It’s that time of the year when we seem to find all sorts of painting projects to do around the house. One of the toughest stains to remove from the clothing is a paint stain. Maybe you just dripped it a bit on your favorite blouse or shirt. Perhaps it was an accident that you rubbed against that freshly painted railing. Either way you must work quickly to keep the paint stain from setting in.
Once the paint dries it is really hard to remove it. If you get to it quickly enough you may be able to remove it completely and rescue your clothing form being tossed out. Follow these simple steps for success:
Paint Removal Tips | Coin Laundry Raleigh NC
First you will want to wipe any remaining wet paint completely off the garment. You will then be using detergent or bar soap and liquid soap works in a pinch. You should always remove as much of the paint as possible before it dries. You can do this by flushing the back of the material with plenty of warm water. Always be sure to rinse from behind and isolate the area with the stain. If the paint is a watercolor or tempera type it may come out completely using just this step. If so then you can rinse and just launder as normal. If not proceed to the next step.
You will need to mix together equal parts of your detergent and warm water. Make sure the detergent you are using is one that works with the type of fabric your clothing is made up of. The label should have this information. As always if you are not sure test a small area that is hidden to determine if it is safe to use.
Take a clean soft sponge and wet it in the detergent and water mixture. Use a sponge to ensure fibers from paper or cloth don’t stick to the clothing. Place a cloth under neath the damaged garment so that there is no bleed on the surface you are working on. You want to avoid any stains on your table or counter top.
Begin to blot the paint stain with your soapy sponge taking care to “blot” not rub. Rubbing will only push the paint deep into your fibers of the fabric. You can however blot pretty vigorously just take care not to damage the fabric. Another great way to do this is to simply put the fabric between your own fingers and gently rub the detergent into the fabric.
After you have incorporated this thoroughly you will rinse the clothing again with warm water from the back of the garment. If this was a water based paint you should see real progress or a completely gone stain. Repeat this entire process, from the blotting to the rinsing until the stain is either completely gone or less visible. You can try using an old toothbrush or laundry brush to help release the paint from the fibers of your garment without forcing colored paint any deeper into your clothing. Be very careful not to use to much force so that the paint does not stick permanently. You may then launder as normal checking the item before drying to be sure the stain is gone.
Laundry Express | Coin Laundry Raleigh NC
Laundry Express knows what a headache stains can be and how expensive. Before you give up on your clothing stains bring it by and we will see if we can help! Also take advantage of all of our laundry services. We are a state of the art laundry facility here in the Raleigh area!
