Painting is a fun but messy activity. If you have been painting long enough, you do know that paint stains are almost inevitable. Some types of paint are cooperative when it comes to cleaning up their stains. Others will throw a fit before you succeed in washing them off, and acrylic paint is among this stubborn lot.
So, does acrylic paint wash off? Acrylic paint washes off easily if it’s still wet. As it begins to dry, acrylic paint’s rate of washability starts to lower. Once it dries up completely, you’ll need a more potent treatment because it becomes tough to remove.
If you’ve been uncertain about getting paint on your hands and clothes, or even the acrylic artwork you hope to do on fabric, this article is for you. Read on to learn more about how to wash acrylic paint off of different surfaces.
What Is Acrylic Paint?
Before delving into the washability of acrylic paint, let’s briefly go over what kind of paint it is. An overview of the paint helps one get a better understanding of how it washes off.
Acrylic paint is a water-based paint. Its superior qualities include less toxicity, a lower price, fast-drying, and less fuss, making it easy to use.
It’s made up of pigments in an acrylic polymer emulsion. This emulsion basically has plastics and water as the main components. Because the emulsion is water-based, acrylic paint is water-soluble when wet. Therefore, the fresh paint can be thinned using water.
For this reason, acrylic paint will readily wash off while still wet, since it is in a water-soluble state.
However, once the water evaporates and separates from the acrylic polymer, the paint dries up. The polymers bond and form a tough film that is insoluble in water and water-resistant.
We can then conclude that time is of the essence if you want to effectively wash off unwanted acrylic paint. You must try and catch it while it’s still wet.
But the type of surface also determines the ease or difficulty of washing off acrylic paint. Acrylic paint will wash off differently from hands than it does from clothes or wood and so on.
Does Acrylic Paint Wash Off Of Skin?
Acrylic paint washes off skin effortlessly if it is yet to dry. You may need just water and a little bit of rubbing to wash it off.
If the paint has already dried, it could be a bit more challenging. You will have to introduce some dish soap and scrub with something like a sponge.
For the toughest stain, a little diluted vinegar or isopropyl alcohol dabbed on the area can help loosen the paint. Afterward, you can wash it off with soap and water.
Baby oil or glycerin also seem to work wonders on acrylic paint adamantly stuck on the skin. Once soaked in the stain, the oil tends to break it up into flakes.
Please note that acrylic paint is not designed to be used on the skin, particularly on sensitive areas like the face. There are better-suited skin-friendly and washable paints for face painting.
We are only referring to the washing off of acrylic paint accidentally splashed and smeared on the skin. The hands, in particular, are notorious for getting paint stains.
You should never deliberately paint your skin using acrylic paint. It is not only a painful removal process – imagine all the scouring – but also the solvents introduced are drying and damaging to the skin.
Does Acrylic Paint Wash Off Of Fabric?
You might get acrylic paint on fabric knowingly or accidentally. In both instances, you would be concerned about its washability.
When you paint your fabric with acrylic paint for fashion or cosmetic reasons, you obviously want it to stay. And knowing that the paint won’t wash off and ruin the design gives you peace of mind. Conversely, if acrylic paint accidentally splatters on your clothes, canvas shoes, or rug, you’ll want to get rid of it.
This is where it gets confusing for most people as to whether acrylic paint washes off fabric or not. Well, depending on the type of fabric, it can be tricky to wash dried acrylic paint off, but not impossible.
Unlike your skin, fabric is tougher to deal with. It is absorbent, and its woven construction also allows the paint to get in between the weave, sinking much deeper. Also, delicate fabrics may be incapable of taking the treatment needed to wash off acrylic paint without getting damaged.
That said, washing the acrylic paint off as soon as it stains the fabric is your best shot at getting it out entirely. The moment it begins to dry, chances of getting rid of the paint start dwindling.
But if the acrylic paint is part of a design, you must wait till it is fully cured before washing the fabric. Once dry, acrylic paint is thought to be “permanent” so it doesn’t come off – not before putting in some backbreaking work.
Does Acrylic Paint Wash Out Of Clothes?
Yes, acrylic paint will wash off clothes if you act fast enough. Once you realize that you accidentally splashed some acrylic paint on your clothes, nip the bud by taking care of it that same instant.
You can use a wet towel, sponge, or cloth and blot away the excess paint off the top surface of the clothing. Follow it up with a rinse under running water.
Add a little friction (rubbing the stained spot against itself) to really get it out, then wash like you usually would. Hand washing would be best for this kind of stain. Because of its water-soluble state, the acrylic paint will wash off hassle-free.
If you happen to notice the stain much later when the acrylic paint has already dried up on the clothing, it will not wash off the regular way. You will have to employ more powerful techniques, which we shall share shortly.
Does Acrylic Paint Wash Out Of Jeans?
Yes, the answer is still the same. Acrylic paint will wash off jeans quickly if you handle it the earliest. Once dry, it will not wash off, but will come off in the long run.
Acrylic paint becomes water-resistant once dry. Therefore, it can not wash off as easily in this water-insoluble state. This is good news for aspiring fabric artists and those who love adding pizzazz to jeans using acrylic paint.
Getting acrylic paint on jeans intentionally is trendy. It is done for the primary purpose of customizing a rather plain pair of denim pants or shorts, or a jacket.
And the best thing about using the paint for such a project is that it is extremely difficult to wash off the jeans after drying.
Acrylic paint has a certain level of permanence once dry and is very durable on surfaces. It only means that the painted design will not run out in a regular wash or rain.
Does that make acrylic paint waterproof? Not quite. A film of dried acrylic paint is water-resistant but not waterproof. Although the acrylic paint will stay intact in the first, second, maybe twentieth wash, eventually, it will start to budge.
With the constant washing or exposure to water, the acrylic paint will start to fade off the jeans slowly.
However, acrylic paint is not as permanent on fabric as most people think unless sealed. To make acrylic paint designs permanent on jeans or any other fabric, you must mix a textile medium with the paint. A textile medium helps prevent stiffness.
To help the paint set, apply a heat treatment afterward. That should be followed by a layer of protective waterproof sealer over the painting. You’ll enjoy a permanent waterproof acrylic paint design that is flexible, comfortable, and will not fade, crack, or flake with time.
Now back to the unwanted dried-up acrylic paint you wish to wash off your favorite jeans; how do you deal with such a stubborn stain?
Of all fabrics, jeans should be the least of your worries when it comes to washing off acrylic paint. It is a thick and tough fabric and, therefore, can take all the vigor necessary to get the paint out without getting damaged.
As a fabric artist, sometimes you may make a mistake, or the design may not turn out as sassy as you envisioned. You would then want to get rid of the acrylic paint on the jeans altogether.
How To Wash Acrylic Paint From Fabric
We can’t overemphasize the fact that fresh acrylic paint is the easiest to wash off. Once you catch it while wet, immediately blot the stain to remove the wet paint and prevent more of it from sinking deeper into the fibers.
Do not attempt to rub the paint while wet. You risk spreading it even further. To blot, place a clean damp towel over it and press, so the paint is absorbed.
After blotting, run the spot under a cold tap for a few minutes. You can then start squeezing the now dissolved paint out. Adding some dish soap onto the stain and agitating the weave aids in getting all of it out. Finish it off with a cold rinse.
If you missed the golden opportunity to wash off acrylic paint while wet, don’t fret. You still have a chance to turn things around, but it will be a more complex process.
What most people will think of doing is throwing the stained clothing in the washing machine, but we totally discourage that. Once acrylic paint dries, it will not wash off in the washer.
Taking the clothing through the dryer or ironing further worsens the situation because heat sets acrylic paint. You’ll have an even harder time removing it.
Therefore, take your time to examine your clothes thoroughly after every paint job, so you do not miss any paint stains.
How To Wash Acrylic Paint Off Clothes
Dried acrylic paint cannot wash off clothes without a little push. You’ll need to bring in one or a variety of tools and cleaning products. Here is what to do.
1. Break Down The Bonds In The Paint
The first step is to break the bonds of the dried acrylic paint. Since it is water-resistant, you have to do it manually. Using a toothbrush, wire brush, or any stiff brush, try scraping the paint off.
Removing paint on fabric is generally harder because it gets soaked in between the weave. You have to work the brush in there and scrape off as much paint as you can. Be careful not to damage the fabric.
2. Apply Paint Removing Treatment
Next is to apply a treatment that helps remove paint. Alcohols and alcohol-based products seem to do the job most satisfactorily.
There are a couple of other options as well that you can choose based on safety or what you already have. Products like ammonia and some paint thinners have incredibly toxic fumes.
Here’s what you can use:
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Acetone (or acetone-based nail polish remover)
- Ammonia
- Hairspray
- Window cleaners like Windex
- Murphy oil soap
- Turpentine or paint thinner
- Vinegar
Spray or dab any of these products generously directly on the stain till it soaks through. Please wait for a couple of minutes for it to take effect.
These products are known to thin paint and help loosen up the dried paint stain. You can then use a brush, blunt knife, or scraper and scrape off the now wet flakey paint.
3. Rinse
Rinse out while rubbing along and against the fabric grain and examine. If there’s still a significant amount of paint, you can repeat the process.
For carpets and rugs, you don’t have to rinse the whole item. Use a washcloth and blot away the cleaning product and now thinned paint, and rinse it out. Repeat until the washcloth gives out clear water when you wring it.
Please take caution with your choice of cleaning product. Ensure it is not too harsh or damaging to the type of fabric.
You can test it on an inconspicuous part of the garment first. Also, try not to be too aggressive, especially with delicate fabrics.
How To Wash Acrylic Paint From Other Surfaces
Whether it’s ceramic tiles, glass, wood, metal, or plastic, acrylic paint will wash off these surfaces with just warm water and soap, but only if still wet.
Once dry, acrylic paint cannot wash off. At least not as easily as when wet. You must first break it up. Try and hold a piece of cloth, towel, or a cotton ball soaked in isopropyl alcohol or acetone against it for a few minutes.
After a while of soaking in, the acrylic paint should start to loosen. Carefully rub or scrape it away with a scraper or knife. For wood, we recommend using vegetable oil in place of acetone or isopropyl alcohol. Then follow the same procedure.
To sum it up, acrylic paint will wash off any surface if tackled on time, and that is while still fresh or wet. Once it dries, the chances of washing it off diminish.
You can employ some of the strong cleaning products mentioned to get it off. And even though many artists have reported success with these methods, it is not guaranteed that the acrylic paint will come off entirely.
Setting your expectations accordingly is critical. Better yet, take some measures to avoid costly “paint accidents” on your favorite clothing, expensive furniture, and other priced items.
Before you begin to paint, ensure you cover your floor and surrounding furniture with old newspaper or an old bed sheet you no longer use.
Also, wear clothes you don’t care about. You can have an outfit you don’t mind getting paint on specifically for painting time. Most importantly, beware of your surroundings. It is acting fast that will salvage any acrylic paint mishaps.
Up Next: How To Fix Dried Acrylic Paint?
