6 Ways to Get Acrylic Paint Out of Clothes

If you see a “Beware Wet Paint” sign” make sure you get away from it. However, what happens when you accidentally get paint on your clothes? How would you be able to get Acrylic paint out of your clothes? It’s time to learn about them now before any mishaps occur!

What’s An Acrylic Paint?

Whether you are dealing with construction or painting, there are several types of paints you might come across. One of the most popular types is Acrylic paint.

Acrylic paint has three main ingredients:

• Acrylic Resin
• Binder
• Pigment

Acrylic Resin first came to be in the 1930s after a German chemist, Otto Rohm, developed Acrylic Resin. From there, they were able to develop a type of paint, which we now know as Acrylic paint. By the 1940s, people used Acrylic paint to paint their homes. Two decades later, Acrylic paint was a popular choice among visual artists.

Why Acrylic?

There are a lot of reasons why people have opted to use Acrylic paint. Whether used in wall painting or art, Acrylic paint has many advantages, and these include the following:

• Versatile and flexible
• Quick dry
• Durable and vibrant
• Water-soluble and water-resistant
• Inexpensive

Acrylic paint is generally non-toxic. However, it is also hazardous to your health. If you inhale or ingest it or it comes in contact with your skin, it can cause discomfort, including gastrointestinal and skin irritation. Exercise caution when using any type of paint.

You might also be vigilant in checking the other components of your Acrylic paint. There might be some ingredients that might be dangerous or detrimental to human beings. If you see the following in the list of ingredients, do not buy this type of Acrylic paint.

Take Paint Off My Clothes

If you get unlucky and get paint all over your clothes, don’t worry! It’s not the end of the world. There might be some things you can do to salvage your soiled clothing.

1. Remove With Water and Dishwashing Soap

It is, perhaps, the most basic way of removing Acrylic paint. Since Acrylic paint is water-soluble, it can dissolve easily in water. However, as soon as the paint dries, it can resist water, making it harder to remove it from any surface, including clothes.

This process is very easy to do. All you have to do is combine dishwashing soap and water and you are good to go. Before you start though, you might want to soak stained fabric in water. It helps loosen the paint stains.

After a couple of minutes, you can proceed with dipping a sponge into your water and soap mix and pat it on the garment. Keep doing this until the stains chip away. If this doesn’t work and the paint has already dried up, you might consider other removal methods.

 

2. Use A Nail Polish Remover

Most nail polish removers contain Acetone. It’s an organic chemical usually used as a solvent. Using Acetone is one of the most tried and tested methods of removing Acrylic paint from your clothes.

When using nail polish remover, do not apply directly to the affected area. You can try using a cotton ball or rag and soak it in the liquid solvent. Once done, you can dab it on your clothes. Give it a couple of minutes before removing it.

You can then check if the paint is coming off or not. If pieces of the dried paint are falling off, get something blunt to scratch the rest of it. Run the stained surface under cool water. Doing this removes alcohol residue. If you don’t rinse your clothes, it could potentially damage them.

If you are opting to use this method, make sure you don’t overdo it. Due to the high solvent content, you don’t want to overexpose yourself. It could lead to a case of acetone poisoning.

 

3. Combine Vinegar and Ammonia

Before we get into using this Vinegar and Ammonia concoction, you must soak the clothes in question in a bucket filled with cold water. This pretreatment method is part of the process. Make sure you soak the clothes for a couple of minutes. Take out the clothes from the bucket and wring the excess water out. After this, that’s the time you can start using the Vinegar and Ammonia mix.

In a bowl, you can combine a cup of vinegar and a cup of ammonia. You can then add salt. Once the mixture is ready, do not pour it directly on the fabric. You can get a sponge and soak it in the liquid. Use the sponge to scrub the stains. If at first, you don’t succeed in removing the paint residue, you can keep trying.

The acidity of the vinegar and the corrosive property of the ammonia breaks down the paint stains. It makes it easier for you to remove them from your clothes.

To get rid of the potent smell of ammonia and vinegar from your clothes, wash them according to their care instructions.

 

4. Rub Stains Off With Alcohol

Whether you are dealing with wet or dried paint stains on your clothes, you can use alcohol to remove them. When we talk about alcohol, we aren’t talking about the beverage. We are referring to Isopropyl Alcohol. Given what’s happening in the world right now, you probably have a bottle sitting at home.

You can start with laying the stained part of your clothes on the sink. You can then pour alcohol on your clothes. Make sure you have a blunt object nearby. It could be a knife, letter opener, or something similar. If you don’t mind staining your fingers, you can use your hand. Make sure you remove as much paint residue as you can.

If you are wondering how alcohol does the job, it has something to do with it being a degreasing agent. It’s a cleaning agent that wipes out stubborn stains and residues, including Acrylic paint!

Before you use Isopropyl Alcohol, figure out what kind of fabric your clothes are made of.  You can’t expose some fabrics to alcohol, so make sure you double-check this.

 

5. Fizzle With Hairspray

Apart from hairstyling, a can of hairspray is an effective agent in removing Acrylic paint from your clothes. Hairspray is made up of several chemicals that work well with paint removal such as alcohol and polymers.

You can start with setting the stained garment on a flat surface. The sink is a good place to do this. Once that’s set, soak a piece of cloth with hairspray and dab it on. Check from time to time if the paint has been unlatched from the fabric.

If you have removed flecks of paints off your clothes, you can wash it the way you usually do.

 

6. Make A Baking Soda Mix

When it comes to removing stains, baking soda is always on top of the list. And it’s no different when it comes to Acrylic paint removal.

It’s pretty easy to use this method. All you have to do is combine one cup of water, one tablespoon of detergent, and one tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl. Before mixing, drop some dishwashing liquid and alcohol as well. With the exception of water, all these ingredients contain stain removing chemicals that could help loosen the hold of the dried paint on the fabric.

When your liquid mix is ready, you can start soaking the paint-stained clothing in the bowl for about 10 minutes. Try rubbing the fabric to help with breaking the paint down.

What If I Can’t Take Paint Off?

Now that you know that there are a couple of ways you can remove Acrylic paint from your clothes, it’s up to you to choose which one you want to try. In the event that you are stuck with a very stubborn paint stain that won’t go away, perhaps you might consider going to a professional cleaner.

If you have a trusted professional cleaning service, you can check with them and find out if they can do something about your stained and soiled clothes. Most of the time, these cleaning services have ways and means to remove the stains.

If you want to avoid running into this potential problem, perhaps you might consider some things before exposing yourself to Acrylic paint. Whether you are painting the walls of your home or doing some recreational painting, don’t wear your favorite pieces of clothing.

Try wearing something you won’t mind ruining. Your closet is probably filled with old clothes. If you do this, you won’t have to worry about staining your clothes with paint accidentally.

Remove Acrylic Paint Stains From Your Clothes Now!

As soon as paint touches your clothes, you have to move as fast as possible! Don’t wait until the last minute to remove Acrylic Paint out of your clothes. The more it stays on your clothes, the harder it would be to remove!