How to Remove Acrylic Paint Easily

Being an artist, you often get paint stains on your clothes and walls.

Acrylic paint is the most widely used paint medium by artists as it is easy to paint with.

You can accidentally spill the paint and it can be annoying.

Therefore, you might need to find ways on how to remove acrylic paint.

You can remove acrylic paint easily by using things around your home like vinegar, a scaper, baking soda, soap, and water depending on the surface that paint is on.

There are also stronger and effective chemicals you can use like Isopropyl Alcohol that works well to remove acrylic paint on clothing.

Find out the best liquids and chemicals that remove acrylic paint mentioned in the account below!

Other topics to help you with acrylic painting:

How to Get Dried Acrylic Paint Off Clothing?

If you are tired of searching for how to remove acrylic paint, here are some tricks.

As soon as you notice a stain over your clothing, hurry up to the washroom.

Place the piece of clothing under fast-running tap water.

Fresh stains are easy to wash away because acrylic paints are water-soluble.

But if it has already dried and you are late in noticing it, then follow the tips below:

Place the cloth under tap water and add a bit of detergent. Wash it to remove acrylic paint.
Did you know that hairspray can also be used here other than on your hairstyles? Well, just spray a bit on the affected area. Once wet, the stain will become tender, and you can easily scratch it.
You can also utilize nail paint remover for acrylic paint removal. Take some on a piece of cotton and press it on the affected area, and it will soften the stain. You can now easily scratch to remove acrylic paint.
Because of the growing industry of artists nowadays, companies have started manufacturing commercial stain removers. You can buy one if you are an acrylic artist. Follow the steps as guided upon the packing to remove acrylic paint.

Remember! Acrylic paint becomes permanent once exposed to heat. If you do not wash it soon and use an iron or expose it to a dryer, it will stay on clothing forever.

What Removes Acrylic Paint?

If you are looking for liquids or chemicals that remove acrylic paint, here is a detailed account of the top 7 liquids and items that can dissolve and soften acrylic stains.

Ammonia Solution

Ammonia solution is a cost-effective method for acrylic paint removal.

It is easily accessible to all. It has the properties of detergent and works well over stubborn stains.

Ammonia solution raises the pH and is used to neutralize acrylic medium.

You can use it for acrylic stains stuck on metal, plastic, and glass surfaces.

It will not work on clothing and wooden surfaces.

Warning!

Be careful when using ammonia solution because of the potent fumes it leaves.

And do not use ammonia solution to clean your brushes, specifically those made from brass, because ammonia tends to dissolve brass.

Isopropyl Alcohol

This is cheaper and readily available.

One can call it better than the ammonia solution because it can work on clothing that is the primary victim of getting stained while painting.

This is called rubbing alcohol.

You can rub it over the affected surface, including all kinds of non-porous surfaces like wood and plastic.

Warning!

It is often safe to use but do use gloves with it. It can irritate and make skin reddish once exposed.

Acetone

Acetone is used when the acrylic paint has almost dried and is not vulnerable to scratching anymore.

Add a few drops on a piece of cotton and rub the stained area and wait until tender.

Now, you can easily peel it off.

Acetone is readily available for everyone.

It is the main constituent of your nail polish remover.

You can utilize it for acrylic paint removal from glass and metal too.

Warning!

Do not use acetone over plastic and synthetic clothing.

Although it is non-toxic, it is highly flammable.

When using acetone, make sure the area is well ventilated.

Denatured Alcohol

This type of alcohol is more powerful and dangerous than the one discussed before.

It is not a water-based solution and contains methyl and ethyl, making it stronger than isopropyl alcohol.

Warning!

It consists of methanol which is also known as a poison.

Although methanol (non-drinking alcohol) helps remove acrylic paint, it can be poisonous if consumed accidentally.

Avoid suffocating places when using it for acrylic paint removal.

Lacquer Thinner

You can use it for acrylic paint removal from surfaces like glass and metals.

It is the strongest of all because of the presence of toluene and methanol.

It is hazardous as well.

Be careful with it. It is highly recommended to use outdoors because of its fumes and flammability.

Vinegar

If any of the above mentioned are not present, you can even utilize vinegar from your kitchen.

Mix one part of vinegar in ten amounts of water.

Dip any piece of cloth into the solution and use it to dab the cloth stain.

Keep doing and finally wash the stain with cold water.

Baking Soda

You can use another item from your kitchen which is baking soda.

Use a mixture of baking soda and hot, boiling water for this.

This lets the paint break its bonds by expanding.

Thus the stain is removed.

You can use any of the above-mentioned steps that best suit your requirements.

It is suggested to keep a strong remover or chemical at home if you are an artist who uses the acrylic medium.

How to Remove Acrylic Paint From Jeans?

It is often challenging to remove acrylic stains from denim and jeans. It is not impossible, but it is thirsty work.

You should take off the jeans as soon as you notice a stain.

Then quickly wash them and use lots of washing powder to avoid the paint from hardening.

Keep washing it as long as the stain stays.

It takes four washes on average to get rid of it, and It is better to opt for handwashing.

It is gentler than the washing machine.

If the stain isn’t disappearing with washing powder and several washes, you may need to utilize a more potent chemical.

How to Remove Acrylic Paint from Walls?

If you have accidentally made the walls dirty with acrylic splashes, do not panic.

You can fix it in several ways:

Using Soap and Water

This is the simplest one.

Just add liquid soap to a bucket of water.

Mix it and rub it over the wall using a cloth.

This will work quickly if your walls have a coat of washable paint.

Use a Scraper

If the stains are stubborn, use a scraper first.

Slide the scraper over the paint till the upper layer comes off the wall.

Now you can use the first method which is water and soap, to clean it further.

Use Sandpaper

Rub sandpaper over the affected area back and forth.

It peels off the paint, and you can wipe away the excess.

Use Sandblock

The usage of sandpaper to get rid of acrylic stains is annoying and difficult.

To make it easier, use a sand block that allows you to wrap sandpaper at one of its faces and hold the other face to rub it over the paint.

It is very comfortable to hold.

This process leaves toxic dust in the air.

It is hazardous to inhale.

Wear a mask before doing such an activity.

Use a Paint Stripper

If you find it difficult to remove the stain or it becomes a stubborn one, then use a paint stripper which is a chemical manufactured for this purpose.

Here are the exact steps to make it easier for you:

Safety first! Put on your mask and gloves beforehand.
Ventilate the room because of the danger of toxicity diffusion.
Cover all the items and floor. This chemical eats away the stain and even the surfaces of your precious furniture and floor. So cover it all. Or just remove all the things from the room.
Apply a coat of paint stripper over the affected areas. Wait for some minutes or hours. It all depends on the strength of your stripper.
Once the time is over, you will see bubbles due to emulsion. Take a scrapper and peel the paint stains. They will quickly come off.
Now clean the walls with clean water.
You can repeat the process if you see any stain is remaining.

Does Acrylic Paint Wash Off?

How to remove acrylic paint?

Are acrylic paints washable?

The answer is yes and no, both.

It all depends on when you take action against it.

The acrylic paints are water-soluble.

They can dissolve easily in water if you wash them as soon as in the first 20 to 25 minutes.

If not quickly washed, they eventually become water-resistant.

Moreover, exposure to heat can make them permanent too.

Do not iron over the stained clothes.

You will need to be patient when dealing with such situations.

You may need to wash your stained clothing multiple times before the stain comes off the surface.

Avoid wearing denim and jeans that are vulnerable to permanent staining.

Wear rough clothing and buy aprons for artists.

You should opt for disposable aprons that are much better as you do not need to worry about stains and splashes.

Now you can work without any headache.

To save your floors and tiles, cover the area where you paint with a cloth.

And stay away from the walls to protect them from staining.

Make your own space in the middle of the room, and no expensive furniture or items are around.

But in case of emergency, keep a strong removing chemical.

You can choose from any of the above chemicals that you can easily manage without harming yourself, as we all are vulnerable to making mistakes and errors.

Does Acrylic Paint Stain?

Acrylic paints, regardless of their nature that is dry or wet, stain when you expose them to surfaces like fabric, glass, wood, metals, and plastic.

All kinds of artists from beginners to intermediates to experts, acrylic paints are known to be great solutes in water and are preferred.

Therefore, as long as you use the paint with caution, you’ll be good to go.

However, it is always good to be aware of the precautions and remedies in case of a worst-case scenario.

These can be tough to remove once applied with water if you get late in removing the stains.

The Bottom Line

Acrylic paints are tough to remove once their stay becomes prolonged on various surfaces.

Try to avoid such situations by avoiding good clothes while painting.

But in case of an accident, you can use the above methods to help you remove acrylic paint.