How to Remove Latex Paint

Sometimes, despite your best efforts with drop cloths or plastic sheets, you can still end up with spills on your carpet. And even though latex is a water based paint, it also contains pigment and polymer resins, which means it's not going to be a piece of cake to get off, but it can be done.

Small wet spots can be taken care of by blotting with a solution of one cup warm water, and one teaspoon of a non-bleaching liquid detergent. Blot with a dampened cloth, then clean with a sponge of fresh water. Repeat the blotting and sponging, until the spot is gone.

If you have a larger spill, and a carpet cleaner, the best bet is to use a steam extraction cleaning, since the water will loosen the paint and the suction will help to remove the paint from the fibers. You may have to go over the area several times, depending on the depth and concentration of the spill.

When the spill has dried, it's going to take more effort and time. As with any spill that has substance (as opposed to wine, coffee, etc.), the first rule is to remove what you can while it is still dry. Depending on the nap of your carpet, this could mean combing up against the fibers with a butter knife, breaking up clots with pliers, then combing it out, or using one blade of a pair of scissors and gripping the paint-coated fibers between it and your thumb and drawing upwards to scrape the excess paint off. Vacuum thoroughly before attempting any kind of moisture treatment, so that you are not instantly dissolving the water-soluble paint back into the carpet.

Commercial latex paint remover can help loosen the rest. Try it on a hidden are of carpet first, to make sure it won't do any damage. Then when going to work on the stain, treat a small area on the outside edge, first. This is to see whether that particular solution is going to budge it at all. If it works, apply from the outside of the stain in, only as much as you need to get the job done. Remember that spilled liquids spread from the center out, and to avoid pushing it around the fibers, you need to work at it from the opposite direction. Solid bits will turn gooey, and can be scraped off with a butter knife.

Once the paint is essentially gone, you can clean the area with 1/4 tsp. mild dish detergent to one cup of water. Scrub where necessary with an old toothbrush. Blot with clean rags. When done, either use your Shop Vac to clean the area thoroughly, or give it a rinse with one ounce white vinegar to ten ounces of water.