I like to start with milder solutions before moving onto harsher chemicals. Ask MetaFilter is where thousands of life's little questions are answered. If you are sanding on wood, be prepared to lose a little bit of the wood while sanding. All posts copyright their original authors. A cheaper, but less effective solution for removing paint from brick and concrete is power washing. WD40 does act as a mild penetrant, however, so wiping down paint splatters, and leaving them sit for a few minutes, to a few hours, can soften old oil based paint significantly. Advertisement. Often times before I move on to chemical-based paint removal, I like trying to remove it with scraping or sanding. Join 6,470 readers in helping fund MetaFilter. If the paint is a water-based latex or acrylic, then immediately get the clothing wet, remove it and start washing with warm water. How to remove paint from wood – 3 ways. Point the heat gun close to the stain – this will soften the paint. So, now I'm at the point where I'm willing to accept some effects on the finish, as long as nothing happens to the stain. Make sure to saturate the paint enough that the acetone doesn’t dry out before it has a chance to break down the paint. If you clean your hands with mineral spirits (paint thinner), lacquer thinner, gas or any other harsh chemical, you are allowing those chemicals to absorb straight through the skin and into your bloodstream. Honestly though, in this case, you are typically stuck with the paint and are better off coming up with a different solution. From wood floors, concrete floors, metal, brick, wood siding, kitchen cabinets, trim and more. Removing Latex Paint with a Mixture of Lemon Juice and Rubbing Alcohol. Paint doesn’t stick well to varnish, and often the paint drips will pop right off. If the paint was an oil base, then immediately get a rag with mineral spirits and start scrubbing the spot. Or is there more to it? Pro Tip: Clean up! But vinegar is not … I prefer dust to fumes. The walls dried and I had to find a way to remove the paint from my floors. Also a … What you use to remove splatter will also depend on the surface that you are cleaning. Latex paint is easily removed while it's wet by rubbing it with a damp cloth. This can cause the paint to loosen and allow you to remove it with a wire brush. Is using gasoline to remove cured in paint on a plastered wall effective? Apply the water with a sponge and allow it to sit for about five minutes to loosen the paint. First, scrape the paint with a metal putty knife (Photo 1). How to do everything I’ve learned, tips to make things faster, and complete your projects easier with results that look professional. I typically use Windex. My name is Ryan Cunningham and I have been a professional painter since 2001. If sanding and scraping aren’t working or isn’t an option due to the substrate not being smooth or you cannot risk sanding on it, then you are going to have to move to a chemical based solution. Oil-based paint spatters require mineral spirits, but … Goof Off is a methyl based paint remover that can often times work great at removing paint from carpet. It will generally not be very effective at removing paint that is fully cured and has a good bond. I have seen it over and over, someone doing something as simple as picking up a paint can and they end up with paint on their nice clothes because there was wet paint on the outside of the can. Soda and sandblasting will require the use of an air compressor. Sanding is best kept for small projects unless you want to hire an industrial sander to remove paint and varnish from your floor. Painting Over Oil Based Paint: Can It Be Done. So I like to start most of my paint removal expeditions with acetone. Here are some ways for removing splatter: Goof Off Goof Off is a product that is used to remove all sorts of things. Using Chemical Based Strippers on Wood, Metal, and Concrete. Sadly, removing paint off furniture is never quick and easy. Cured paint is always tough to remove, especially off of plaster. First, the user needs to soak a clean rag in boiled linseed oil and then press the rag against the paint splatters and hold it over each splatter for about 30-60 seconds. Obviously, the easiest solution is to keep paint from getting on your skin in the first place. Everything I am going to share with you here is from my own real-life experience of spending 15 years as a residential painter. Goof Off Paint Splatter Remover for Hardwoods is a trusted product among professional tradesman and Do-It-Yourself project masters to safely remove dried paint splatter from any type of hardwood floor. Carpet is obviously different to remove paint from than hard surfaces. Soda blasting can even be done on interiors since baking soda is non-toxic (you will definitely have a mess to clean up though). How To Remove Paint From Your Hands and Body, How To Start A Painting Business: Everything You Need To Be Successful, How To Remove Paint From Wood, Concrete, Metal, and Brick, How To Remove Paint From Your Hands & Body. If you are looking to remove paint from exterior brick or concrete (often times this is done on old home restorations to uncover beautiful old brick), then soda blasting is your best option. How to remove latex paint from hardwood floors: 1. Remove fresh oil-based paints by applying a solvent wax cleaner to them.