You’re finally getting around to painting that living room or bedroom and, despite your best efforts, you manage to splash some on your carpeting. Now what do you do? It might seem you like you’re left with little recourse and your expensive floor covering is permanently marred.
Not so fast. Cleaning your carpet after a paint spill doesn’t have to be difficult, it all depends on the type of paint you’re using and how quickly you can clean up the mess. Like with any accident on carpet, if you can get to it while it’s still fresh you have a better chance of eliminating it entirely.
So the next time you decide to work on a little home improvement project and accidentally splash some errant paint on your carpeting, here are some handy tips for solving the problem.
Water-Based Paints
This is typically the easiest type of paint to clean up. If you’re able to attend the mess while the paint is still wet just grab a damp paper towel and blot the area until you lift as much of the paint as you can. Be sure you blot, do not wipe or you could force the paint deeper into the carpet surface.
For spills that have dried, apply some hot water and a dab of dish soap. Let the two sit on the spot until it begins to soften. From there, lift the paint up with an edged tool of some kind. As you work, add more water and soap to remove all of it.
But in case the hot water isn’t hot enough, get a steamer to loosen the dried paint and scrape it away.
Latex Paints
This type may pose more of a challenge, so getting to it while it’s wet is the best option. Again blot and absorb as much as you can. If the paint is dried, mix some lukewarm water and dish soap and then lightly blot the paint with your soapy warm water. Start around the outside and work your way in.
When you’re done, vacuum the spot but only after that part of the carpet has dried fully.
Oil-Based Paints
If wet, blot and absorb as much as you can lift from the fibers. But if your paint has dried, you will need a steamer to moisten the paint again. You can do this by aiming the steam directly at the stain and poking and lifting as it softens. This could take some time so be patient, depending on the size of the stain, you may need to remove it in pieces.
Be careful as you work, this paint can be stubborn to lift up and you could damage the carpet if you are too aggressive or rough at the task.
If all else fails, find reliable carpet cleaning in Arlington VA, as these companies have professional, heavy-duty equipment and solvents that can be very effective at lifting those tough to remove stains, including all types of paint. But if you’ve tried and failed, don’t delay in calling the experts!