It seems that no matter how careful you are or how many drop cloths you put down during a painting project, paint still manages to find its way onto your flooring. Below, you will learn how to remove the latex paint from your carpet or hardwoods without causing further damage.
Paint Removal from Hardwood Flooring
Fresh Paint
If you have noticed the paint before it dries, you will be able to clean it up much easier. Use a paper towel to wipe up as much of the paint as possible without spreading it. Immediately apply some liquid dish soap directly to the area. Soak a paper towel with hot water and wash the area. Once the paint is gone, use a clean wet paper towel to rinse the area and then dry it.
Dry Paint
If the paint has dried, you will need a little bit of denatured alcohol, plastic wrap and some paper towels. Coat the area with the denatured alcohol, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit for about a half hour. After time has lapsed, remove the plastic wrap and use a wet paper towel to wipe away the alcohol and the paint. If the paint didn't come off the first time, repeat the process until it comes clean.
Paint Removal from Carpeting
Wet Paint
As soon as you notice the paint on the carpeting, grab a roll of duct tape and paper towels. Cover the surrounding carpeting with duct tape to prevent the paint from spreading to unaffected carpeting. Now, blot the paint spot repeatedly changing paper towels once it has become coated with paint.
After you have blotted as much paint as possible, get a bucket filled with very cold water and a clean sponge. Blot the area with the soaked sponge followed with blotting with a fresh paper towel. You want the paper towels to absorb the moisture as you work the spot out with the wet sponge.
Dry Paint
If the paint has dried, use a dry scrub brush to brush as much of the paint loose as possible. Now, apply a small amount of acrylic paint remover to a clean cloth and blot the area.
Mix warm water with a few drops of dish soap and use the scrub brush to scrub the area. This not only helps to remove the remaining paint, but also the paint remover that you had used to clean the paint from the carpet. Failing to rinse the carpet well can result in discoloration.
For a painting contractor, contact a business such as APC Services.
