Adding a fresh coat of paint can bring life and color into any room. Unfortunately, mistakes happen, and paint can get away from you and onto surfaces where it doesn’t belong.

Whether you’ve dropped paint on your hardwood floor, or you want to completely remove a layer from your stone garage, you need to know if the paint is water based or oil based, and the best paint removal methods that will safely remove it without causing damage.

Here is the safe way to remove paint from different surfaces.

Wood Surfaces

If you’ve simply splattered some paint on your hardwood floor, you can probably get away with gently lifting the paint from the wood with warm water if water based, or mineral spirits and a rag if oil based. To avoid damage to the wood, be sure not to soak the wood. Always make sure the wood is dry once you’ve finished cleaning up the paint. 

If you need to remove a large amount of paint from a wood surface, its dried,you can use a chemical paint stripper and a paint scraper. Your local hardware can help.

Living Room Carpet

If you spill paint on your carpet, do what you can to clean up the initial mess with towels. Blot at the mess and loosen the paint and repeat often.

It’s best to remove paint from your carpet before it dries, but if you notice dry paint on your carpet, try a cleaning agent like WD-40. Always spot test first.

Glass Windows

Removing paint from glass can be tricky because a lot of methods can leave your glass scratched or damaged. USE CAUTION OR SEEK A PROFESSIONAL WINDOW CLEANER

You might be able to remove paint from your window by rubbing heated white vinegar or warm water and soap over the affected spots. If this doesn’t work, you may have to cover the window in warm water with dish soap and use a safety razor to gently scrape the paint away. NEVER SCRAPE A DRY WINDOW.

Stone Walls

Whether you’re removing graffiti from stone, or you want to repaint your stone walls, removing paint from stone can be done in a few different ways. Scrubbing the paint with a soft bristle brush is a good start, but a chemical paint remover can be used if you’re able to wash the stone afterwards.

Scraping, sanding, and pressure washing the paint should be used as a last resort to keep the stone intact.

Concrete Floors

You will probably have to use some extra muscle when removing paint from concrete.

Use a brush or paint scraper to loosen the paint and remove the debris. Apply a chemical paint stripper to the area, allow it time to lift the paint, and scrape it away. You can repeat this step if needed.

If there is any residual paint, use a pressure washer to remove it.

The Safe Way to Remove Paint After Your Painting Project

Now that you know the safe way to remove paint from many surfaces, you can rest assured that your painting project will go a little more smoothly.

If you’d rather have a professional handle your paint removal, contact us.