Here’s a guide to getting paint stains out of your carpet, as prepared by the professional New Jersey carpet cleaning team here at Carpetline.
How can I pre-treat paint stains on carpets?
- Isolate the Area – Block access to the room if the paint spill happened in a high traffic area. Put a barrier or furniture around the stain to stop people from stepping on the paint and tracking it elsewhere on your carpet.
- Get Materials for Protection– Get a plastic tarp or garbage bag and put it under the stained area if you can, especially if you can access the backing of your rug or carpet. This will prevent paint from moving into subflooring
- Airflow – Open up all the windows and turn on the fans, especially if the paint is oil based. This will reduce bad odors, fumes, and speed up drying once you start cleaning the stain
Necessary Supplies for Cleaning Carpet / Rug Paint Stains
- Clean paper towels or white cloths
- Mild dish soap that cuts grease
- Bowl
- Spray bottle
- Cold water
- Soft-bristle brush
- Sponge
- Plastic scraper
- Dull knife
- Mineral spirits or acetone (only for oil based paint)
- Fans
- Dehumidifier
- Gloves if you have sensitive skin
Determining Paint Type
- Latex (Water Based) Paint– The easiest to remove when wet, it can usually be cleaned with dish soap and water. The longer it sits on carpets though, the more it will absorb into carpet fibers
- Acrylic Paint – Has plastic polymers that help it dry faster and stick better. Common for art projects and decoration. When it dries, acrylic paint is much harder to remove as it forms a semi flexible coat
- Oil Based Paint – The hardest paint to clean, it will require a solvent based cleaner. You will have to be careful to avoid further carpet damag.e ventilation is essential when working with solvent based cleaner
What are the necessary steps for cleaning paint off of a carpet?
- Gently blot the paint with a clean cloth. Do not press or smear the paint. Work in from the outside edges in
- Determine the paint type to decide what cleaning solution to use
- Make a mix of 1 teaspoon dish soap with a cup of warm water for latex / acrylic paint, or an oil based paint cleaner of a cloth dampened with a small amount of acetone or mineral spirits
- Dab the stain from the edges inwards, using a clean part of the cloth each time
- Repeat multiple times – be patient
- Allow a small amount of solution to sit on dried paint for a bit before blotting
- Rinse the area with a clean towel dampened with cold water
- Blot dry with paper towels
- Put a fan or dehumidifier nearby to speed up drying time
- Don’t walk on the area until its fully dry