How to Get Acrylic Paint Out of Carpet – Remove Paint from Carpet

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Accidentally messing paint on your surfaces can be frustrating enough. Messing acrylics on carpets can be a downright painful experience and often because we are unsure of how to react, we end up damaging the area with harmful methods. This article will explain the right ways on how to get acrylic paint out of carpets safely and easily.

How To Remove Acrylic Paint From Carpet

Although acrylic paints are often washable, they still contain chemicals. Messing paint on your carpets can stain or harden and damage the fabric if left for too long. Certain carpet fabrics are thicker than others, thus causing your paint to be absorbed right into the fibers. Below we have two methods to get acrylic paint out of carpets quickly and safely. Both methods should be used while the paint is still fresh on the surface for the best results. These will not work on pant that has been left to dry.

How to Remove Paint From Carpet With Soap and Water

This method is for cleaning up paint that is still wet on your carpet fabric. This method may work better on certain carpet or rug fabrics than others.

You Will Need

• Some warm water, not hot
• Dish soap
• Paper towels
• Spray bottle

Method

• Using your paper towels, you want to blot up the paint over the area.
• It is important not to rub your paint further into the fibers.
• To do this correctly, apply pressure over the area with a clean sheet each time. Do not move the paper towel around.
• Next, lightly spray the area, using your dish soap combined with water in your spray bottle.
• The ratio should be around a teaspoon of soap for each cup of water.
• Now you will again blot the area with your paper towels. Absorbing any color that has lifted from the soapy water.
• Keep doing these steps until the paint is out.
• Oversaturating your area with too much water or soap solution can cause your carpet to dry with a reside over that area.
• Make sure to dry the area thoroughly with paper towels once done.

How To Get Acrylic Paint Out Of Carpet With Vinegar

This method is an alternative or next step to using a water and soap solution to remove wet paint. Using vinegar to remove paint from carpets is safe and effective and sometimes a little bit stronger.

You Will Need

• A Spray bottle
• Warm and cold water
• White Vinegar
• A Sponge

Method

• Mix up some vinegar with warm water into the spray bottle. A ratio of one to ten should work well for this solution. Remember to shake or mix it well before using it.
• First, you want to spray your mixture over the paint mess. Then as in the previous method, use a paper towel to blot it up.
• Remember not to rub the area as you do not want to make the stain worse.
• Keep repeating this step until the paint is gone from your carpet.
• Now, take your sponge that has been dipped into cold water, and wet the area.
• This will remove any residue and seal the fabric.
• You may need to repeat the steps a few times depending on the fabrics and severity of the stain.
• If you have made a mess that will just not come out, it may be time to look for some help in the form of heavy machinery. Hiring out a steam cleaner or carpet cleaner could take all the hassle and fuss out of removing stains from your carpets or other fabrics. These are often very easy to use and much more effective on tougher paint spills and other hard to remove stains.

How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Carpet Once it is Dry?

Now that we know how to get wet acrylics out of our carpets, let us take a look at removing dried paint. There are a few interesting methods to remove paint from carpet once it has dried, but it is sometimes difficult to tell which ones will be most effective. The last thing you want to do is be experimenting on expensive carpet fabrics with harsh chemicals or solvents. This could be more damaging than the paint just spilled.

For this reason, we have made a list of the different ways to clean dried acrylic paint off carpet. These methods can be used with the aid of a steam cleaner. These machines assist in loosening the paint particles so they come off easier and they are gentle enough not to damage the materials.

Method One – Rubbing Alcohol or Acetone

As we know from at-home nail varnish removers, acetone works well at removing colors, paints, or stains from surfaces. Much the same as rubbing alcohol does. Using a pure acetone or alcohol solution on carpet fibers can be scary as these are not the gentlest of chemicals. But using them with care and in the right way, can be a helpful technique to remember for removing dried paint.

You Will Need

• Acetone or Rubbing Alcohol
• Putty knife
• Toothbrush
• Eyedropper or syringe
• Paper towels
• Warm or soapy water
• A spray bottle

Method

• Starting with your knife, attempt to lift whatever paint you can from the carpet. You can use a vacuum cleaner to clean the area before proceeding.
• Before starting with the chemicals first, test a small area of your material to see the reaction it has.
• Using your eyedropper or syringe, apply a small amount of acetone or rubbing alcohol to the spill that is left over. This way the chemicals will not sink through to the base of your carpet.
• Do this by starting at the edges to avoid your spills running or expanding.
• Do not rub acetone or other chemicals into your carpets.
• Let this sit there for a few minutes to get a good hold over the paint. You may notice the spill looking worse or like it is growing. This is normal and is merely the process of the alcohol bringing the paint up to the surface of your fabric.
• Using the toothbrush, you can gently scrub over the surface of your spill. You should notice all the loose bits coming off.
• Get off as much as you can with the tool.
• Now keep blotting with your paper towel until the remainder is removed.
• If you need to apply more chemicals, you can and then just repeat your blotting.
• Once you are done, spray some soapy water solution onto the area and blot till dry. This will clean the area of the acetone.

Method Two – Glycerin

Using oily substances is another concern when applying these to fabrics and materials. Oils can leave behind stains and residue on your carpets. Using the method below, this should not be the case. As long you blot the area correctly afterward.

You Will Need

• Putty knife
• Glycerin
• Old rag
• Paper towels
• Warm or soapy water
• A spray bottle

Method

• First, you want to pick away and loosen all the paint you can.
• Use your knife to remove any loose pieces from the stain. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to clean the area before proceeding.
• Once these are gone you have a better idea of where to focus your glycerin.
• Apply the glycerin over the paint using the rag. Let the solution sit for a while.
• The oil will lubricate the carpet fibers and assist in loosening the paint.
• After a while, you can start blotting the paint up with your paper towels. Be careful not to smear more paint onto the area.
• Make sure to keep changing out dirty paper towels.
• Keep doing this until all the paint is removed. It may take a while.
• Once done you should clean the area with either your soapy spray solution or a steam cleaner. This will remove whatever oils or residue are left on your carpet.

Now we know the basic methods for removing acrylic paint from carpets. Below is a list of the steps based on what we have discussed today and what to remember.

Top Tips: How To Get Acrylic Paint Out Of Carpet

Based on the methods we have explored today, here are some key tips to remember when trying to remove paint from the carpet. Following these instructions should result in pain-free methods to remove wet or dried acrylics from your carpets.

• Never rub the paint or chemicals into the material. This will only make the stain worse.
• When trying to remove dry acrylic paint, always start by scraping off the larger chunks.
• Never start on the inside of the spill, as it may cause your stain to run or expand.
• Always start by removing the stain at the edges.
• Always use warm water, not hot. This will aid in loosening the paint from the fabric.
• Use cold water when rinsing the area after the stain has been removed. This will prevent your carpet’s fibers from being stretched and damaged.
• When using chemicals to remove paint from your carpet, make sure to open the doors and windows. These products have strong smells that can be harmful once inhaled.
• Using a steamer is beneficial in loosening stains while being gentle on the fabrics.
• Using a carpet cleaner will help with tougher paint spills and stains.
• Always test a small area of your carpets and other fabrics before using any cleaners or chemicals on them.
• Acetone, rubbing alcohol, and glycerin can also be used on other hard surfaces to remove paint spills.

So now you are prepared and well equipped when it comes to knowing how to get acrylic paint out of carpets. We hope you think twice about getting rid of those paint-stained rugs and enjoy restoring them to their original form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Remove Paint From Carpet?

Not all paints can be removed from fabrics or materials. The deciding factors will be based on the type of paint, the material it was messed onto, and whether it has been allowed to dry or not.  Water-based paints and acrylics are probably the easiest to remove from carpet. Both of these options can usually be cleaned with some soapy water even after they have dried.

How to Get Acrylic Paint out of Carpet?

Luckily most acrylic paint options are washable. Meaning they are cleaned and removed from surfaces, skin, and fabrics quite easily. There are a few methods on how to remove acrylic paint from carpet that is easy and safe to do yourself. Aside from water and soap, these include using vinegar, acetone, or glycerin. These methods will vary based on how long the spill has been there.

Can You Remove Paint from Carpet Once it is Dry?

Certain paints are more permanent than others. Trying to remove oil paint from a carpet would be much more difficult than how to get acrylic paint out of carpet. Removing dried acrylics from fabrics and carpets can be easy. Some tools you would need are rubbing alcohols, a sharp knife, and glycerin. Keep in mind the carpet will need to be steam cleaned after using these methods.

How To Remove Acrylic Paint From Carpet While Wet?

The best way to remove wet acrylics from your carpets and fabrics is with the use of a simple soap and water solution. The water used should be warm to loosen the paint on the surface. using a paper towel will assist in gentle blotting to effectively remove your stain. The alternate method would be using vinegar mixed with warm water instead of soap. The elements in white vinegar work at loosening the paint so you can remove it easily.

Charlene Lewis( Content Writer for Painting and Crafting )

In 2005, Charlene completed her wellness degrees in therapeutic aromatherapy and reflexology at the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for several years before opening her own therapy practice. In 2015, she was asked by a digital marketer friend to join her company as a content creator, and it was here that she discovered her enthusiasm for writing. Since entering the world of content creation, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing about various topics such as beauty, health, wellness, travel, crafting, and much more. Due to various circumstances, she had to give up her therapy practice and now works as a freelance writer. Since she is a very creative person and as a balance to writing likes to be active in various areas of art and crafts, the activity at acrylgiessen.com is perfect for her to contribute their knowledge and experience in various creative topics.

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