How to get paint out of carpets

Accidents happen, we get it. There are so many ways for the paint to end up on your carpet – painting your living room walls or your kids getting into the acrylic paints in the craft closet – the scenarios are many, but all of them end in the same way – with an undesirable stain from spilled paint on your nice carpet. 

Your first reaction might be to freak out but don’t worry, getting paint stains out of your rug is easier than you might think. In this article, we are going to take a look at methods, depending on the type of paint, you can use on how to get paint out of the carpets.

Before we start, keep in mind the following:

1. Always wear protective gear when using harsh cleaning products or solvents – gloves, safety glasses, and a face mask.; 
2. Be extra careful about what type of cleaning products you use. Some materials (like wool) cannot handle strong cleaning products.;
3. Professional carpet cleaners have the proper tools and the know-how of dealing with stubborn stains. Including ones caused by paint. If the below tips have no effect, we recommend calling them, before you ruin your carpet even more.

Know your paint

Let’s start with some basic information about the types of paint:

1. Most paints have three main components: a pigment, a binder, and a solvent. 
2. There are two kinds of solvents – water and oil, and the cleaning method depends on the type of solvent in the paint you are using. If it’s water, it’ll be a bit easier to clean up the mess on your carpet. However, if the solvent is oil-based, first, you will need paint thinner to dissolve the stain and then continue with the process of removing it.

If you’re not sure what type of paint yours is, check the paint tin for more information.

A Guide to Getting Different Paint Stains out of Carpets

Below we give you step-by-step guides on how to remove general water-based, and oil-based paints out of your carpeting and if that is a problem that needs a professional hand, we are here to help!

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How to remove water-based paint from carpet: 

1. Use a paper towel to soak up as much of the paint as you can by blotting. Not rubbing the area!
2. Gently blot the area with a clean cloth by applying a mixture of 1:1 dish soap and hot water to the paint stain. No matter how tempted you are to scrub or rub, resist the urge as you will only push the paint deeper into the carpet fibers.
3. Another solution you can use is distilled white vinegar. Pour a small amount of neat vinegar onto a clean white cloth and again blot  – do not rub. Work from the outer edges to the center of the area of the stain. Wash the area with soapy warm water and a sponge, clean off any remaining residue and leave it to dry.
4. Hoover the carpet to fresh it up.

How to remove an oil-based paint stain from carpet:

Oil-based paint, though water-based, can require a little more effort when removing it from carpet – particularly if it has dried in.

If you do use acetone to remove oil-based paint from the carpet, always test on a small, inconspicuous area first to check the reaction of the material.

It’s also essential to ensure the room is well-ventilated to avoid breathing in the fumes.

1. If the paint is still wet, dry blot the stain using a paper towel to soak up any paint on the carpet.
2. Fill a spray bottle with a solution of one teaspoon of mild washing-up liquid to one cup of hot water (1:1) and spray the solution directly onto the stain.
3. Blot the stain using a paper towel, working from the outside in. It is essentially important to BLOT, not scrub or rub as this will only make things worse by pushing the paint further into the carpet pile.
4. If there is still some paint remaining, repeat the steps above until you have entirely removed the paint from the carpet.
5. If the paint stain is particularly stubborn, use some acetone on a cloth and dab the spot, leaving it to sit for 15 minutes before soaking it up with a dry cloth.
6. Leave the carpet to dry and give it a hoover to fresh it up.

How do you get dried paint out of the carpet? 

Sometimes you may not notice a paint stain on your carpet until it has already dried in. The process of getting it out starts by using a utility knife to scrape, cut, or chip away the dried paint. Then, vacuum the area to remove any excess debris. If you have a steamer, steam over the remaining dried paint for a few minutes to soften the paint. If you don’t have a steamer, pour a bit of hot water on the dried paint or apply a capful of white vinegar directly to the stain to help soften it.

Then, depending on what type of paint you’re cleaning up, you can remove the rest from your carpet following the steps above.

Does baking soda stain the carpet?

We are often asked if baking soda will stain the carpet. Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate can remove some marks on your carpet but only when used with an acid solution – like vinegar. If you use it without the acid it does little to no work.

Call the professionals

If the paint spill is large, it may be hard to remove all traces from the carpet. Try contacting Energy Cleaning to help. They have seen it all when it comes to carpet stains have the proper gear and know the best techniques to remedy staining without damaging your rug or compromising the integrity of the design.

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