How to Get Water Based Paint Out of Clothes

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: November 12, 2022

Water-based paint, such as latex or acrylic paint, is easier to remove from clothing than oil-based varieties. If you splattered some water-based paint on your clothes, there's a good chance you can remove it with the right approach. First, you should try handwashing the stain with a mild dish soap and warm water. If that doesn't work, you can try scrubbing the stain with rubbing alcohol or consider taking it to a dry cleaner to be professionally cleaned.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Handwashing the Stain

1
Scrape off the paint with a spoon or knife if the paint is dry. Use a spoon or a butter knife to lift up as much dry paint as you can before getting the garment wet. Sweep away the dried paint with a rag or brush.^{[1]
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- The paint stain should look lighter after scraping off the dried paint.
2
Flush the stain with cold water. Work from the back of the fabric and flush the area thoroughly under the faucet. Continue doing this until the color from the paint begins to fade.^{[2]
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- Flushing the garment will remove the initial paint and will prepare the area for the detergent.
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3
Mix 1 cup (240 ml) of cold water with 2-3 drops of mild dish soap. Fill a cup or bowl three-quarters of the way with water, add the dish soap, then mix the solution until it’s well incorporated. You will use this solution as a mild detergent that can remove water-based paint from most fabrics.^{[3]
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- This mild solution can also be used to remove grease and oil stains from fabrics.
4
Dip a sponge in the solution and tamp the stain. Get the sponge well saturated in the solution and pat over the stain several times. This will transfer the detergent to the area and pick up some of the paint.^{[4]
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- Don’t rub the stain or you may push the paint deeper into the fibers of the clothes.
5
Rinse the garment and repeat the steps. Rinse the sponge and the garment under warm water, making sure to rinse the detergent out of the clothes. The paint should start to wash out. Put more detergent onto the sponge and pat down the stain again, then rinse. Repeat these steps until you can no longer see anymore paint.^{[5]
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- It may take 3-4 cleanings until you remove all the paint.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing More Persistent Stains

1
Scrub rubbing alcohol on the stain if you can’t remove it with soap. Rubbing alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol, may be able to lift up paint from clothing fibers even after the paint has dried. Pour a small amount of alcohol onto the stained area and scrub the area with a toothbrush. Continue doing this until the stain is removed, then flush the garment under warm water.^{[6]
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- If the paint has had a long time to dry, it may be harder to remove.
2
Use a washing machine if the garment is covered in paint. If the garment is covered in paint and it's too hard to wash by hand, you can put it in the washing machine. Put the garment through the cycle that’s recommended on the label.^{[7]
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- If the label on the clothes says "dry clean only," it's best to take the clothing to a professional dry cleaner or to see if you can wash the garment by hand with a mild detergent.
- You can wash the stained garment with other clothes or by itself.
3
Use a professional dry cleaning service if it’s a delicate garment. If your paint-covered garment is made from delicate or expensive fibers like silk or leather, you may want to take it to a professional. Look online for dry cleaners near you and call them and ask if they can remove the water-based paint from your specific garment.
- Professional dry cleaners will have special chemicals that won’t harm your delicate garments.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking the Proper Precautions

1
Test all cleaning solutions on a small area of the garment first. Apply all cleaning solutions on a small in a small test area before using it to clean the entire garment. If a solution causes your clothing’s color to bleed or fade, stop using the solution and try another method.^{[8]
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- If you use alcohol or acetone on fabric containing acetate or triacetate, it will dissolve the clothing fibers.
- Let all cleaning solutions dry on your spot test for 5-10 minutes to make sure that it won’t affect the color of your clothes.
2
Read the labels on your clothing before laundering them. Some clothing will have cleaning instructions and restrictions on the label. Thoroughly read any labels and instructions to prevent damaging the garment.^{[9]
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- A water-bucket icon with an X through it means that you shouldn’t clean the clothes in a washing machine and a hand over a water-bucket icon means that you should hand wash the garment.
- A box with an X through it means that you should not put the clothes in a dryer.
3
Refer to the labels on the can of paint for specific solutions. Some water-based paint will come with instructions on how to remove it from clothing. Read all labels and warnings on the paint you’re using because it may contain special instructions that you can use.^{[10]
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- Some paint will also provide a list of chemicals you should avoid using when trying to remove the paint.
4
Clean the stain as quickly as possible. Tend to water-based paint stains as fast as possible to make it easier to lift up the paint and prevent the likelihood of permanent stains. If you don’t clean the paint quickly, it’ll dry out on your clothes which makes it harder to remove.^{[11]
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- You can wear a smock when painting with water-based paint to avoid getting it on your clothes.