How to Get Paint
Out of Clothes

Whether you are in the middle of a project or you are done painting, getting paint out of clothes starts with scraping off the excess paint before applying any cleaning solutions or water to the area. This helps eliminate the spreading of paint on your clothes and makes removing paint out of clothes much easier.

Diluting paint with water should be done for several minutes, or until the stain starts to disappear. Rinsing from the backside can reduce the spread of the stain, but be careful to not splatter paint-stained water where you are working. Note that the heavier the garment, the longer you will need to rinse the paint-stained area.

Hand washing the paint-stained area is an important step for how to get paint out of clothes. There are three ways to clean your clothes that you can try depending on what you have available. 

1. Dish Soap or Laundry Detergent

Mix dish soap or laundry detergent and gently apply the cleaning solution to the stain. Resist the urge to rub or scrub the stained area, as that can make the stain worse and potentially fade the garment. Continue to apply the solution and rinse from the backside until the paint is gone.

2. Common Household Items

For a more natural approach for how to get dried paint out of clothes, use a mixture of equal parts salt, vinegar, and ammonia. Apply the solution to the stain, and rinse from the backside until the paint is gone.

3. Hairspray and Hand Sanitizer

Hairspray and hand sanitizer both contain a small amount of alcohol which can be used to get paint out of clothes. Use a small amount of either, and apply it to the paint-stained area. Rinse from the backside until the paint is gone. 

Sometimes, regardless of how many times you repeat the cleaning process, you may not be able to remove all of the paint from your clothing. If you are unable to get paint out of clothes, you may need to designate the garments for future painting projects.