How To Get Acrylic Paint Off Furniture?
One minute, you’re carefully painting your walls with beautiful acrylic paint; the next minute, you’re standing in a puddle of spilled paint. Or perhaps you’re a budding artist, and your acrylic paint has found its way onto furniture.
Don’t panic! You don’t have to throw out your entire piece of furniture or repaint the entire piece because of one little mishap. There are several ways to get acrylic paint off furniture, and you may be able to salvage the surface in no time.
As always, we recommend you contact the experts at Brisbane Upholstery Cleaning to try the paint removal process for you. There’s always a risk when cleaning upholstery yourself and it could result in more damage.
You may still be tempted to give it a go yourself, so here are some tips and tricks you could try at your own risk.
Basic Rules Of Acrylic Paint Removal
Read The Label: Most upholstered furnishings will have an upholstery care label somewhere. This will outline what you can and can’t do to it while attempting a clean.
Be Quick: As soon as you notice the paint, it’s time to act! The sooner you get to the paint, the better your chances of successfully cleaning it off.
Test First: Always test in an inconspicuous area before applying any cleaning solution to the entire furniture. It’s especially important when working with fabric furniture.
Choose The Right Tools: There are numerous ways to remove acrylic paint and various tools that can help you, from simple products like rubbing alcohol to more complex solutions such as paint strippers or chemical solvents.
How To Get Acrylic Paint Off Furniture?
When dealing with acrylic paint, it’s either fresh or dried. Fresh paint is obviously easier to remove than dried paint, but luckily there are a few tricks that can help you even with hard-to-remove dried paint. Let’s look at both types of paint and how to remove them.
Fresh Acrylic Paint:
- Use a damp cloth or paper towel to collect any excess paint as soon as possible. It’s better to blot than to rub, as rubbing can cause the paint to spread.
- If the stain persists, use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover on a cotton ball or soft cloth and dab it onto the affected area.
- If that doesn’t work, you can try a solution of liquid dish soap and warm water. Apply the solution to a cloth and gently wipe off the paint.
- If you have one, use an upholstery steamer to extract and flush the paint from your fabric furniture.
Dried Acrylic Paint:
- Grab a blunt knife or scrapper and scrape off as much paint as possible. Don’t use anything too sharp, otherwise, you risk damaging the furniture’s surface.
- You can also try using a paint stripper or chemical solvent designed specifically for removing dried acrylic paints. Follow the instructions on the package carefully, and always test in an inconspicuous area first.
- For a DIY approach, mix equal amounts of cool water and liquid dishwashing detergent. Dip a sponge into the solution and blot the dried paint until it’s gone. If that doesn’t work, you can try using acetone to remove the stain – again, just remember to spot-test first!
How To Get Acrylic Paint Off Wood Furniture?
Be careful if your furniture is finished with a varnish or similar coating as this method may cause damage. Here’s what to do:
- Scrape excess paint with a putty knife.
- Add some rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth.
- Gently rub the cloth over the paint stain.
- Repeat until all of the paint is gone.
- Then, rise with a clean, damp cloth and allow to dry (preferably under direct sunlight).
- For stubborn stains, mix equal parts white vinegar and water to create a paste. Apply this paste to the stain and let it sit for 20 minutes before wiping it away with a damp cloth.
How To Get Acrylic Paint Off Fabric Furniture?
This is a bit trickier as you’ll have to be careful not to damage the fabric.
- Start by scrapping off the paint with a spoon or dull knife.
- Next, you’ll want to mix some dish soap and warm water in a bowl. Using a soft cloth, gently dab at the stain using the soapy mixture. Be sure not to rub too hard, or it may damage your fabric furniture.
- Keep dabbing until the paint comes off, then spot-clean the area with a clean cloth and fresh water.
- If this doesn’t work, you can try rubbing alcohol by blotting it onto the stain with a soft cloth in light circular motions (this is recommended for white or light-coloured fabrics).
We hope this guide has been helpful in teaching you how to remove acrylic paint from furniture! Just remember- always test a small area before committing to any cleaning solution. And if all else fails, contact the professionals for help!