How to Remove Paint

Paint Splashes and Splatters

Whether you are brush painting, roller painting, or spray painting, paint has a funny way of landing on objects, surfaces, and even people in the same vicinity. Even if you take all the necessary precautions to protect your surroundings (i.e., using paint tarps, plastic covers, drop cloths, painting overalls, goggles, and more), inevitably paint splashes, splatters, and spills end up on you, your hair, the carpet, or the wall you didn't really intend to paint. Knowing how to remove paint stains is therefore not only an important element of the craft of painting, but for those of you who aren't into artificially coloring your hair - a potentially life-saving skill!

How to Remove Paint from a Carpet

Finding paint on your carpet is every painter's nightmare... Fortunately, however, just like one awakes from a bad dream, so too can your paint-stained carpets see brighter days ahead. In fact, even old, dried-up paint stains can be removed from a carpet with the right know-how, some elbow grease, and the right products. To remove spilled paint from your carpet and to prevent paint from spreading, here is what to do:

•- Act as quickly as possible before paint dries or spreads

•- Blot as much of the paint as possible using a clean piece of cloth or a thick layer of paper towels

•- Blot from the outside in to prevent paint from spreading

•- Liberally apply a lubricating spray, paint thinner, or detergent solution to the stained area, allowing it to stay on the carpet for up to 30 minutes (i.e., WD-40, bleach-free dish soap, club soda topped with table salt, trisodium phosphate (TSP), or nail polish remover)

•- Blot the paint-stained area again with soapy water to remove residues

•- Use a dry rag to soak up excess moisture from the carpet

•- Note: Always test for color-fastness on an inconspicuous area of the carpet before applying chemical products

How to Remove Paint from Eyeglasses

This often overlooked mishap is actually a common occurrence in the realm of painting. If your eyeglasses have sustained paint splatters, here is what to do:

•- For fresh paint splatters, act immediately. Using mild hand soap and warm water, rub the affected parts of your eyeglasses, rinse with warm water, and dry with a cotton cloth

•- For more persistent paint stains, pour some rubbing alcohol onto a cotton swab and rub the affected eyeglasses area until paint is gone (switching to a clean swab as necessary)

•- For eyeglasses with painted frames, avoid the use of rubbing alcohol as it might remove the frame's paint

How to Remove Paint from Hair

If you've ever done a paint job, then you know how easily paint splashes and splatters can end up in your hair! Fortunately, this is not the end of the world since there are some sure-proof methods to get paint OUT of your hair and to remedy this bad-hair-day crisis without running off to join a monastery, hiding under a hat, hibernating in your room until new hair grows in, or wearing a wig...

Depending on the type of paint used (water-based or oil-based), here is how to remove paint from your hair:

•- To remove water-based paint, wash your hair with clarifying shampoo and rinse, repeating the process until all paint specks are gone

•- To remove oil-based paint, spread a generous amount of olive oil on the painted area of your hair and let it sit for a few minutes; once the paint softens and lifts more easily, comb hair with a fine-tooth comb; wash hair thoroughly, using a clarifying shampoo for a deep cleanse; shampoo and rinse again until hair is no longer greasy

Moreover, you can use olive oil to help remove any paint from any part of your body. Not only does olive oil effectively soften paint and make it easy to remove, but olive oil is a natural moisturizer which softens your skin in the process.