How to Get Acrylic Paint Out of Carpet the Right Way So It Isn’t Ruined Forever

Painting can come with a few messy consequences, like stained clothing or flooring. But if you spill acrylic paint on your carpet, don’t fret—acrylic paint can still be removed from carpet, especially if clean-up is attempted when the stain is still wet.

Here’s how to get (wet or dry) acrylic paint out of carpet ASAP, plus a few tips to make the job easier.

How to Get Wet Acrylic Paint Out of Carpet

Getting wet acrylic paint out of carpet requires only a few supplies. You’ll need a few clean washcloths, a paper towel, dish soap, warm water, and a small bowl. Remember, it’s important to treat wet stains quickly. The paint will be much harder to remove once it has dried.

1. Blot up any excess acrylic paint with a paper towel. Make sure your blotting doesn’t further squish the paint, pushing it deeper into the carpet.
2. Combine one teaspoon of dish soap with one cup of warm water.
3. Dip a clean washcloth into the soapy mixture, then work it into the stain, moving from the outwards in.
4. Dip the other end of the washcloth into some warm (soap-free) water. Press the damp washcloth onto the stain to ‘rinse’ the soap and paint out.
5. Dry the stain by dabbing it with another clean cloth.
6. Let it fully air-dry before using the carpet again.

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How to Get Dry Acrylic Paint Out of Carpet

While getting dry acrylic paint out of the carpet will be harder to do than removing wet paint from the carpet, it can be done—especially if you have the assistance of time and a little elbow grease! Gather up a stiff-bristled brush, dish soap, warm water, a small bowl, and a few washcloths to begin cleaning up that dried paint stain.

1. Use a stiff-bristled brush to loosen the paint that’s stuck onto the carpet fibers. Vacuum up any dried paint that comes loose.
2. Mix a teaspoon of dish soap into a cup of warm water in a bowl. Place a small washcloth into the bowl, letting it absorb the soapy cleaning solution.
3. Set the soapy washcloth on top of the dried paint stain. Let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
4. Remove the washcloth from the stain and scrub at the now-rehydrated paint stain. Work from the outside of the stain inwards.
5. Re-dip the washcloth into the soapy cleaning solution as needed.
6. Rinse out the stain by blotting it with warm water.
7. Use another clean cloth to blot the paint stain dry.

Tips for Getting Acrylic Paint Out of Carpet

• Have any paintbrush cleaner on hand? Use that instead of dish soap. It will be more effective as it’s specifically formulated to remove paint from fibers.
• Specialized carpet cleaning solutions (or carpet cleaners) are another great tool for removing acrylic paint from carpet. Just make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
• Always clean paint stains from the outside in. This ensures you’re not spreading the paint out further, worsening the stain.
• If you’ve exhausted all the paint removal options with little change in the actual stain, break out a utility knife. Cut away the stained patch of carpet and replace it with a similarly sized patch of carpet cut from underneath the sofa or bed.
• Once your paint stain is no longer—and the carpet is fully dry—vacuum over the once-stained carpet. This will restore the pile and look of the carpet, as well as suck up any left-behind bits of dried paint.