26 Jan Mastering the Art Craft of Removing Paint Stains from Clothes

Paint stains on clothes can be a real headache, especially when you’re fond of DIY projects or have a penchant for artistic endeavours. The good news is that you don’t have to bid farewell to your favourite garments just because of a stray splash of paint. This comprehensive guide will explore practical methods for removing paint stains, ensuring your clothes look as good as new.

Removing Paint Stains from Clothes

Before removing the paint stain from your clothes, it’s necessary to know different kinds of colours. Then, use unique methods to clean it. This part analyses the types of colours and techniques to remove them.

Oil Paints (Oil-Based Paints)

These colours are mainly used for painting buildings, door jambs and cornices. Compared to other stains, they are thicker and greasy; they aren’t easily dissolved in water. So, these stains are hard to remove. Paint thinner and gasoline are the best materials to remove these colours. Of course, if your clothes have a sensitive fabric, using dishwasher soap to clean them instead of gasoline and thinner is better. It’s recommended not to use water to remove oil stains; it becomes more challenging to wash the clothes. Another issue you should keep in mind is that the names of their cleaners are often written on the cover of these paints.

Cleaning Method

You will need gloves and a filter mask to remove oil stains because gasoline and thinner are dangerous substances and may harm your skin and lungs. Place a towel under the stain to absorb the gasoline. Pour a small amount of gasoline on the stain to wet the surface. Using a piece of cotton, remove the paint stain. Continue this step until the stain is completely removed. Then, you can wash the clothes to remove the effects of gasoline.

Water-Based Colours

Water is the primary solvent of this type of paint. These types of stains are cleaned much faster with alcohol. The best kind of alcohol for this stain is 91% isopropyl alcohol.

Cleaning Method

First, wash the paint stain with detergent and warm water. If the stain is fresh, most of the effects of the stain will disappear. If the stain remains, it’s necessary to clean it with a toothbrush dipped in alcohol. Otherwise, repeat this process and use more alcohol. When the stain is gone, wipe off the excess alcohol with a damp cloth and then dry it.

Dry Colours (Acrylic)

These coloured stains are a bit thicker and difficult to remove. When acrylic paint dries, it adheres to clothing like a layer of plastic.

Cleaning Method

To remove these stains, scrape them with a spoon or similar tools. You can also use insulating glue to shave this colour. To remove these stains, you can use cleaning materials containing alcohol, which include nail polish remover, isopropyl alcohol, or even hair spray. Pour some of this material on the stain and rub it for a minute. Then wash with warm water.

Removing Paint Stains from Clothes in Different Conditions

Hair Dye Stain

Sometimes, when dyeing the hair, the clothes are coloured. Even if you use permanent colours, removing them isn’t difficult. To remove hair dye, do the following:

Removing Hair Dye Stains from Coloured Clothes

To remove the hair dye, you must act quickly and not allow the colour to affect you. If your clothes are coloured, pour a little remover on the stain, rub it with your hands, and give it a few minutes to work. Then, apply cold water to it to remove the colour stain. Then wash the clothes in the usual way. If the stain remains, pour some oxygen bleach (which doesn’t remove colour) on the clothes and let it stay in that mixture for half an hour. Make sure that if delicate clothes with silk and wool get stained with hair dye, give them to the dry cleaner to clean them for you.

Removing Hair Dye Stains from White Clothes

To remove hair colour from white clothes, it’s necessary to use ordinary bleach. Place the white garment in the bleach solution for several hours (if the stain is strong overnight). Then, rinse the clothes thoroughly. After the hair dye is completely removed, wash it with washing powder in the usual way.

Vinegar

Vinegar is also helpful in removing some paint stains. To remove stains with white vinegar, you must use warm water. Pour one cup of vinegar for every four litres of water and wash the clothes in this solution.

Gouache Colours

To remove the gouache paint, clean off the excess paint as much as possible. If the dye stain is still wet, scoop the dye off the garment with a spoon, and if it is dry, carefully scrape it off the fabric by hand. Then, wash the clothes with warm water and detergent.

Oil Paint for Painting

You must first collect the remaining paint on the clothes to remove the oil paint stain. Remove the paint with a knife or spoon if the paint is still wet. But if the oil paint is dry, scratch it. Then, apply some turpentine to the stain. After draining the clothes, wash them with a detergent and rinse their clothes.

White Clothes

It’s challenging to remove dye stains from white clothes. First, put the dyed white clothes in a mixture of hot water and washing powder for half an hour. Soak the clothes in this mixture of water and powder for a few hours if the colour stains are solid. If It remains, mix some cold water and chlorine-free bleaching powder and put the white clothes in it for thirty minutes. After the clothes get wet, wash them in boiling water. Then put the clothes in the washing machine and wash them usually.

Coloured Clothes

To remove colour stains from coloured clothes, you can do the same as eliminating white garments. But coloured clothes have some colour, and you may not get the desired result. For basic cleaning of coloured clothes, dip a white cloth in a small amount of disinfectant cleaner, alcohol, hair spray or any other solvent that contains about 90% alcohol. Apply the fabric in short, successive strokes to the colour stains. Repeat this step for several minutes. Then wash the clothes with warm water by hand.

You can put them in the washing machine with standard settings. If the stains remain on the clothes, repeat the previous steps. It’s possible that the colour stains are strong and can’t be removed, so you should use a special washing powder. Mix this powder with boiling water and soak your clothes in it. After 30 minutes, you will remove the paint stains. Finally, wash them in the washing machine in normal mode.

Non-Washable Fabrics

Various colours, such as water- and oil-based, can damage these fabrics. If your non-washable material becomes coloured, go to dry cleaning as soon as possible. Dry cleaning is the only possible way.

Watercolour

These types of colours are easier to remove than other colours. You can keep the stained area in warm water to remove these stains. Do this until the stain is removed. If it isn’t removed, pour some washing liquid on the stain and rub it a little. Then wash the clothes in the washing machine in normal mode.

Fabric Colour

What should you do if your clothes are stained with fabric colour while dyeing fabric or working in dyeing workshops? These dyes are processed to change the fabric’s colour and aren’t easily removed. Before doing anything, you should know what the colour solvent you used is and act according to the type of colour of your clothes:

Removing Fabric Colour Stains from White Clothes

Place the garment in a bleach solution (one cup of bleach dissolved in a pan of cold water) for several hours. Then rinse the clothes. Finally, wash the clothes in the washing machine as usual.

Removing Fabric Paint Stains from Coloured Clothes

You can’t use bleach for coloured clothes that are stained with the fabric colour. First, ensure your clothes don’t stain because the methods presented may worsen the condition. To solve this problem, use stain remover liquids suitable for coloured fabrics. If this method doesn’t work, use common solvents such as isopropyl alcohol and apply them to the stain until it’s removed. Finally, wash the clothes in the washing machine as usual.

The Last Word

Removing the dye from the clothes as soon as possible is sometimes essential. Maybe you have been among those who have thrown away the clothes you loved, perhaps new and expensive, because of their discolouration and paint stains. Paint stains, especially oil stains, are a nightmare for clothes, and if not treated properly, they can render the clothes useless forever. If you don’t have the opportunity or patience to wash your clothes, you can count on the specialized NeatEx team. With the most advanced tools and the latest knowledge, we will deliver your clothes of the best quality as soon as possible. Don’t damage your valuable clothes with improper washing. NeatEx washes your clothes best and ensures you have clean and tidy clothes.