How to Clean Paint Off Your Carpet

Paint is one of the most common culprits when it comes to stains on carpets. Whether it’s become your child’s new canvas or the latest victim of your renovations, don’t be too quick to throw in the towel. There are ways you can clean paint off your carpet, some of which are quite effective.

Depending on the type of paint, the task ranges from fairly easy to mission impossible (unfortunately, you can’t win them all). The good news is there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

In this article:

• Cleaning latex/water-based paint off your carpet
• Cleaning acrylic paint off your carpet
• Cleaning oil-based paint off your carpet
• Conclusion

Cleaning latex/water-based paint off your carpet

The first step when cleaning up water-based or latex paint is to absorb the excess paint. Blot the area with a damp piece of paper. Don’t try to rub it aggressively because you will end up pushing the paint deeper into the carpet’s fibers and then it’s never coming out.

If you don’t have paper towels at hand (or you don’t want to waste paper), you can blot the area with a damp cloth to soak up any excess paint.

One cost-effective way of cleaning your carpet is to moisten a cloth with a dishwashing detergent solution. Allow the solution to settle in for a few minutes if the paint has already dried up.

If there’s a lot of paint, gently scrape it away with a knife or scraper after you’ve blotted the spill, and then use the detergent solution. Finish up by vacuuming the area.

These are delicate procedures so you need to be very careful. Test the detergent on an out-of-sight area to make sure you won’t ruin your carpet with this solution.

Cleaning acrylic paint off your carpet

Start by scraping off any dry paint with a scraper or a putty knife. Again, be gentle and extra careful.  Afterward, soak a cloth in isopropyl alcohol or acetone and place it on the affected area. Let it sit for approximately twenty minutes in order to loosen the stain.

Note: Again, you may want to try this on an out-of-sight area to make sure you won’t ruin your carpet (any more than it already is). 

Once you’ve made sure it’s safe, use enough acetone to wet the area. If you don’t have acetone at hand, you can try a nail polish remover that contains acetone.

Take all safety precautions and provide adequate ventilation in the area. You should also wear gloves and a mask when you clean the carpet.

Although acetone might provide good results, you will get even better outcomes if you use a commercial carpet cleaner afterward. Furthermore, it’s easier to vacuum your carpet if you opt for a professional cleaning product.

Cleaning oil-based paint off your carpet

It’s easier to get rid of oil-based paints while they’re still fresh, so it’s important to clean them up as soon as possible. To start off, blot the stain using a paper towel and a stain remover.

When blotting, be sure you don’t rub or smudge it, since it could sink deeper into your carpet’s fibers. You can keep going until the cloth isn’t absorbing any more paint.

To loosen up the paint particles further, you can dab the cloth with turpentine. This will help with paint removal so you don’t have to scrub.

As an extra measure of cleanliness, you can clean the stained carpet area with a mix of cold water and dishwashing detergent. Doing this could give you even better results. But, again, make sure you test it out before you apply it.

Conclusion

For the best results, it’s always important to address spills and stains as soon as you can. Acrylics, oils, and latex-based paints are some of the most common stains you will encounter. The good news is they can be cleaned off most carpets. If you need any more cleaning tips, check out the rest of our blog. And if you need cleaning services, we’re never more than a phone call away. 

Author: Atanas Dzhingarov

Hi, I’m Atanas - brand consultant and writer. I’m helping Samyx Cleaning create the best cleaning company blog on the Internet. Join us on our journey and learn how to live a cleaner, healthier, happier life in the process.