How to Remove Fabric Paint from Clothes
Deal with the stain immediately., Avoid applying any heat to the stain., Remove any unabsorbed paint., Flush the stain., Hand wash with a detergent., Machine wash your clothes., Consider professional cleaning.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Deal with the stain immediately.
The sooner you start fighting the stain, the better your chances will be of getting it out.
If you have wet paint on your clothes, take them off right away and attempt to wash the paint out.If you can't take your clothes off, try washing the stain out with them still on.
This is better than waiting to deal with the stain and allowing the paint to dry. -
Step 2: Avoid applying any heat to the stain.
Many fabric paints are set by heat, which means they do not fully harden until they are heated, usually by an iron.
To avoid setting the paint while you are trying to remove it, do not apply heat of any kind to your clothing until the stain is 100% removed.Do not use hot water when washing your clothes.
Do not put them in the dryer or use a hair dryer to dry the area you washed unless you're sure the stain is really gone.
If your fabric paint does not set with heat, you may use hot water when rinsing the stain out, but be sure to read the bottle thoroughly to make sure. , If you got a large amount of paint on your clothing and not all of it has absorbed into the fabric, remove as much of it as you can before you start washing it.
This will help prevent the paint from spreading to clean sections of the fabric.To remove paint from the surface of the fabric, try blotting it up with a paper towel or gently scraping it off with a putty knife.
Try not to rub the paint into the fabric as you do this. , Once you've gotten as much paint off of the surface of the fabric as possible, bring your garment to the sink and run the stained area under water until the water runs clear.
It's best to do this from the clean side of the fabric in order to avoid accidentally rubbing the paint into your clothing.Remember to use cold water to avoid setting the stain.
Always read the care instructions before you start washing your fabric.
If tag on your garment says that dry cleaning is required, do not attempt to wash out the stain. , Once the stain has been thoroughly flushed, apply some detergent to the affected area and scrub.
For the best results, use one part detergent and one part water.You may have to scrub and rinse several times to remove the paint.
Dish soap or laundry detergent should both do the trick.
If rubbing the stain with your hands is not effective enough, try scrubbing the area with sponge or a brush.
An old toothbrush works well for small stains. , Once you've gotten as much paint out as you can by hand, put your garment in the washing machine on a cold water setting with plenty of detergent.
This should get the rest of the stain out.Do not use hot water to wash your clothes or put them in the dryer unless the stain is completely gone.
If the clothing still has a stain after it comes out of the washing machine, let it air dry and follow the steps for removing dried paint.
Do not machine wash garments that call for dry cleaning or hand washing, as you may damage the fabric.
Always follow the care instructions. , For delicate fabrics that cannot be washed at home, your only option is to bring the garment to a professional for cleaning.
A dry cleaner may be able to remove wet or dry paint stains from delicate fabrics like silk, but there is no guarantee.You can also consider professional cleaning for washable fabrics if you were unsuccessful at removing the stain yourself. -
Step 3: Remove any unabsorbed paint.
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Step 4: Flush the stain.
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Step 5: Hand wash with a detergent.
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Step 6: Machine wash your clothes.
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Step 7: Consider professional cleaning.
Detailed Guide
The sooner you start fighting the stain, the better your chances will be of getting it out.
If you have wet paint on your clothes, take them off right away and attempt to wash the paint out.If you can't take your clothes off, try washing the stain out with them still on.
This is better than waiting to deal with the stain and allowing the paint to dry.
Many fabric paints are set by heat, which means they do not fully harden until they are heated, usually by an iron.
To avoid setting the paint while you are trying to remove it, do not apply heat of any kind to your clothing until the stain is 100% removed.Do not use hot water when washing your clothes.
Do not put them in the dryer or use a hair dryer to dry the area you washed unless you're sure the stain is really gone.
If your fabric paint does not set with heat, you may use hot water when rinsing the stain out, but be sure to read the bottle thoroughly to make sure. , If you got a large amount of paint on your clothing and not all of it has absorbed into the fabric, remove as much of it as you can before you start washing it.
This will help prevent the paint from spreading to clean sections of the fabric.To remove paint from the surface of the fabric, try blotting it up with a paper towel or gently scraping it off with a putty knife.
Try not to rub the paint into the fabric as you do this. , Once you've gotten as much paint off of the surface of the fabric as possible, bring your garment to the sink and run the stained area under water until the water runs clear.
It's best to do this from the clean side of the fabric in order to avoid accidentally rubbing the paint into your clothing.Remember to use cold water to avoid setting the stain.
Always read the care instructions before you start washing your fabric.
If tag on your garment says that dry cleaning is required, do not attempt to wash out the stain. , Once the stain has been thoroughly flushed, apply some detergent to the affected area and scrub.
For the best results, use one part detergent and one part water.You may have to scrub and rinse several times to remove the paint.
Dish soap or laundry detergent should both do the trick.
If rubbing the stain with your hands is not effective enough, try scrubbing the area with sponge or a brush.
An old toothbrush works well for small stains. , Once you've gotten as much paint out as you can by hand, put your garment in the washing machine on a cold water setting with plenty of detergent.
This should get the rest of the stain out.Do not use hot water to wash your clothes or put them in the dryer unless the stain is completely gone.
If the clothing still has a stain after it comes out of the washing machine, let it air dry and follow the steps for removing dried paint.
Do not machine wash garments that call for dry cleaning or hand washing, as you may damage the fabric.
Always follow the care instructions. , For delicate fabrics that cannot be washed at home, your only option is to bring the garment to a professional for cleaning.
A dry cleaner may be able to remove wet or dry paint stains from delicate fabrics like silk, but there is no guarantee.You can also consider professional cleaning for washable fabrics if you were unsuccessful at removing the stain yourself.
About the Author
Jason Hernandez
Enthusiastic about teaching cooking techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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