I hope this question isn’t too far out in left field, but I had an oops with a bottle of red enamel paint that spilled some on a rug. [oops] [:(] I blotted up as much as i could but the rug is stained. Does anyone know what I could use to get it out? I thought of acetone but was hesitant because of what it might do to the rug. OTOH it can’t look any worse than it is now. A rug is nice under foot on a concrete floor, but maybe not a good idea where one is painting.
There might be something but you could consider painting the rest of the rug red [:-^][swg]
I’ve done that several times and tried quite a few things to get it up and now years later I’m still stuck with the stains.
Two things come to mind.
One is Mineral Sprits. However, it should have been used right away when the paint was still wet.
The other is Citrus Paint stripper. I think I got some from Wal-Mart. I think this may help, but you will probably be left with a stain. However, it might not be as bad as it is now depending on the color of the rug or carpet.
When you get finished with the paint stripper, should you decide to use it, you should use a carpet cleaner to remove the reside of the stripper. I have a small hand type carpet spot cleaner that I use.
Whatever you decide to try, use a piece of scrap carpet to test and make sure it doesn’t remove the carpets color. In the mean time I’d wet the spot to keep it from drying totally.
Lots of newspaper on the floor might keep you from having color variations, but I don’t know of anything that would help get it out. Concider it a lesson learned and the pretty little red spot will remind you every time you see it.
Have fun,
Richard
One of my children once spilled paint on a wall to wall carpet.
I put a small decorative throw rug over it.
When I was a kid I dumped some testors paint on the new carpet in my bedroom. Now this was long before computers so where was I to turn.[^o)] I ended up phoning a couple of carpet stores and I guess they could sense the pending doom in my voice. Anyway they told me to carefully cut off the top of any pile and it wouldn’t be noticed. He was right about that where the paint was just on the top. However when I called him back about the paint that had stained to the bottom he told me to cut it down to the jute and cut some fibres out of the carpet that is in a closet or other inconspicuous place and glue them in place of the damaged stuff.
Talk about fine scale modeling. Gluing fibres back down with 5 minute Epoxy, all I can say is it was my finest moment as I am still here to tell you about it.[(-D] Good luck.
Brent
End table… set it on the stain… voila! You can’t see it. Actually, the poster that cut the pile down, then cut some fibers from a closet probably had the best idea.
If all else fails blame the dog (or the cat)!
Joe
At this point, you have little to lose, except maybe all the fibers. [swg] How about good old turpentine. I doubt that it will do much more harm to the carpet than is already there, and it may do a fairly good job of pulling up the paint, The key would be to wet the rug as little as possible, let the turpentine wick its way out to the edges of the stain, and then blot repeatedly…and more repeatedly, and yet some more repeatedly, until all that remains is the smell. I would blot from the center so that the wicking to the cloth you use to blot will be in that direction.
When you know you have reached the point of diminishing returns, run over the area with that steam cleaner you rented from Safeway or Loblaws that morning.
Crandell
This why when you have carpet installed, insist on having the closets done, and keep any scraps.
A good carpet guy can cut out the damaged section, replace it using a section from either the scraps or the closet, have it glued in seamed, and blended, accept cash eliminating any paper trail evidence, all in a couple of hours, so the wife need never know!!!
Seriously, get one of those cheap 5 x 8 area rugs from the box store for under the workbench, and if it gets too messed up, just replace it.
Hmm.
Sounds like a great time to redecorate.
I have never had a problem with enamel paints, but I would look at the suggestions of others. I have only experienced it with acrylics.
My cat spilled acrylic paint once. I was able to clean it up with some warm, soapy water, and then dry it with a box fan. I also made the cat stay permanently outside, problem solved. I also am a lot more careful with paint. I always put the small bottle in a small Rubbermaid or Tupperware bowl. If it tips over, it is in the bowl.
Hello I installed carpet for 16 years. If this is wall to wall carpet you can try a few things. But it all depends on how big the stain is. If the paint is just on top and did not soak in to much. Just cut below the paint and fade out the edges. If it deep into the carpet you can cut all the fiber out and get some from the closet and use a hot glue gun to reattach. You can try a solvent but be careful it may make it bigger or bleach out the carpet color as well. If this stain is bigger then a 2’’ circle you may have to cut out a bigger piece and seam it back in. If its just a throw rug make sure the paint is dry and flip it over[:-^] Hope this helps Frank
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I’ll try acetone first. If it bleaches the fibres, not so bad, it’s a light coloured rug. Cutting out some fibres sounds like a good prospect too. I’ll let you know how I make out. Gotta find time for it. Everything else seems to be taking my attention.
Blame it on the dog… [:P]
Hello I was just wondering how the rug looks? And what you did to fix it? Thanks Frank