You thought you would be very careful when painting your living room and you didn’t take the time to properly cover the carpet for protection, only to clean up after and see paint on the carpet. Or your children have decided to paint without asking you first and spilled the paint on the carpet. Paint spills and stains can happen for a variety of reasons and the quicker you can attend to them the better!
 

How to Remove Wet Paint from Carpet

Never scrub a stain of any kind. If the paint is wet, you’ll need to soak up the moisture first. Try not to panic but work quickly. Grab some plain white paper towels and soak up as much of the paint as you can. Try not to put pressure on it and lay the paper towel on the stain to allow it to soak into the paper towel on its own. Do this until the stain no longer feels wet. Most of the paint should be gone anyway, and as strange as it may sound, the next step is to let the remaining paint dry overnight.
 

Dried Paint Removal from Carpet

There are two approaches you can take to remove dry paint. You’ll need a sharp knife or razor for both. Grab some nail polish remover or WD-40 and go onto the next step. This may not completely remove the stain but it’s a great first step before the professionals can take over. With nail polish remover, you’ll also need a nail brush or an old toothbrush. Pour the nail polish remover onto the stain and gently brush, adding more every other minute or so. As you notice the color starting to fade, blot the area with cold water and a cloth. Once most of the paint has been removed, vacuum the carpet. WD-40 is a lubricant that will breakdown the components of the spilled paint. Saturate the affected area and allow it to sit for 25-30 minutes. The next step is to use a rag and scrub the paint until you see pieces of the paint coming off onto the rag and scrub until there only a little amount of moisture remaining in the carpet and vacuum.
 

How to Remove Different Kinds of Paint

There are different methods to try with different kinds of paint. With dried paint, use hot water to saturate and dissolve the paint to soften it. Lay a clean rag with hot water over the spot and leave it for a few minutes. Blot the moisture and continue adding hot water until you no longer see any paint or try a solution of one cup of lukewarm water with a teaspoon of mild dishwashing detergent and work from the outside in while blotting gently. If the paint is water-based, try taking a clean rag and blotting up as much of the paint as possible. Then use a clean wet rag and DO NOT scrub. If the paint is dry, you’ll need something to scrape the paint and then use hot water and detergent to clean it up. If the paint is dry just add a bit of water and dish detergent. Keep adding solution as you scrape. Hand held steamers may work for more difficult stains. For dry oil-based paint you’ll need a steamer to soften the stain. Apply it directly to the stain while picking at the stain with a needle to break it up. Keep doing this until the stain is removed but not to the extent of damaging the fibers.
 

Carpet Cleaning in Tracy, Livermore, San Ramon, Dublin, Mountain House, Walnut Creek, Danville & the East Bay of California

If a paint stain is still hanging on after these attempts, you’ll need the professionals at Carpet Care 2000 to help you out. Call us today!