First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape or brush off any excess paint while it's still wet.
- Rinse the fabric with water to lift as much paint as you can.
- Run cold water over the spot to flush out the rest, unless it has dried.
Acrylic paint on clothes is water-based while it's wet, so a fresh spill can still lift out with water and soap. Once it dries, the polymer turns water-resistant and far harder to shift, and some color may never come out completely. Speed matters more than anything else here.
Getting acrylic paint out of denim starts with a hidden spot test, since some dyes lift with water. Work the dish soap in while the paint is still soft, because dried acrylic may never fully lift. Don't put the item in the dryer until you can't see any trace of the paint.
6 items
What you'll need
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- Dull knife or spoonScrapes off excess paint without spreading it across the fabric.
- Liquid dish soapPretreats the paint so the wash can lift it. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid laundry detergentUsed in the wash after the pretreat. (opens Amazon)
- Powdered oxygen bleach (optional)Boosts the wash on colorfast fabric, following the package suggestion. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothFor blotting and tamping, so no color transfers onto the stain. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol (dried paint only)Only for the dried-paint option, after a hidden-spot test. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
How to get acrylic paint out of clothes
Step 1 of 5
Scrape and rinse the fabric
Start by scraping off any excess paint with a dull knife or spoon, working from the edges toward the center so you don't spread it. Then rinse the fabric with water to lift as much of the paint as you can. Turning the item inside out lets the water push paint out the way it came in.
Tip. Rinse from the back of the stain, so the paint pushes out instead of further in.
Step 2 of 5
Pretreat with liquid dish soap
Put a small amount of liquid dish soap directly on the paint and work it in with your fingertips. Let it sit on the stain while you set up the wash, so it has time to loosen the paint.
Careful. Blot and tamp; rubbing or brushing spreads the stain.
Step 3 of 5
Wash in the hottest allowed water
Put the garment in the washing machine with laundry detergent and wash it in the hottest water it will allow. Check the care label first, because synthetics and colored fabrics can't take hot water. Use warm or cold water for those instead.
Tip. Pick the temperature from the care label before you start the machine.
Step 4 of 5
Air dry and check the stain
Lay the garment flat or hang it to air dry, then check the spot once it is dry. If paint is still visible, the stain isn't finished, so move on to the oxygen boost wash before you stop.
Careful. Heat sets the stain, so keep it out of the dryer and off the iron until it is gone.
Step 5 of 5
Repeat the wash with oxygen boost
If paint is still there, wash again and add powdered oxygen bleach to the wash cycle, following the manufacturer's suggested amount. Use it only on colorfast fabric, and skip it on wool, silk, leather and dry-clean-only items.
Careful. Going past the suggested oxygen powder amount can leave yellow stains that won't come out.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for acrylic paint
Choose a powdered oxygen bleach and read the label for colorfast fabric before using it on clothes.
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on this fabric, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is working when the paint starts to lift onto the cloth and the color fades in the water. If the spot still looks stiff or colored after air drying, it isn't finished, so repeat the wash before drying it again.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your fabric
Whites and white shirts
White fabric can take the hottest water the care label allows, so the steps above work at full strength here. The oxygen powder boost is safe on whites too, but keep to the suggested amount.
Skip chlorine bleach even on white, because the paint steps don't use it. Check the care label for the hottest setting before you start the machine.
Colors and denim
Denim is sturdy enough for the rinse, the dish soap pretreat and the wash, so those steps stay the same. Colored fabric may not be colorfast, so swap the hottest setting for warm water.
Test the oxygen powder on a hidden spot before the boost, and skip it if the color shifts. If the color shifts at any point, stop and take the item to a dry cleaner.
Silk, wool and delicates
Silk and wool can't take most of the steps above, so skip the dish soap pretreat, the oxygen boost and any enzyme detergent. Don't put wool in the washing machine, because agitation makes wool felt and shrink.
Blot with water only, and only if you can do it without rubbing, then take the piece to a dry cleaner and say it's acrylic paint. Velvet can't be ironed, and heirloom textiles should never go in a washing machine, so keep them away from both.
Dry-clean-only items
Dry-clean-only items can't take the water and oxygen steps above, so skip the wash entirely. Take the piece to a dry cleaner as soon as you can and say it has acrylic paint on it.
Let them pick a solvent-based method, because home water steps can damage these fabrics.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Paint that has been sitting for a while is a much bigger job than a fresh spill, so set your expectations before you start. Dried acrylic is water-resistant, and it may not come out completely, even with the steps above.
Start by scraping off the loose paint, then test rubbing alcohol on a hidden spot before using it on the stain. If the spot holds, apply the alcohol to the dry paint, dab with a clean white cloth, work in a little detergent, and wash. Stubborn spots can also soak in a powdered oxygen bleach solution for 1 to 6 hours, then wash in the warmest water the care label allows, skipping that on silk and wool.
If the garment has already been through the dryer, the heat has likely set the stain, so the odds are lower but still worth trying. If paint is still there after the soak and wash, stop rather than scrubbing harder, since force can damage the fabric.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on acrylic paint?
Home remedies for paint come up a lot, but most don't belong in this process. A few help as a fallback for dried paint, and the rest aren't worth using on fabric.
Works2Helps1Skip3
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Rubbing alcohol
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't let the paint dry before you start
Once acrylic dries, it turns water-resistant and may never come out completely. Every hour it sits makes the job harder, so start the rinse as soon as you notice it.
Don't skip the hidden-spot test
Rubbing alcohol can fade the color of clothes, and any treatment can behave differently on your fabric. Test on an inside seam or hem, and check the care label before you start.
Don't rub a fresh stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains and makes them harder to remove. Liquid dish soap is the pretreat that works here.
Don't use acetone or nail polish remover on acetate
Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic fabrics can't take acetone or nail polish remover, and acetate dissolves in them. Skip both, even for dried paint.
Don't spray oxygen cleaner on delicates
A spray-on oxygen cleaner is not for silk, wool, leather or dry-clean-only items. Use the powder only on fabric the care label allows.
When to call a professional
If the stain has dried, the item is dry-clean-only, or paint is still visible after a soak and a wash, take it to a dry cleaner. Tell them it's acrylic paint so they can pick a method that suits the fabric. Don't keep scrubbing at home, since more force can damage the garment.
Questions
What should you do first when acrylic paint lands on a shirt?
Act while the paint is still wet, and work through the steps above in order. Start with the rinse and the dish soap pretreat, then wash in the hottest water the fabric allows.
Can you remove acrylic paint from canvas?
Clothing treatments aren't made for artist's canvas, so don't assume they are safe on it. Ask an art supply store or a conservator, and test any product on a hidden corner first.
How do you get acrylic paint off leather?
The clothing steps don't apply to leather. Rubbing alcohol and oxygen bleach are both unsafe on leather, so skip them and take the item to a leather cleaner.
How do you get rid of an acrylic smell?
Wash the garment in the hottest water it allows with laundry detergent, which removes the paint that causes the smell. Then air dry it fully before deciding whether it smells clean.
Does washable acrylic paint come out more easily?
Often, yes. Many acrylic paints are formulated as washable and come out more easily in the wash, but the label on the paint is the only sure guide, so check it before you start.
Can you use chlorine bleach on acrylic paint?
No, the paint steps don't use chlorine bleach, even on white clothes. Chlorine bleach is also unsafe on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex, so oxygen powder is the safer boost.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.