Spray painting is a popular, creative hobby, but unfortunately it can leave behind some pesky stains on your clothes. It can be a bit tricky to get spray paint out, as with most types of paints, but don’t worry, there are some methods to help you out! Here’s how to remove spray paint stains from clothing.
Spray paint usually comes in aerosol form, meaning small flecks of paint cover a large surface area. Unfortunately, this can mean spray paint stains on your clothes. Acting fast is key to most stains, but with spray paint stains, the flecks will probably dry before you get a chance to clean them off properly. However, there are ways to clean up clothes that have seen their fair share of spray painting – here’s how to remove spray paint stains from clothing.
It may be helpful to pre-treat the stain before washing, especially if it’s extra stubborn. To do this, first remove as much as possible of any residue spray paint by dabbing the area with a paper towel or cotton swab. If the paint is dry, brush the clothes with a firm bristled brush or scrape the paint off as much as you can with a blunt object. Afterwards, you can apply a little liquid detergent, or your stain remover of choice, to the stain.
If the stain is still fresh, try to blot the paint carefully with an absorbent paper towel. If the spray paint has dried, scrape off as much dried paint as you can.
Check how to wash the garment on the care label and choose a Persil® stain remover suitable for the type of fabric. Detergents and stain removers that are tough on tricky stains are ideal, such as Persil® Advanced Clean Oxi+Odor Power detergent which can be used to pretreat.
You can apply a little Persil® liquid detergent, or your stain remover of choice, to pretreat the stain. Carefully apply the stain removal product to the stain with a cotton swab or cotton pad, avoid contact with the surrounding fabric. Then, allow the product to soak in for a few minutes.
Choose a Persil® laundry detergent suitable for the color and type of fabric of your laundry load and wash it in the washing machine as usual, provided you can machine wash your garment.
Before you put the clothes in the dryer, you should check whether the spray paint stain has disappeared completely. Otherwise, it could still be set by the drying process. If the stain is still there, repeat the pre-treatment and wash cycle.
Rinse paint stain in warm water. Pretreat with Persil® liquid detergent and launder.
Gently blot the stain with the solvent listed on the paint label. Rinse, then pretreat with Persil® liquid detergent and launder.
Use a stain remover that is suitable for both the type of fabric and the color of the garment. If you are unsure whether the material of your clothing is compatible with the stain remover, test the product on a discreet spot first! For a thoroughly deep clean, try Persil® Advanced Clean Oxi+Odor Power detergents.
For more laundry tips that help keep you looking and feeling good, explore our library of fabric care guides.