24 October 2014
Cleaning Paint off Children's Clothes
Cleaning Paint off Children's ClothesSo you’ve just picked the kids up from kindergarten, a birthday party, an arts and crafts holiday session…whatever the scenario, if there is a paint based activity then you’re probably going to internally sigh when you see the paint splattered on the sleeve of your child’s tee-shirt. Rather than wondering how on earth your child managed to get a blob of red paint on their back of all places, think quickly and strategically and you can remove the paint before it becomes a permanent stain.Different paint types may require different treatment solutions, but with these convenient tips you won’t have to worry.Water based paintsThese paints are generally a favourite amongst teacher and craft controllers as they are designed to dissolve in water. If your child’s cloth is covered in water based paint, prepare a bucket of warm water and allow the garment to soak for some time. This will break down the paint and it will begin to shift. Be mindful to keep an eye on the bucket; once the water starts discolouring with the paint particles, remove the item. Rinse it out and wring it multiple times. The stain should be removed and the clothing as good as new.Oil based paints These paints are little stronger and more stubborn than water based paint stains, but still manageable. If the paint is still wet, remove as much as you can by using a flat instrument such as a knife or a spoon. Next, use paper towel or tissue (or toilet paper if that’s all that is available) to blot the stain. Be cautious in this step so that you don’t spread the paint, just dab at the stain rather than rubbing vigorously. Then, mix some washing powder or liquid with warm water and sponge the affected area. Shift as much of the stain as you can, then leave it to soak. This process may take some time and the steps may need to be repeated multiple times until the stain has lifted.Fabric paintsThis paint isn’t as thick as oil based paint, but can still leave a stain. Household items will prove effectively in lifting a fabric paint stain from clothing, but because this paint is designed to adhere to fabric it will require some elbow grease to really remove the stain. Use hand sanitizer or hair spray to dissolve the paint and lift it from clothing. This method is effective for small areas. For larger areas, use bigger quantities of the hand sanitizer or hair spray and repeat the process many times. Use a blunt knife to remove the bulk of the fabric paint. Then proceed to wash the clothing normally in the washing machine.Permanent markers These tricky markers are designed to be permanent, but can still be removed from clothing by a few methods. For white clothing, make a mixture of bleach diluted in water and dip the stained area of the fabric in it. If the stain doesn’t remove immediately, allow the garment to soak for a few minutes. Once the stain is gone, wash immediately. For coloured clothes, use citrus juice such as lemon juice. Squeeze some onto a cotton ball and dab at the affected stain area. For fragile fabrics, dilute the citrus juice in water at half strength and then proceed. Wash the clothes in the washing machine as per normal straight after the stain has gone.


You may also like:

26 September 2014 Useful Spring Cleaning Tips!
Your home deserves a thorough and proper spring clean every once in a while,...
02 September 2014 Sofa Cleaning In The Home
Upholstery cleaning is a pretty tricky business. You will find that there are...
11 July 2014 How To Clean Your Sofa
Sofas are one of those items of furniture which are generally heavily used,...