Q&A for How to Remove Overspray

That depends on what the paint is on. If it's directly on your car, you can buff it out with a mechanical hand buffer. If it's on the siding of our house, there are some chemical liquid strippers that you can put directly on there. Just let it sit, come back, and spray it off. You might have to do it two or three times, though.

Avoid using WD-40 to remove overspray. If the overspray is on clothing, apply a few drops of olive oil to the part of the fabric containing the overspray and wait 4 minutes to allow it to soak into the fabric. Then, scrape it off with a plastic putty knife. For brick and concrete, blast it off with a pressure washer. For other surfaces like wood, plastic, fiberglass, or vinyl, wrap a clean rag with a few drops of olive oil on it around a plastic putty knife. Gently scrape the overspray off of the surface.

You can easily and safely remove overspray from wood without damaging the surface. Take a clean rag and add a few drops of olive oil to it. Wrap the cloth around the end of a plastic putty knife. Gently scrape the overspray off of the wood with the putty knife. If you need to, add more olive oil to the rag and continue gently scraping until all of the overspray is gone. You can then wipe the surface with another clean, damp rag to pick up any bits left behind as well as remove the olive oil from the surface.

It's possible to buff out overspray, but it's much more simple and effective to use a clay bar on the overspray. Spray a cleaner onto the surface with the overspray or use a damp cloth to ensure the spot is well-lubricated. Then, start rubbing the clay bar over the overspray. You'll feel the friction between the overspray and the paint, which is a sign that it's working. Once the surface feels smooth, you can stop and spray down the surface to wash away any residue.