How to Remove Latex Paint from Clothes

Getting latex paint on a favorite piece of clothing can be quite frustrating. If you recently brushed up against a freshly painted wall or perhaps dribbled some yellow paint on a new sweater, don't despair! Depending on the severity of the stain and the fabric involved, you can tackle latex paint stains with detergent, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, or even hair spray!

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Using Rubbing Alcohol

  1. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 1
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    Dampen the fabric with warm water. Moisten a clean rag with some warm water. Using your rag, you can dab the stained fabric to get it a little bit wet.[1]
  2. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 2
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    Pour rubbing alcohol over the stain. Although there are many ways of removing latex paint, by far the most effective solution is rubbing alcohol. Open a bottle of rubbing or isopropyl alcohol. Pour a liberal amount of alcohol over the stain.[2] [3]
    • If you have a clean garden sprayer, you can put the rubbing alcohol in it and then spray the stain.[4]
    • If the paint has been on there for a while, let the alcohol soak for a few minutes to break it up.
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  3. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 3
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    Rub the fabric against itself. Once the stained fabric has been thoroughly doused with alcohol, you can rub the fabric against itself to begin removing the stain. Simply rub one part of the fabric against another part of it.[5]
    • If needed, you can apply more isopropyl alcohol at this stage.
    • Unless you're working with a delicate fabric, it should stand up to some vigorous scrubbing.
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    Use a laundry brush to scrub the stain out. Depending on the size of the latex paint stain, you can use a laundry brush or even a toothbrush. Brush the isopropyl alcohol into the stain to remove the paint.[6] [7]
    • If you prefer, you can use a pumice stone instead of a brush.[8]
  5. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 5
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    Rinse out the stain with warm water. Run some warm water over a clean rag. Wipe off the paint and the rubbing alcohol. At this stage, you may prefer to simply run water over the stained fabric in your laundry sink.[9]
  6. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 6
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    Put the stained clothing item in the washing machine. After removing the latex paint stain, you should put the clothing item in the washing machine. Follow the directions for laundering the item, as directed on the clothing label. By laundering the item, you will remove any remaining latex paint and alcohol from the fabric.[10]
    • Launder stained clothing in hot water.
    • You should wash the stained item on its own, since you don't want the latex to get on other clothing items.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Using Dish Detergent

  1. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 7
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    Flush the latex paint stain with warm water. Place the stained part of the fabric under a tap with running warm water.[11] Try to get out as much of the latex paint as you can, especially if the stain is fresh.[12]
  2. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 8
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    Test the fabric to make sure it is color-safe. Pour some liquid dish detergent onto the inseam of the piece of clothing you want to clean. Rub the detergent into the inseam and see if any color comes out. If nothing comes out, you know the fabric is color-safe and you can proceed with using dish detergent to remove the stain.[13]
    • If the fabric is not color-safe, you'll need to take the item to a professional dry cleaner.
  3. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 9
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    Prepare a detergent solution with one-part detergent and one-part water. Because dishwashing detergents are made to break up oils, they can help to dissolve latex paint. Mix one-part dishwashing detergent with one-part water.[14]
  4. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 10
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    Moisten a sponge with the detergent solution and apply it to the fabric. Allow it to soak in for three minutes. Then, use a clean cloth or fabric brush to scrub out the stain.[15]
  5. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 11
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    Work up a lather with a sponge. Using your sponge, rub away at the stain until you get a nice lather. Continue to scrub the stain until the paint is no longer visible.[16]
    • You can reapply the detergent mixture and try again, if necessary.
    • If you can't get rid of the paint using detergent, you'll need to use rubbing alcohol.
  6. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 12
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    Rinse and launder the clothing item. Run warm water over the stain until all of the soap and the paint are gone. Finally, throw the item in the washing machine.[17]
    • To launder the item, follow the directions listed on the clothing label.
    • You should launder the stained clothing separate from your regular washing load.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Removing Small Stains

  1. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 13
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    Spray a small stain with hairspray. Lay your clothes on a flat surface. Douse the small stain with hairspray. Leave it for a few minutes so the alcohol can break up the paint, and then come back and do a bit of scrubbing with a fabric brush. When you're finished, launder the clothing as you normally would, and finish with a run through the dryer.[18]
  2. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 14
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    Scrub the stain with gel hand sanitizer. Squirt some hand sanitizer onto the small stain. Then, you can scrub the stain with a toothbrush to get the latex off your clothes! Since hand sanitizer contains rubbing alcohol and is portable, this is a quick and efficient way of addressing paint stains when they happen.[19]
  3. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 15
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    Scrub the stain with paint thinner. Pour half a cup of paint thinner into a yogurt container. Saturate a clean rag in the container. Use the rag to scrub off the latex paint. When the rag gets dirty, you can squeeze out the excess liquid into a separate yogurt container. Continue scrubbing until all of the paint is gone.[20]
    • If the stain is very bad, you can pour the paint thinner directly onto the fabric.
    • Keep in mind that paint thinner may damage more delicate clothing.
  4. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 16
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    Use a specialty cleaning product to remove difficult stains. There are certain cleaners, like “goo-gone” or “goof off,” which are made to get rid of the sticky materials. If you have a specialty cleaning product, you should use it in a well-ventilated area, since the smell is often quite strong. Apply the specialty cleaning product and let it soak in the stain for two minutes. You can scrub off the stain with a pumice stone or other scrubbing implement. Finally, rinse and launder the item.[21]
    • If necessary, you can repeat the process.
  5. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 17
    5
    Use rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to remove a small stain. If you are cleaning a small stain, you can use cotton balls with rubbing alcohol. Place a cotton ball on top of a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Turn the bottle upside down to soak the ball. Then, you can use the cotton ball to scrub off a small stain.[22]
  6. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 18
    6
    Apply lavender oil to small latex stains. Although relatively expensive in comparison to rubbing alcohol, you can use lavender oil to get rid of small latex stains. Put between five and seven drops of lavender on the stain. Wait for the lavender to work its magic, which should take around half an hour. At this stage, you can scrub off the stain with spoon.[23]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Scraping Off Dry Paint

  1. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 19
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    Scrape off excess paint with a butter knife. Although a knife could easily damage thinner and more delicate fabrics, you can use a butter knife to scrape latex off denim and thicker fabrics. Put the clothing on a sturdy work surface, such as an ironing board. Pointing the knife away from you, apply pressure to the fabric and scrape off the blobs of latex paint.[24]
  2. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 20
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    Apply duct tape to the stained fabric. As long as the paint is dry, you can use duct tape to remove excess latex paint. Cut a piece of duct tape. Place it over the latex paint and press it firmly against the fabric. Finally, pull off the duct tape to remove bits of latex paint![25]
  3. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 21
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    Use a disposable razor to remove latex stains from thicker fabrics. Although a disposable razor will damage cotton, silk, and other sensitive fabrics, you can use it to remove latex stains from wool and denim. Place the clothing on a sturdy surface, such as an ironing board. Use the razor to scrape the latex paint off the fabric.
    • It is best to use an old or dull razor, since a new one could damage your clothing.
  4. Image titled Remove Latex Paint from Clothes Step 22
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    Try scratching the paint off with an emery board. If you're working with a thick fabric and a small amount of paint, you may be able to scratch or rub it off with the aid of a basic emery board or fine grit sandpaper. Carefully scrub at the paint, using your nail to scratch out any ingrained paint. Finish with a wash and dry cycle.
    • Be gentle as your scrub, otherwise you may accidentally scratch a hole into the fabric along with removing the paint.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How can I get dried latex house paint off of a pair of boxers? I've washed and dried them twice already with no effect.
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    I had a pair of jeans that had been washed many times after being stained with paint and I used the rubbing alcohol method above. It came right off!
  • Question
    How do I remove red paint from a blue shirt?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try and use Vanish Gold. Wet the stain and apply half a spoon of Vanish Gold and rub it in well, then rinse. Then pop it in the wash with another spoon of Vanish Gold (or a little more) and your regular detergent.
  • Question
    I was moving my ladder and forgot I had my black latex paint on it, and my paint spilled onto my white sheet. I used hand soap, hot water, and rubbing alcohol on it. How do I get it out?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Get paint thinner or use alcohol rubbing paint thinners.
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Warnings

  • If you use pumice or a knife to scrape off latex stains, there is a risk of damaging your clothing, especially cotton and silk items.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • The longer you wait to remove a latex paint stain, the more difficult it will be to remove.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • If you use a razor blade to scrape off latex stains, you could easily cut your clothing by accident.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Using chemicals like lacquer thinner can be dangerous, since it is extremely flammable as well as toxic.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You'll Need

  • Paint thinner
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Dishwashing detergent
  • Lavender oil
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Pumice stone
  • Razor blade
  • Toothbrush
  • Laundry brush
  • Duct tape
  • Sponge
  • Clean rag

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References

  1. ↑ http://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
  2. ↑ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/diy-mishaps-removing-latex-pai-156925
  3. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 April 2021.
  4. ↑ http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothing-2394.html
  5. ↑ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/diy-mishaps-removing-latex-pai-156925
  6. ↑ http://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
  7. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 April 2021.
  8. ↑ http://pioneerthinking.com/removing-dried-latex-paint-from-denim
  9. ↑ http://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
  1. ↑ http://tidymom.net/2014/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes/
  2. ↑ Rani Gorgis. Laundry & Cleaning Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 April 2021.
  3. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17273/stains-paint-latex-may07/
  4. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/#.WVvwaBPyso8
  5. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17273/stains-paint-latex-may07/
  6. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17273/stains-paint-latex-may07/
  7. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/#.WVvwaBPyso8
  8. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a17273/stains-paint-latex-may07/
  9. ↑ http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/diy-mishaps-removing-latex-pai-156925
  10. ↑ http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/how-to-get-paint-out-of-clothes
  11. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/#.WVwF_BPyso8
  12. ↑ http://pioneerthinking.com/removing-dried-latex-paint-from-denim
  13. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/12314143/how-to-remove-dried-paint-stains-from-clothing
  14. ↑ http://everything-lavender.com/using-lavender-oil-as-paint-remover.html
  15. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/#.WVvwaBPyso8
  16. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-remove-paint-from-clothes/#.WVvwaBPyso8
  17. ↑ http://everything-lavender.com/using-lavender-oil-as-paint-remover.html

About This Article

Rani Gorgis
Co-authored by:
Rani Gorgis
Laundry & Cleaning Specialist
This article was co-authored by Rani Gorgis. Rani Gorgis is a Laundry and Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Park Blvd Laundry & Dry Cleaners in San Diego, California. With several years of experience in the laundry and cleaning industry, Rani specializes in dry cleaning, wash-n-fold, shirt laundry, and servicing smoke-damaged clothes. He holds a BS in Accounting and a CPA certification. This article has been viewed 1,493,810 times.
9 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 28
Updated: March 25, 2022
Views: 1,493,810
Categories: Clothing Stains | Removing Paint and Polish Stains
Article SummaryX

To remove latex paint from clothes, start by dampening the stained fabric with some warm water. Then, pour a liberal amount of rubbing or isopropyl alcohol over the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. While you wait, rub the fabric against itself to help break up the paint. You can also scrub the stain with a scrub brush or an old toothbrush. After a few minutes, rinse out the stain with warm water and machine wash it by itself on a hot water setting. To learn how to remove latex paint from clothes using dish detergent, scroll down!

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