First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Treat the paint while it's still wet, and don't let it dry.
- Test any remover on a hidden spot first, then start with the gentlest method.
- Ventilate the room: spray paint is an extremely flammable aerosol, so keep solvents away from flames and sparks.
- Latex and oil-based paint need different steps, so check the can if you still have it.
Spray paint on clothes is one of the hardest stains to beat once it dries, because the binder hardens and grips the fibers as the solvent leaves. Your best odds come from acting while it's still wet and knowing whether the paint is latex or oil-based, since each calls for a different cleaner. Fabric type matters too, and a dry-clean-only garment should go to a cleaner promptly rather than sit with the stain.
Check the fiber before anything strong touches it, and test on a hidden seam first. Blot the paint with a clean white cloth rather than rubbing, since rubbing pushes the paint deeper into the weave. If spray paint on clothes has already dried, expect several rounds and stop before the fabric starts to thin or fade.
Before you start
What clothes can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Heat, once the stain is out
8 items
What you'll need
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- Cool water and a clean sponge or clothLifts wet paint out of the fabric; blot rather than rub. (opens Amazon)
- Liquid detergentRubbed into latex and worked into oil-based paint before washing. (opens Amazon)
- Commercial pre-wash spotApplied to latex stains before the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Stain remover (opens Amazon)
- Commercial cleaner for paintSponged onto latex and oil-based stains before soaking or rinsing.
- Thinner named on the paint canThe solvent the paint's label recommends for oil-based paint.
- Mineral spiritsStands in for the named thinner when there's no can or label. (opens Amazon)
- Soft-bristled brush (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Sponge latex paint with water
If the paint is latex, sponge the wet stain with cool water first, working from the edges toward the center so it doesn't spread. Then rub a little liquid detergent into the stain and rinse it out. If you can't tell which paint it is, start here anyway, since water and detergent are the gentlest option.
Step 2 of 7
Pre-treat, then wash the garment
Work a commercial pre-wash spot and stain remover into the latex stain, and let it sit only as long as its label allows. Then wash the garment in heavy-duty liquid detergent at the hottest temperature the care label recommends.
Tip. Check the care label before you choose the wash temperature, since it overrides the steps here.
Careful. Leaving a pretreatment on too long can make unstable dyes change color or fade, especially on bright or fluorescent items.
Step 3 of 7
Sponge with cleaner, then soak
Sponge the latex stain with a commercial cleaner, then soak the garment in cool water until the paint starts to loosen. Launder it again once the soak has loosened the paint.
Step 4 of 7
Sponge oil paint, then use its thinner
For oil-based paint, sponge the stain with a commercial cleaner and rinse it out. If the paint can or its label names a thinner, treat the stain with that solvent next.
Careful. If you can't treat oil-based paint right away, wrap the garment in plastic or airtight wrap so the paint doesn't dry.
Step 5 of 7
Use mineral spirits without a label
If you don't have the can or its label, put mineral spirits on the stain in place of the named thinner. If you already used the named thinner, skip this step.
Step 6 of 7
Work detergent into the wet stain
While the oil-based stain is still wet with solvent, work liquid detergent into it with your fingers or a soft brush. Keep the area wet with solvent while you work so the paint doesn't dry out.
Tip. Blot rather than rub, and only scrub hard on tough, durable fabric.
Step 7 of 7
Soak overnight in hot water if needed
If paint remains, soak the garment in hot water overnight, then launder it. If the stain is still there, repeat the solvent and detergent steps before trying anything else.
Careful. Use hot water only when the care label allows it, and only on oil-based paint you've identified.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for spray paint on clothes
Look for a commercial pre-wash spot and stain remover, a commercial cleaner for paint, and a heavy-duty liquid detergent for the wash. For oil-based paint, the thinner printed on the can is the first choice before mineral spirits.
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 clothes, 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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →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 paint should lift onto the sponge and fade around the edges with each round. If it looks the same after the wash and the solvent steps, the stain has likely set, so move on to the overnight soak and the set-in options below.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Cotton and denim
Sturdy cotton and denim can take every step above, so start with the steps in order. Nothing here needs a special fiber-safe method.
Work from the outside of the stain inward each round, so you don't spread paint into clean fabric. If a full round doesn't lift more paint, don't add a stronger product; take the item to a professional instead.
Wool, silk and mohair
These fibers can't take chlorine bleach, so leave it out, and skip oxygen bleach too. Test any remover on a hidden seam first, and don't use dish soap on silk.
Take the item to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and that the stain is spray paint. Mention if the garment has been dried or ironed, since heat changes what the cleaner can do.
Acetate, triacetate and modacrylic
Acetone and nail polish remover dissolve acetate, so don't use them on these fibers. Rubbing alcohol is also off the list for acetate, triacetate, modacrylic and acrylic.
Test the named thinner or mineral spirits on a hidden seam before using it on the visible paint. If the paint won't come out after the first solvent round, take the item to a dry cleaner and point out the stain.
Leather and suede
Leather and suede can't take chlorine bleach or rubbing alcohol, so skip both. Leather isn't a tough fabric either, so blot the paint rather than rubbing it.
Tell the cleaner whether the paint is latex or oil-based, since the two need different treatment. Until then, don't rub the stain or try the wash steps at home.
Spandex and stretch fabric
Spandex can't take chlorine bleach, so leave it out of the process. Stretch fabric isn't tough, so blot the paint rather than rubbing it.
If the paint is still there after the overnight soak, take the item to a professional dry cleaner rather than scrubbing harder. Mention that it's stretch fabric so the cleaner knows to use a gentle method.
Colored fabric that isn't colorfast
Colored fabric that isn't colorfast can change color or fade when you treat it, so test every product on a hidden seam first. Oxygen bleach is only for colorfast fabrics, and chlorine needs a colorfast item and a bleachability test.
If the color changes in the test, stop and take the item to a professional dry cleaner rather than trying a stronger product. Use the least product that moves the paint, and rinse well before you move to the next step.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Paint that has been on for a long time is harder than fresh paint, and the steps above may not finish the job. Check the care label and fiber before you try anything stronger, and test the solvent on a hidden seam first.
Once water-based paint has dried on fabric, it usually can't be removed. For oil-based paint, use the thinner named on the can, or mineral spirits or turpentine, then work in liquid detergent.
If the stain remains after the overnight soak, repeat the solvent and detergent steps once more. If the garment has been through the dryer, the heat has set the paint more firmly, so expect only partial removal.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on spray paint on clothes?
Most kitchen remedies don't fit spray paint, and a few can damage the fabric. Commercial cleaners, liquid detergent and solvent already do this job, so kitchen options add little.
Skip6
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't put the garment in the dryer or iron it
Heat sets the paint, and a stain that has been dried or ironed may become impossible to remove. Keep the garment out of the dryer until you can't see any paint at all.
Don't rub a fresh stain with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, so it's the wrong choice for fresh paint. Use the liquid detergent named in the steps instead.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar or alcohol
Mixing them gives off toxic fumes, so never combine bleach with another remover. Rinse thoroughly between each product you use on the same stain.
Don't use bleach at full strength
Undiluted bleach can weaken the fabric so it tears or wears out sooner. Keep bleach out of the early rounds, since it belongs only at the end, after everything is rinsed out.
Don't use hot water until you know the stain
Hot water can set protein stains such as milk, egg or blood. Start with cool water until you know what the stain is, and save hot water for the overnight soak on oil-based paint.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
You don't have the spray can.
Treat it as oil-based and use mineral spirits, after testing on a hidden seam. Most spray paint is a lacquer or enamel rather than latex.
The paint dried before you found it.
Dried latex paint usually can't be removed. For dried oil-based paint, try the thinner, liquid detergent and overnight soak sequence, and accept that it may not fully lift.
The solvent left a greasy ring.
Work more liquid detergent into the area while it is damp, rinse, and launder before letting it dry.
Paint spread into a wider smear.
Switch to a fresh towel pad, dab rather than wipe, and work from the outer edge toward the center.
When to call a professional
Take dry-clean-only items to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and that the stain is spray paint. Take even washable items if the paint covers a large area, the item is bulky, or the fabric is fragile. Suede, leather and fur trim should go to a cleaner that specializes in leather or fur.
Questions
Can spray paint come out of clothes?
Yes, especially when it's fresh. Fresh paint responds best to the steps above, and the sooner you start, the better your odds. Dried paint may never come out completely, so act while it's still wet.
Is latex or oil-based paint easier to remove?
You don't need to know which is easier, because you start with the latex steps either way. Water and detergent come first, and if they don't lift the paint, move to the oil-based steps with the named thinner or mineral spirits.
Can I use nail polish remover on spray paint?
Not on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic, since acetone dissolves acetate. Use the thinner named on the paint can or mineral spirits instead, as the oil-based steps describe.
Is spray paint flammable during cleaning?
Yes. Spray paint is an extremely flammable aerosol, and the solvents are too, so work in a ventilated room away from flames and sparks.
Can chlorine bleach be used on paint-stained clothes?
Only as a last step, after everything is rinsed out, and only on colorfast items whose care label allows it and that pass a bleachability test. Don't use it on wool, silk, mohair, leather, spandex or rust stains.
What if the paint won't come out after the overnight soak?
Some dried paint stays in the fabric even after every step. Take the item to a professional dry cleaner, tell them the fiber content and that it's spray paint, and let them choose the method.
Can I still remove paint from a garment that's already been dried?
Sometimes, but the odds are lower. Heat sets paint more firmly, so start with the solvent round and the overnight soak, and expect partial results.
Spray Paint on other materials
Other stains on clothes
Start from the bigger picture
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.