What is the Best way to get Oil Based Paint out of Carpet? |
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Answer:
As with many cleaning tasks, selecting a best way to get oil based paint out of carpet Material of the carpet (i.e., nylon, wool, polyester, acrylic, etc.); whether the paint is still liquid or dried; how long the paint has been on the carpet; whether or not anyone had stepped on (thus "ground in") the paint spot; actual chemical composition of the oil based paint and which solvents are recommended for cleaning and thinning; and more. Generally speaking, and assuming we are attempting to clean up a just-spilled amount of typical oil based paint from a typical wall-to-wall (nylon) carpet, the best way to remove that spill is to immediately daub it with a paper towel or rag moistened with the recommended thinner agent for the paint which was spilled. Most oil based paints thin out with fairly mild solvents like mineral spirits or turpentine, but read the paint can label and have on hand the particular solvent recommended there, if you really want to be sure you can thin the paint you're using. There are also a wide variety of aftermarket stain removing products available today as well; some of these may work with equal satisfaction as using traditional oil based paint solvents, though caution must be practiced in any case, to ensure against further damage and/or health or environmental hazards. Caution: Many solvents are considered "hazardous (or "potentially hazardous") to health and/or environment". Be sure to understand and follow all recommendations for protecting against those hazards. Keep in mind also to check the solvent's effects on the carpet material (color changes, etc.) prior to any major cleaning attempts, to ensure no secondary damages occur from the cleaning operation. Now, we'll explore the best way to clean DRIED oil based paint from the same nylon carpet, because it is a whole different process. First of all, even the recommended solvents will undoubtedly be completely ineffective at reducing the already dried oil based paint. Once dried, oil based paints become bound quite solidly to the fibers in the nylon carpet, and, depending on the particular pile of the carpet, the stain is very likely to be penetrated to half the pile depth or more. No detergent, no alcohol, not even naptha, acetone, xylene or the nastiest dry cleaning fluids (carbon-tetracholoride, etc.) would be of much assistance here (plus, many of these are considered very hazardous, so steer clear of them anyway!). In this case, about the only solution is to attempt to soften the paint material by other means; specifically, through using heat and moisture, or steam. Some of the modern hand-held steam cleaners are capable of generating up to 285 degree steam (Caution! Very hot!), which should be sufficient to at least help to soften oil based paint in carpet, but still be cool enough to protect the carpet fibers from becoming too hot. Some on-your-knees focus time might be necessary, in order to concentrate the steam into the stained area to get the most softening benefit. You might also need to help remove the softening paint by picking it away with a strong pointed object like a large needle or pin. By picking and prying and pulling the paint (way too many "p's" here!), you should be able to eventually get already dried oil based paint to release its hold on the nylon carpeting, without causing damage to the carpet fibers, the environment or your own health! Once the stain is removed, dry the carpet fibers by blow-drying with a hand-held hair dryer, and fluff them up some using an old toothbrush or comb. Of course, always use equipment, tools and products according to manufacturers' recommendations and guidelines. Trackback(0)
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