The Best Method for Getting Acrylic Paint Stains Out of Your Clothes
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
On This Page
What You'll Need
Treat the Stain Before It Dries
How to Get Acrylic Paint Out of Clothes
Ingredients to Avoid
Acrylic paint is beloved by both artists and novice crafters alike, and for good reason: It is quick-drying, easy to layer, and water-based, making it safer to use around children and pets. Try as you might, paint is bound to land somewhere else other than your canvas—especially if little hands are involved. Learning how to remove acrylic paint stains from clothes could not only salvage a relaxing afternoon spent at the easel, but it could also save your favorite shirt or pants.
Related: How to Remove Those Stubborn, Baked-On Stains From Your Favorite Stoneware Cooking Pieces
What You'll Need
Make sure you have these tools on hand before you treat the acrylic paint stain.
Scraper
Soap
Detergent
Isopropyl alcohol
Nylon brush or toothbrush
Treat the Stain Before It Dries
Your best chance for removing acrylic paint stains is to act quickly. "Unfortunately, acrylic paint is nearly impossible to completely remove once dry, but one can get close," says Ileana Tejada, sales representative at Arch Art Supplies. Your best bet is to try scraping the paint off of the fabric using a scraper, soap, and water. However, there's a chance the scraping method will damage the clothing you're attempting to clean, so it's better to act before the stain dries.
How to Get Acrylic Paint Out of Clothes
While the stain is still wet, start by scraping off any excess paint. Them, treat what's left of the acrylic paint by following the steps outlined below.
Scrub the Stain
Apply liquid laundry detergent to the stain and gently (but quickly) rub it in. "You can use a soft nylon brush like a toothbrush to give the fabric a quick scrub," says Mary Gagliardi, in-house scientist and cleaning expert at Clorox. After applying detergent, rinse the stained item thoroughly in cold water and repeat the process as many times as needed to remove the paint. Be prepared to do it several times, depending on the severity of the stain.
Apply Isopropyl Alcohol
After washing with detergent, follow up with isopropyl alcohol to ensure the stain is removed from the clothing. "We recommend immediately cleaning with soap and water and following up with alcohol and a toothbrush," says Tejada. Scrub the rubbing alcohol into the stain until it's mostly or completely removed.
Machine Wash
Next, ensure the stain is completely gone and doesn't further set into your clothing by machine washing it. Select the cycle applicable to the piece of clothing you're cleaning and wash with cold water. When the cycle has ended, let the fabric air dry.
Ingredients to Avoid When Treating Acrylic Paint Stains
You may have heard that window cleaner, vinegar, and ammonia can treat an acrylic paint stain. But these methods won't be effective due to their high water concentration, which renders them ineffective on insoluble stains.
You should also avoid industrial solvents, such as acetone and paint thinner. While both will dissolve acrylic paint, they are meant for hard surfaces and will perform poorly on soft ones, like fabric. Plus, industrial solvents leave your washing machine susceptible to spontaneous combustion. "Even if you could use repeated applications of acetone to work dried acrylic off fabric, you now have a flammability issue on your hand," Gagliardi says.
