Removing Kid's Paint From a Carpet

Fresh Spills

• 1

  Make a scraper from a piece of stiff cardboard or a section of plastic from a milk container to scoop up the bulk of the fresh paint from the carpet.

• 2

  Blot up the remainder with a damp sponge until nothing remains but a stain.

• 3

  Put a few drops of mild detergent in a cup of water, and carefully blot the stain using a clean white cloth dampened in the solution. Rinse the cloth often to prevent re-staining with the soaked-up paint.

• 4

  Rinse the area with water and another clean cloth until no trace of paint or detergent remains.

• 5

  Blot the area dry with a clean white towel.

Dried Tempera or Watercolor Spills

• 6

  Scrape dried paint with a discarded plastic card or paint scraper if the paint is ordinary tempera or watercolor. These consist of particles suspended in water rather than dyes and become powdery when dry.

• 7

  Vacuum the remaining powder from the carpet.

• 8

  Treat any leftover stain as before by scrubbing with a solution of water and liquid detergent.

• 9

  Rinse and blot dry.

Dried Acrylic or Latex Spills

• 10

  Dampen the affected area with an acrylic paint and varnish remover, then allow the solvent to soak in and soften the paint.

• 11

  Work on one small area at a time, starting with the outer edges and proceeding toward the center, scraping away the paint as it becomes soft and removing as much as you can.

• 12

  Rub glycerin into the remaining paint stain, and allow it to soak for several hours or overnight to loosen and gently lift away the smaller bits clinging to the carpet.

• 13

  Finish by scrubbing, rinsing and blotting. Repeat as necessary until all the paint is gone.