Favorite Jacket from my Favorite football Team, and one of my friends shot me with a paintable gun, i thinks the paint was Oil Base, i tried washing right away but i kinda made it worse, and now its stained in my closet, so i thought i could restore it someway, but I'm not sure what to do... Help!

The Jacket is Polyester with cotton, should i use Alcohol?

Editor's Note: I think alcohol might help. If that doesn't seem to do anything, try spraying the spots with WD-40, then if it seems to take the paint out, take some Dawn dishwashing liquid and rub it into where you put the WD-40 and launder as usual. (04/11/2006)

By Michael

Alcohol

I thank everyone so very much for the ALCOHOL tip. IT WORKED IMAZINGLY! I had my dark indigo wash denim soaked for more than a week and didn't know what to do with them. i can't believe ALCOHOL just removed the paint that well. I did use a stiff brush, but i scrubbed so hard and left a round slightly discolor blot now. But I'm still very glad that the paint came off. (04/15/2006)

By tiffany

Hairspray

I'm ecstatic. Quick spray of hairspray on a very old paint stain on a good jacket. Quick scrub with steel wool and its GONE! Thank you for your wonderful tip. (04/21/2006)

By Donna

Rubbing Alcohol for Latex Paint

I splattered paint on two pairs of my brand new shorts, one pair cotton, one pair were swim shorts material. The paint was interior latex. I tried Dual Action Oxy, soaking, hot wash, cold wash, nothing took the paint out. So, reading this, I tried rubbing alcohol. Paint had been washed and dried, and the rubbing alcohol took it right out with a tiny bit of gentle scrubbing (I used a small wire bristle brush with softer bristles for cleaning sneakers) but I'm sure you could use any sort of bristle brush. Don't rub too hard! Worked great! (05/30/2006)

By Dave

Goo-Gone Didn't Work on Oil Based Stain

I tried the Goo-Gone on a white oil-based primer (on work jeans) and it didn't work, if you are trying to remove oil paint from denim then don't buy Goo-Gone for that particular purpose. We had some in the house so it didn't cost me anything, but it is useless as far as oil-based Rustoleum goes. PMZ (07/07/2006)

By Pauly-Wauly

OOPS

Use "OOPS" to get paint out. But wash clothes with "OOPS" in washer without other clothes. (08/06/2006)

By Carli

Simple Green

WOW - IT WORKED! I tried rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, and Dawn dish detergent to no avail. An all-purpose cleaning product called "Simple Green" was the only thing that removed the paint from my son's good gym shorts with mild scrubbing effort! (08/14/2006)

By Debbie Slane

Alcohol

i had just gotten a new pair of jersy short and had got paint on them. I noticed it a couple days after the paint had dried on them, so I thought they were gone. I soaked them in oxy clean for 3 days with no luck. I tried hairspray, no luck. then I use alcohol and a toothbrush and rubbed it on. The alcohol took the paint out right away (08/23/2006)

By kelly

---

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Is it possible to remove old water based paint from mainly cotton clothing without causing too much damage?

Thank you,
Frank from Australia

---

Scrapper's Solution

I just removed a couple of very old white paint stains from a pair of blue jeans. I had tried rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover, and neither worked, so I randomly decided to try a product that I had around, called "Scrapper's Solution" by Un-du. It's designed for fixing scrapbooking mistakes (if you've glued something in the wrong place). I scrubbed the stains with a toothbrush, adding another drop of the solution every few seconds. I scrubbed for about 5 minutes, and the paint stains are gone! (09/09/2006)

By Hilary

Alcohol

Definitely USE ALCOHOL! I'm so glad I didn't listen to the nay-sayers who said old dried paint simply won't come out. After reading these postings, moments ago I applied rubbing alcohol to old (I'm talking years) paint stain on the sleeve of a favorite sweater. This was an open knit sweater so it took extensive rubbing to work out all the 3-D paint, but it worked! Admittedly, all the rubbing did fray the sleeve a tad, but this is waaaay better than a ghost of light paint all along a dark blue sleeve. Thanks! (10/19/2006)

By

Alcohol

Checked your website immediately and tackled my sweatshirt with alcohol as suggested. It took quite a bit of scrubbing with a cloth and a toothbrush but the paint is gone. My sweatshirt is red, the paint was white. There is no fading at the stain sight or damage to the fibers. THANK YOU! (12/04/2006)

By SYL

Thanks

We have been painting one of our children's homes and got paint on my favorite shirt. My first thought was ThriftyFun. Bless everyone who posted how to remove the paint, I now am able to wear my shirt again. (12/06/2006)

By imaqt1962

ALCOHOL

On my daughter's black polyester workout pants horribly marred with dried yellow paint. All I can say is that rubbing alcohol and scrubbing like a banshee with a nylon Dobie potscrubber worked PURE MAGIC! (12/29/2006)

By Cindy

---

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

How do I get paint off of jeans? How do I remove gloss paint from clothing (i.e. jeans)?

---

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

The lady I work for does oil paintings. The other day she dropped one and I caught it, getting paint on my uniform. I sponged it with dish soap, but I think it has stained my uniform now. Any tips to remove this stain?

Ibolya from UK

---

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Thanks guys, the dish soap and alcohol worked a treat on the oil paint on my uniform. Thanks. (08/24/2008)

By zevxev

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Thank you so much for the idea, really saved my pants. My partner was very angry at me because his suit was stained with paint prints. Now he won't be angry at me anymore. (08/27/2008)

By grateful girl

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

We just used hand sanitizer after trying Scat and Dawn and a butter knife to try and scrape the dried house paint from my daughter's 50 dollar uniform skirt. Amazing! I will definitely have that on hand for future mishaps. Wow! (09/11/2008)

By Niki and Victoria from New Orleans, LA

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Wow, I just used rubbing alcohol on bright green black light paint that had been splashed on my son's $400 black funeral suit at his frat house. I used a toothbrush and an old towel for a blotter. It dissolved and went straight through to the towel like magic. Thanks. (09/13/2008)

By terry

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! My husband is in the Air Force and got some white latex wall paint on one of his dress blue shirts. At first I tried some goo gone, and washed it in cold water with some shout. I checked it before putting it in the drier, and needless to say, it didn't work. I went on a search for other ideas...then I found this site. I tried the hand sanitizer and some hairspray and it came out! It took a little scrubbing with a butter knife, a toothbrush wasn't quite cutting it, but it all came clean. I made sure to rinse and wash the shirt immediately after. I will definitely keep that tip! (09/16/2008)

By Courtney

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Thanks. I got paint on my jeans and you helped me a lot. (09/16/2008)

By jessica

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

The rubbing alcohol got the paint out of my polyester cheer leading skirt. (09/26/2008)

By Kelsey

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I just spent a lot of money on my daughter's sport jacket, and she was making t-shirts for homecoming and got fabric paint all over the jacket. Knowing I would be mad she hid it for 2 weeks and I found it. I tried the rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer and it all came out (and it was a lot of paint!). Thanks for the great tip! (10/01/2008)

By Ann J

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I used the rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer and it worked. I was freaking out because it was a new denim outfit I bought my 18 month old and he got a hold of some paint at my friend's salon. It all came out of his jeans after it dried up, amazing technique! (10/04/2008)

By T. English

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Today my 2 year old daughter got yellow "washable" paint on her expensive Minnie Mouse Costume we bought for her on our trip to Disney World in August. It was her first time wearing it and it was to a Fall festival for a costume contest. She wore it for about 10 minutes before it got the yellow paint splattered all over the front of it and I was devastated because it looked like it would never come out. I had wanted her to use it for Halloween. I tried some Bath & Body works hand sanitizer I had, let it sit for a little bit and scratched it out with my nail because a toothbrush didn't seem to cut it and I didn't want to ruin the material with something harsher, and it all came out! Thanks so much, what a life saver! (10/25/2008)

By Jennifer

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Had a set in stain in a pair of running pants. I was so surprised when the alcohol took it right out. Yea! (10/28/2008)

By Linda

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I got white wall paint on my blue satin jacket. So I tried to use soap and water to get it out and when that didn't work, I came here and used rubbing alcohol. It works like magic! Thanks. (11/06/2008)

By Rebecca

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I tried the rubbing alcohol, it didn't work on my jacket which is made of a cotton and poly blend. I tried some goof off that I had and it worked great. I poured onto the stain on the jacket and rubbed it lightly with a clean cloth, the paint came right out, and the paint was all over the front of one side of the jacket. You will need to be in a ventilated area because the goof off has a really strong odor and you will definitely want to wash the garment before wearing or you will smell like chemicals. (11/11/2008)

By silki513

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Okay, well, after I went to stage crew in my favorite jeans I'm never doing this again. I had a brown paint spot and white primer scattered all over them. I read this page, and here is what I did:

1. Got a bathroom cup/butter knife/q-tips
2. Got rubbing alcohol and regular hand sanitizer
3. Mixed together the alcohol and sanitizer
4. Used the q-tip to massage the mixture on the paint spots
5. Used the butter knife to scratch off the paint

So far everything is coming out with little effort. And these stains have been in there for five days! So this really works, hope it helps. (11/26/2008)

By alex

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I was so excited & hopeful when I read this. Unfortunately, it did not take red paint pen out of my son's favorite hoodie. I went immediately to the store and bought alcohol & hand sanitizer. I have been working on it for over 1/2 hr. No luck. I wonder what I did wrong? (12/02/2008)

By Ferrell

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Hand sanitizer saved my brand new wool coat from the evils of white and yellow oil paint. Tested it for colorfastness, and then dabbed on the sanitizer and scrubbed it with a toothbrush, and it is like nothing ever happened! I am so happy, thanks so much! :) (12/03/2008)

By Maureen

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

For those really tough jobs...I was painting my home climbing a ladder spilling an entire paint tray over the front of my favorite Levi 501 jeans. Being a conservative in spending, immediate panic set in. Researching the Internet I came across this site thanking God. However, trying out the honest suggestions did nothing for my jeans.

My last resort was a trip to the hardware store. I located a product that worked using the suggested removal processes using sponge (to wet the areas), tip of a dinner knife (to scrape and loosen dried up paint), diligence with several applications (apply product, sponge, agitate), and final rinse (under a faucet). It takes about 60 seconds after applying the product for the paint to liquefy before agitating with the knife and here it is: LIFT OFF #5 (Latex Paint & Over spray Remover). My jeans looked like new after having dried. Good luck. (12/27/2008)

By randall

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

So thankful I found this website! Hairspray, hand sanitizer, and a toothbrush saved my favorite (expensive) career blouse. It look a few minutes, but it's as good as new now. I had leaned on a wall of wet, deep red paint and didn't realize what I had done until the paint was already dried on the blouse. I left the stained shirt in my laundry room for weeks trying to decide how to salvage it, and then a web search led me here! I can't believe the solution was so easy, and I didn't even have to go out and buy anything :) (01/01/2009)

By Lynn

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I unknowingly got stain on a brand new pair of cotton jeans (white). I tried the hand sanitizer and it worked immediately! Thank you Lynne for the post. You are a Lifesaver! (01/10/2009)

By Stuart

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Wow the hand sanitizer worked fantastic. My son got paint on his favorite hoodie and it was dried in, looked at this web site and found this suggestion. This tip saved the day and the favorite hoodie. Thanks (01/11/2009)

By Erin

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I have had paint on a pair of brand new jeans that I could only wear around the house. They had been washed several times and the paint didn't fade a bit. I googled paint stains and found this site. I tried the rubbing alcohol and an old toothbrush and it worked! Thank you so much. I have a new pair of jeans. (01/12/2009)

By Diana

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Used the alcohol, hairspray and the hand sanitizer, rubbed with toothbrush and it removed the white paint from a black shirt. (01/17/2009)

By lola.

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

The hand sanitizer really worked. I got bright blue paint on my new black sweater and it had already set and dried. :( I found this site and tried the hand sanitizer and with a few q-tips and rubbing, it worked like a charm! It didn't even discolor my sweater. Thanks y'all! (01/19/2009)

By Taylor

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Saved a shirt. The sanitizer really, really works. Thanks! (01/26/2009)

By Rich

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I can't believe it, but alcohol really works! I have just removed dried on paint from the arm of a coat using vodka and a nail brush. it took some scrubbing but it has worked. Brilliant, thank you! (02/08/2009)

By Nicola

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

The hand sanitizer worked like a charm to get paint off my daughter's basketball uniform. She had leaned up against a wall I had just finished painting and smeared her entire right side with yellow paint. First I tried Oxyclean, but it didn't budge. Then I went online and found this website, hand sanitizer worked and saved me $100 in uniform deposit. Thank you! (02/08/2009)

By Kerry

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

I had to use STROH RUM as that was all I could find. It took out the black fabric paint on my couch. Yippee! (02/12/2009)

By Jacqueline V.

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

You can also use nail polish remover. I had these favorite jeans and they had a big white paint spot. I used nail polish remover with water and it worked very fast. I was so happy. (02/23/2009)

By Bianca

RE: Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

Denatured alcohol solvent worked for me when the other recommendations didn't. Still took some scrubbing, but I saw the paint coming off immediately. This was small latex paint spots on an older REI gore-tex jacket. Make sure you wash the clothing item thoroughly before putting it in the dryer. This stuff is also used as fuel and is extremely flammable. (02/25/2009)

By clara

---

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

How do I get dried "water-soluble" wall paint spatters off my knit shirt? I washed it and the paint is still there.

---

Removing Paint Stains from Clothing

How do I get dried paint and plaster out of black cotton?