SUPPLIES
- Water
- Rubbing alcohol
- Sponge
- White vinegar
- Paper towels or clean cloths
- Ammonia
- Mop
- Bucket
- Olive oil
- Mild detergent
Overview
Both children and adults enjoy painting with watercolors. This paint looks beautiful whether used on canvas by a trained artist or stroked onto white paper by little hands. When paint gets spilled onto a table or dripped on the floor, though, the result is not so appealing. Fortunately, compared to many other mediums, watercolor paint can be cleaned up rather easily. Learn how to remove stains left by watercolor paint from almost any surface.
Step 1
Rinse clothing or fabric stained by watercolor paint in cool or cold water to remove as much paint as possible. Dilute one part rubbing alcohol into two parts cool water. Dampen a sponge with the mixture and dab the fabric with the wet sponge. Launder the fabric separately, if possible, to remove any remaining paint.
Step 2
Saturate a rug stained with watercolor paint using a mixture of a tablespoon of vinegar in a quart of warm water. Allow this mixture to stand for about an hour. Rinse with clear water. Blot dry as much as possible, and then allow the rug to air dry. Blot with the alcohol mixture in Step 1. Use paper towels or cloth to blot up as much moisture as possible.
Step 3
Wipe up excess watercolor paint from a vinyl, tile or linoleum floor with a damp sponge. Mop dried-on paint with a mixture of 1 cup ammonia in a gallon of warm water. Rinse well with clear water and repeat if necessary.
Step 4
Condition leather, such as furniture or jackets, using olive oil applied with a soft cloth. Once the oil has soaked into the leather, rub the paint-stained area with a damp sponge. Add a very small amount of mild detergent, such as dish-washing liquid, if the water alone does not remove the paint.
Step 5
Remove watercolor paint stains from wood. Mix about a teaspoon of mild detergent (such as dish-washing liquid) into a quart of very warm water. Use your hand to agitate the water well so that it becomes extremely sudsy. Dip a sponge or cloth into the suds only. Scrub the stained area. Rinse and repeat until the stain has been removed. Apply wax or polish as soon as possible.
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