Spilled paint on your carpet? Kids decided to practice their painting skills on your new floor covering? You know just rubbing it away will only make things worse, so what to do?
A paint spill might seem like it’s the end of the world, but there are ways to remove it. Here are 5 tricks to get paint out of carpet, from easiest to hardest.
1. Removing Wet Stains
The sooner you clean a paint spill, the easier it will be. When dealing with wet stains, use an absorbent cleaning cloth or thick paper towels to gently soak up the paint before it seeps deeper into the carpet’s fibers.
Do not scrub the carpet, as this will only smudge the paint around and press it into the carpet. With the excess paint gone, you then treat the stain as a dried stain. Continue to the next steps, depending on the type of paint.
2. Removing Latex or Water-Based Paint
These dried spills are the easiest to remove. Start by pouring hot water over the stain. This will loosen up the paint and moisten the carpet. Pour some dishwasher detergent on the spill and make a lather with a scrub brush.
Repeat this process until the stain is gone. Most water-based paints will be removed after 2-3 repetitions.
3. Know Your Detergents vs. Acrylic Paint
If you spilled acrylic paint, you will need to use a combination of detergents. Start by soaking the paint with laundry detergent. Then, apply acetone to break down the paint. Continue by applying a carpet cleaning solution and then scrubbing the paint with a scrub brush.
Use a wet vacuum to remove the fluids, and repeat as needed until the entire stain is gone.
4. The Challenge of Removing Oil Paint
Start by removing excess paint with a knife, but be careful not to damage the carpet. Apply turpentine on a white cloth and gently scrub the area. Rinse the cloth and reapply periodically.
Depending on the paint, this might take a long while. Keep in mind that turpentine is strong and might discolor your carpet if you pour too much of it at once. After the oil stain is gone, clean the carpet as if you were removing a water-based paint (see above) to remove any traces of turpentine.
5. Enlist Expert Help
Finally, come carpet stains might prove too hard to remove on your own. Some types of paint, including washable and spray paints, are extremely difficult to remove. For those persistent stains, you will have to rely on professional carpet cleaning services.
You should have your carpets professionally cleaned every two years anyway, so if your carpet suffers from a particularly tough paint stain, then perhaps it’s time to let the professionals handle it!
Enlist The Nation’s Best to Remove Paint out of Carpet
Now you know the challenges of removing paint out of carpet. Embassy Cleaners has been providing top-tier cleaning services since 1937 to casual and couture markets. We are one of only three dry cleaners in New York State to be selected as one of America’s Best Cleaners, a distinction we’ve earned annually since 2004.
We offer a wide range of cleaning services, including couture, leather and suede, and carpet cleaning, with a focus on green cleaning methods. We also provide free pick-up and delivery, as well as on-site cleaning. Contact us today for all of your cleaning needs!
