Quick Tip: Removing acrylic/latex paint from clothing

Working in restoration and being an illustrator, I come into contact with paint on a daily basis. In fact, I most likely have more clothes that are spattered with paint than I do "good" clothes. For the most part, I have come to accept this as the sacrifice I'm willing to make to do something I love! But sometimes...that paint seeps its way onto clothing that I want to keep pristine! You know, for those occasions that I want to look nice, dare I say...pretty. While this is frustrating, I have learned how to deal with those few unruly paint drops, smears, and smudges.

Please note: the steps below have been used on cotton clothing, I have not tried this on synthetics.

First, and the MOST important step to removing latex or acrylic paint from clothing is to immediately put the item in cold water, ice cubes work too. The sooner you can get the item into cold water the better. However, I have done this procedure with clothing that has sat for a day or two and while the results aren't as good, it does still work. Do not use hot or warm water, or put the item in the dryer or use an iron on it until the stain is removed. Using any sort of heat on the paint stain will cause it to set and once that happens, the paint will not budge! 

You can also add some dish soap to the stain and work it in a bit before putting the clothing into the water. Let the item sit in the cold water for a while. I usually let it sit for a few hours. Depending on the size of the stain and how soon you get into the cold water, will determine how quickly the paint will start to dissipate without having to do much else.

Next, grab the dish soap, any old dish soap will do, and apply the dish soap to the paint stain. Rub the stained fabric together. Rinse (with cold water), and repeat until the stain is gone. Once the stain has been removed, you can launder and dry the item as usual.

See...pesky paint stain is all gone! :)

Before & After: Refinished window bench and cabinet

As I mentioned earlier, I finally made some progress with my refinishing adventure. As much as I love the results, I did not enjoy the hot, sticky summer days of scraping layers of paint. All the paint had to be removed from the wood whether the wood was going to be painted or stained because it was chipping off in large, hard pieces. If I had tried to paint over the old, chipped paint, it would eventually pull away from the wood and I would have the same problem all over again.

I am terrible about remembering to take photographs of my projects before I start them so the photos below are of the hallway at the very start of the stripping process.

BEFORE:

Top half of the built-in cabinet. These are the colors it was painted when we moved in.

Bottom half of the built-in cabinet.

Built-in window seat.

Starting to remove the old paint and stain from the cabinet drawers.

The woodwork on our second floor, where this area is located, is pine. The woodwork on our first floor and our staircase is oak. This was typical construction for older homes as most people did not see the upstairs rooms, so to save on cost, the more expensive wood was used in the rooms that would receive guests. I chose to use the same stain on all the wood to keep the look throughout the house consistent. Pine is a soft wood and so the stain doesn't absorb evenly. Needless to say, it took some finesse to stain these pieces, but it was so worth it!

AFTER:

I am very pleased with the results. The clean look of the white paint against the rich, deep stain color gives the space a classy but comfy feel. I will be adding some more details to this space in the months to come so stay tuned!

Quick Tip: Removing Paint from Hardware

For several months, I have been refinishing an oak staircase, doors and trim work, and built-in cabinets in our 1920's home. This last month, I completed the cabinets and the built-in bench (pictures to be posted soon). Like the cabinets, the hardware for the doors was covered in paint. Instead of purchasing new hardware, I used this simple technique for stripping the paint and returning the hardware to its original luster. All you need is a pot, water, and baking soda.

This process is easy to do and it works really well!

-Fill an old pot (you do not want to reuse the pot for cooking after this process) with about a quart of water.

-Add a 1/4 cup of baking soda. Don't stir it, just let the baking soda sit on the bottom of the pot.

-Bring the water to a simmer. Using tongs, add the pieces of hardware to the water. Let them simmer in the water for about 15-20 minutes.

-Remove them with the tongs, and using a soft toothbrush or cloth, remove any remaining paint.

I have used this method several times now and I am always pleased with the results!