How to Remove Latex Paint

Paint spills happen to everyone. Household painting projects can lead to paint splatters in places you do not want them to be! Luckily, removing latex paint from carpet, wood, metal, and your own body are all fairly simple processes that yield satisfying results for both wet and dry spills. Latex paint can also be removed from wood and clothing.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Removing Latex Paint from Carpet

  1. Mix the soap into the water until you create a soapy mixture. Dish soap, hand soap, or any other liquid soap will all help break down the latex paint. [1]
    • This mixture can be used on both wet and dry paint.
  2. This will help you focus on the areas of the carpet that have the most paint. [2]
    • If the paint is wet, use a dry rag or spoon to scoop up the paint that is sitting on the surface of the carpet. Be careful not to rub the paint around.
    • If the paint is dry, you might consider using a razor blade to gently scrape off the excess, but be careful you don’t cut your carpet!
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  3. Pour the bowl of water and dish soap onto the paint spill. Completely cover the paint you want to remove. [3]
    • You may choose to use alcohol or vinegar in your mixture, but it is possible that they will discolor your carpet. [4]
  4. Use a rag to blot the paint spill in straight downward motions. Make sure you are pressing down hard to pick up as much paint as possible - Switch to clean parts of the rag as it picks up the paint.
    • Work your way from the outside in to the center of the spill. [5]
    • Be careful not to rub the paint from side to side.
    • For small amounts of wet latex paint, you may have been able to completely remove it at this point. [6]
  5. Run a vacuum over the area you just cleaned to remove any loose paint. This will help clean up any built up paint flakes and suck excess paint out of the threads in the carpet. [7]
    • Drag the removable floor nozzle over the stain for stronger suction.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Removing Latex Paint from Glass

  1. Glass is a non-absorbent material, making it one of the easiest to remove paint from. But it is also easily scratched! Thoroughly wetting the glass with water and a sponge or spraying it down with glass cleaner and lightly wiping it down before you remove the latex paint will create a protective layer. [8]
  2. Lay the edge of the blade at one side of the paint with the edge aimed up. [9]
    • If the paint is still too thick or too hard to scrape off with a razor blade, try pressing a hot wet rag against the area for a couple of minutes before you start. [10]
    • If the paint remains too hardened to work with, try adding acetone or vinegar to the hot rag. [11]
  3. The latex paint should begin to peel off in a spiral as you scrape. Lift your hand off of the glass and reposition your blade at the base of the paint each time you scrape upward. Continue scraping in stripes until the glass is free of paint specks. [12]
    • Be sure to wipe the glass as you work to check for scratches and to clear off any pesky paint flakes that get left behind.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Removing Latex Paint from Paintbrushes

  1. Whether you’ve just painted a wall or you’re digging out old paintbrushes for an art project only to find them coated in dried gunk, your first step should be to run them under a warm stream of water. [13]
    • Turn the brushes around under the stream of water to rinse all of the bristles.
    • Wait for the water to run clear.
  2. Fabric softener makes water ‘wetter’ and helps dissolve the latex paint more easily. Depending on the size of your paintbrush, you will decide how big of a soaking container you will need. You can add more fabric softener if you feel like your mixture needs it since it won’t damage your brushes. [14]
    • Make sure to use a container that you do not eat out of!
  3. With the paintbrush facing downward, fully cover the bristles in the mixture of water and fabric softener and swirl them around. [15]
    • Repeat the swirling motions in opposite directions if paint is still freely flowing off of the bristles after 30 seconds.
  4. Replace the water and fabric softener solution with warm, fresh water. Place your brushes into the mixtures with the handles outside of the water and let them soak for a couple of hours. [16]
  5. The force of the water will help loosen any remaining paint. Lightly run a brush comb through the bristles to dislodge the flakes. [17]
    • If your brushes still have paint on their bristles after you rinse them, try soaking them in fabric softener again once they have dried.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Removing Latex Paint from Skin

  1. Whether you got paint splatters on your fingers from an art project or are covered head to toe in speckles from painting your home, the best first step is to wash as much as you can off of your skin before it dries. [18]
    • Gently scrub the area with a soapy washcloth.
    • Latex paint is water soluble so this step will usually do the trick!
  2. For any dried paint that sticks to your skin after a thorough washing, try soaking the area in soapy water until the paint comes loose. [19]
    • If you are covered in paint, consider choosing a hot bath over a shower so your skin is fully covered in water which will weaken the connection between the latex paint and your skin.
  3. Latex paint can be mildly irritating to the skin and eyes and avoiding direct exposure to the skin in the future will make the cleanup process much easier for you. [20]
    • Try out some elbow-length gloves when working with latex paints around the house.
    • Wear long pants and long sleeves you don’t mind getting paint on.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you remove latex paint from hardwood floors?
    Mitchell Newman
    Construction Professional
    Mitchell Newman is a Construction Professional based in Chicago, Illinois. He is the Principal at Habitar Design, an interior design firm that specializes in floor plans, kitchen and bath design, furniture layout, custom built-ins, custom and semi-custom cabinetry, staging, models, and facades. Habitar features a strong design-build capability, utilizing Mitchell’s sister company, Stratagem Construction. Mitchell is the General Contractor at Strategem, and has 20 years of experience in construction, interior design and real estate development. Mitchell’s two companies seamlessly combine interior design with construction, allowing him to design with synchony for the client. He received an M.D. from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and a BS in Chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
    Mitchell Newman
    Construction Professional
    Expert Answer
    Latex paint will come up quickly with just soap and water if you clean it up within 24 hours. After 24 hours, you can use Goof Off, which you can find in most hardware stores. Just make sure you use it sparingly so you don't take the finish off of your floor.
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      Things You’ll Need

      • Razor blade
      • Dry rag
      • Spoon
      • Dish soap
      • Fabric softener

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      References

      1. ↑ https://theapexcc.com/stain-removal/removing-latex-paint-from-carpet/
      2. ↑ https://diypaintingtips.com/remove-paint-nearly-surface/#hands
      3. ↑ https://spotremoval.coit.com/how-to-remove-paint-stains-from-carpet
      4. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-carpet/
      5. ↑ https://spotremoval.coit.com/how-to-remove-paint-stains-from-carpet
      6. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-carpet/
      7. ↑ https://theflooringgirl.com/carpet-and-runners/how-to-remove-paint-from-carpet/
      8. ↑ https://www.networx.com/article/latex-paint
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avnnsE6W7Dc
      1. ↑ https://diypaintingtips.com/remove-paint-nearly-surface/#wood
      2. ↑ https://www.networx.com/article/latex-paint
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avnnsE6W7Dc
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hSGNEPm0JE
      5. ↑ https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/12-artist-hacks-on-how-to-bring-your-brushes-back-to-life
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hSGNEPm0JE
      7. ↑ https://www.artworkarchive.com/blog/12-artist-hacks-on-how-to-bring-your-brushes-back-to-life
      8. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-clean-dried-latex-paint-brush
      9. ↑ http://novadecoratingblog.com/tips-tricks/remove-paint-stains/
      10. ↑ https://www.dutchboy.com/painting-advice/painting-101/painting-tips/interior/cleaning-up/
      11. ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/2013-dec/paints-for-indoor-use

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