How to Easily Remove Paint Stains From Your Carpet—No Matter How Long They've Been There

There are few feelings better than the joy of the near-instantaneous refresh that comes from painting a room (or even just a single wall) in your home. Similarly, there are few feelings worse than the gut punch of spilling paint on your carpet during that mini home makeover. A paint spill on the carpet can seem like a disaster, but with a little guidance, you can manage this tricky snafu and successfully get paint stains out of your carpet.

Acting promptly and selecting the right materials and techniques can make all the difference in helping you restore your carpet’s beauty. Ahead, you’ll find expert advice and a step-by-step approach to rescuing carpets from both water-based and oil-based paint mishaps.

Materials Needed

• Clean white cloths
• Small spatula or plastic spoon
• Warm water
• Mild soap (such as a colorless dish soap)
• Mineral spirits (aka mineral-based turpentine)
• Acetone
• Putty or utility knife
• Optional: Carpet cleaning machine

Removing Excess Paint Before Stain Removal

According to Stephanie Osborne, an interior design consultant with Buddy Allen Carpet One Floor and Home, the most important part of removing paint from carpet is to start immediately after the spill.

No matter what kind of carpet or paint, you’ll want to begin with the following steps.

1. Carefully scoop any excess paint from the surface of the carpet using a small spatula or plastic spoon. 

2. With a damp white cloth, carefully blot the area, using firm downward pressure. Do not rub the stain. 

3. Continue to blot with clean areas of cloth until you have absorbed most of the paint. 

How to Remove Water-Based Paints from Carpet

If your carpet has been stained by water-based paint, such as acrylic or latex paint, Osborne recommends beginning with the gentlest method: warm water and soap. 

1. Fill a basin with warm water and add about a tablespoon of colorless dish soap. 

2. Dampen a clean white cloth and blot the stain firmly without rubbing. 

3. Repeat with clean cloths until the stain is no longer visible. 

4. For a stubborn or very pigmented stain, pour a very small amount of the soapy mixture onto the stain and allow it to penetrate for 5 to 10 minutes before resuming the blotting process.

5. Rinse with clear, warm water and blot as dry as possible with a clean, dry white towel. 

How to Remove Oil-Based Stains from Carpet

Oil-based paints, such as certain primers and enamels, as well as artists’ paints, can be more difficult to remove—but there are steps you can take to try to bring your carpet back from the spill. If the soap and water method isn’t sufficient for the stain, Osborne recommends trying mineral spirits, a petroleum-derived turpentine substitute.

1. Pour a small amount of mineral spirits onto a clean, white cloth and blot the stain. Do not pour mineral spirits directly onto the carpet.

2. Continue blotting with mineral spirits until the stain is lifted. 

3. Rinse with clear, warm water and blot as dry as possible with a clean, dry white towel. 

If the stain doesn’t respond to the mineral spirits, you can try repeating the same steps with acetone. However, you should use extreme caution and never saturate a stain with acetone, as it can degrade the adhesives and carpet backing. “Acetone can be destructive on many types of carpet, so I recommend doing a test spot in a closet to see how your carpet holds up before applying it to a visible area,” Osborne says. 

Extracting Stains With a Carpet Cleaner

Before using your at-home carpet cleaning machine, Osborne recommends trying one of the above methods first to avoid spreading the stain. “You’ll want most of the paint to be out of the carpet before you run a machine over it, or you can find yourself dealing with a bigger mess,” she warns. 

If you want to try the machine method, all you’ll need to use is hot water. “Check the manufacturer's instructions for water temperatures, but generally, you want to avoid all shampoo and soap. Just hot water is best for the longevity of the carpet,” Osborne says. 

After running the machine over the stain, be sure to extract as much water as possible, leaving the carpet damp, not saturated. 

How to Remove Dried Paint from Carpet

As with most stains, fresh paint stains are far easier to remove than dried ones. “Unfortunately, once paint has fully dried, I have not found a reliable way to completely eliminate the stain,” Osborne notes.

However, not all hope is lost. There are some methods you can still try to remove dried paint.

1. Separate the carpet fibers to the best of your ability, breaking up the dried paint.

2. Use a putty or utility knife to scrape away the dried-up chunks of paint. Vacuum away the debris.

3. Soften the remaining paint with a small amount of mineral spirits.

4. Rinse with warm water, blot dry, and then vacuum thoroughly.

Calling in the Professionals

If all your best efforts don’t remove the stain, it might be time to call in a professional. “A hot-water extraction by a professional carpet cleaner might pull out pigments that at-home treatments left behind,” Osborne explains. 

Another option is to have a reputable flooring company replace the stained area. "If you have any leftover carpet in storage, a good installer can cut out the stain and patch it seamlessly."

"If you don’t have any extra on hand," Osborne adds, "[professionals] can often find a spot in a carpeted closet to borrow a piece. We can then patch the closet with a close match, rather than the living area." Voilà!