How to Remove Paint from Carpet

Tap to Read ➤ Ashwini Kulkarni Sule

Your painting project need not end prematurely just because you spilled a drop of paint on your new carpet. There are several ways to get rid of that nasty stain and salvage your carpet from permanent damage.

You can meet with a lot of disappointment if your painting project doesn't turn out the way you want it to. Especially, when you end up painting the things you weren't supposed to. Yes, spilling a few droplets on your new carpet is definitely a nightmare. Simple cleaning won't always help, particularly if the stain is stubborn.

Actually, covering the area with newspapers, before painting is a good idea to prevent droplets from falling. But, if the damage has already been done, you have no choice but to resort to the damage control methods to save your carpet from getting permanent stains.

Before going for any stain removal method, assess the damage done. Be practical in your approach. Attempting to remove the stains is a feasible option only when they cover a small portion of the carpet. In case you have knocked down the entire bucket of paint on it, there is little you can do to salvage it.

In such cases, you should inquire if your home insurance company covers accidental damage due to paint. In other cases, simply identify the type of the paint to decide what kind of cleaning is required.

You can determine the type by reading the 'brush cleaning instructions' mentioned on the paint bucket. If it mentions water and soap solution for cleaning, then the paint is water soluble. If it says turpentine or white spirit, then it is oil based.

How to Remove Paint From Carpets

Removing paint is an easy process if you can pinpoint the exact kind of paint spilt on the carpet. Let's look into the most common ones.

Water Soluble Paint

This paint is pretty easy to remove from the carpet. It is also called latex paint or emulsion. If you spilled it recently, dab the excess paint with a damp cloth or paper napkin. If the paint is an old one, try scraping it off with a blunt knife.

Once you have removed the excess paint, rub the stain with a soap solution. If the stain doesn't dissolve, you need to soak it for a few minutes. Blot it with a napkin or a damp cloth. Do not rub it, and always use blotting motions to get rid of it.

Oil-based Paint

Stains of oil-based paint are pretty stubborn to remove. You'll need a special solvent, like turpentine, white spirit, or methylated spirit to remove these stains.

The process of removing them remains the same as that of water soluble paint, only instead of soap solution use the solvent. While blotting, make sure you don't spread the stain and worsen the damage.

Acrylic Paint

Kids often spill acrylic paint while painting. This kind is water soluble and hence, is pretty easy to remove. Use a towel soaked in a solution of laundry detergent and water to remove the acrylic paint stain. Put it on the stain for a couple of hours before vacuuming the carpet.

Remove paint with extreme care as there is often a chance of damaging the carpet. If the area occupied by the stain is too much, use a special carpet cleaner, depending upon the type of your carpet. Do rely on a professional help if need be. Good luck!