A few things are inevitable in life. One is growing old. Another is drops of paint falling onto the floor when painting. Yes, no matter how careful you are on your home improvement projects, you almost can never end your project without having a drop or two of paint hitting the floor.
Now, that’s what exactly happened. You are done with painting. The painted surface now looks alive all again. It’s what you expected. However, your laminate flooring bears some unsightly stains of paints. How do you restore its beauty?
10 Amazing Ways To Get Paint Off Laminate Floor
Before we proceed to give you 10 awesome ways of removing paint from your laminate floor, we have one thing to point out. As much as all the ten ways can remove paint stains, you shouldn’t go by any.
Some of the methods can damage your laminate floor if not careful, so it’s always good to first try out the less risky approaches as you move to the riskier ways of getting the job done.
Let’s begin the rundown;
1. Damp Cloth is Sometimes All It Takes
Ever heard of the 10-second rule kids apply after dropping food to the floor? According to this rule, any food dropped to the surface is safe to eat if it’s retrieved within 10 seconds after it falls off. That may not have scientific backing, but for now, it will help you better understand how getting rid of paint works.
If you can get rid of paint shortly after it lands on your laminate flooring, then it will all come out. But unlike with the 10-second rule, the time here isn’t definite. Provided that you can work on the paint before it dries off, then you will have evaded the hassle that could have piled up with moments of waiting.
Now, if you are lucky to find the paint wet, a damp cloth is all you need. Just wipe the paint off the floor. Only avoid leaving any traces as they can be problematic to remove after the paint dries up.
2. Time For Your Old Credit Card
If the paint has already dried and can’t come out with a damp cloth, you need a scraping tool. Here, your expired credit card should come in handy. Yes, provided that the paint didn’t dry up long ago, a credit card should work just fine.
If you don’t have an old credit card, you can consider a plastic putty knife. A brush with gentle bristles is the other alternative. Either of these will suffice. Only ensure that you don’t use any metallic object.
As much as metal may seem more effective than plastic for the removal work, it could easily scratch your laminate floor. That’s not what you want. The goal is to remove the paint when leaving everything else untampered. So yes, always use gentle tools for the scraping work.
3. Vinegar and Soap Water Solution
Vinegar boasts a multitude of uses around the home. You might have used it for laundry purposes or other applications. But have you ever known that vinegar can also help you get rid of those stubborn stains of paint on your laminate floor?
Sure, vinegar does well in removing paint. Only mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. Then, add into the solution a few drops of dish soap and mix the solution. Then, immerse a piece of cloth in this solution and rub it on the paint. This simple homemade solution will work magic for water-based paints.
If the paint is oil-based, consider adding rubbing alcohol into the mixture. It should be just as much as the amount of water or vinegar. Then use the same procedure to wipe off the dried paint.
4. Rubbing Alcohol is Sometimes Enough
Don’t have all the components necessary for the previous method? No problem! Sometimes you don’t need all of those elements to solve your problem. If you have rubbing alcohol, also known as isopropyl alcohol, that could be all it takes for the job.
And yes, as you would expect, the procedure is just as simple as the number of products that go into it! Just cover the entire spill with this alcohol and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rub the place with a paper towel – and that’s it!
5. Yes, Vinegar Again!
Perhaps you don’t have rubbing alcohol. All you can get is vinegar. And yes, that alone can also do. Not literally ALONE, though. You still need something else. You need water, and in that case, warm water.
The mixing ratio is that a cup of vinegar should go with a gallon of water. You can work out what you need from there if you need more or less than that. Once you have the solution, generously apply it to the affected area and leave for a couple of minutes. Then, come back with a soft cloth and cold water to clean the stains. That’s it!
6. Apply a Floor Degreaser
You might have used a floor degreaser to clean oil stains from a surface. But have you ever known that the product can also serve as an effective paint remover? Well, it does. In fact, how it performs the work could easily lure you into thinking it’s made especially for that kind of job.
Just cover your target spots with this product and give the product time to penetrate the paint. Then, using a clean piece of cloth, wipe the affected area. You can repeat the process if there are any traces of paint left.
7. Denatured Alcohol is Also Worth a Shot
Don’t panic! Denatured alcohol is just the other name for methylated spirits. Chances are you have it in your first-aid kit. Denatured alcohol has a plethora of uses. It could be you weren’t expecting that it could also serve here. But take it from me – methylated spirit is yet another competent candidate for the job!
Methylated spirits work best for removing acrylic or latex paint from your laminate floor. Like any of the previous options, working with this substance isn’t a complicated thing.
Just dip a piece of cloth in this alcohol and use it to rub the spills of paint. You can combine this method with a plastic scraping tool for quicker results. The alcohol will cut through the dried paint and make everything else easy.
8. Reach Your Regular Window Cleaner
If you have to keep your windows as transparent as they can ever be, you might have realized that the regular cleaning products that we use for other surfaces aren’t the way to go. Here, you need a product specially for the job, particularly an ammonium-based window cleaner.
Ammonium-based window cleaners will do the job superbly. But that’s not the only area they serve. Your ammonium-based glass cleaner will help clean your laminate floor of any paint spills.
And yes, the procedure is quite similar to the one you already know. Begin by spraying a generous amount of this cleaner on the paint. Then, leave for 5 minutes before rubbing the spill off with a damp paper towel.
9. Get Nail Polish Remover
If you are a man, nail polish remover is perhaps one of the products you least expect to use in your lifetime. While it may not come in handy in most of your operations, one area where this product turns helpful is when it’s time to rub off those ugly stains of paint from your laminate flooring.
It’s simple – apply a few drops of this remover (also called acetone) directly on the stains. Ensure that the product covers the dried drops of paint adequately. Leave for a few minutes before rubbing it off with a clean piece of cloth.
If you don’t get the results you expected, don’t worry! At times it takes a second try. So yes, repeat the process. The second time should give a more impressive outcome.
10. Lastly, Use Paint Thinner
By the time you resolve to use paint thinner, ensure that you have gone through all other ways. If the stain survives your ammonium-based cleaner, then it may not get over alcohol, and in case it does, then acetone should work the magic. However, where it doesn’t come out by any chance, that’s when you will need to turn to paint thinner.
Thinner is sure to get the work done. Begin by ventilating the room and wearing a respirator. Now, put a piece of cloth in this chemical. Then, rub it on the place. Ensure that you follow the direction of the grain.
On the most stubborn stains, you may need to apply a little heat. Your iron box will turn helpful here. Set the iron on the lowest setting and place it on the piece of cloth covering the stain. Then, using the ironing action, maneuver the appliance on the piece of cloth. Then, rub the place with the towel when it’s still warm.
Will Paint Thinner Damage Laminate Flooring?
Yes, paint thinner can damage laminate flooring if you’re not careful enough. Actually, that’s why it’s the method we last recommend for removing paint stains. Just avoid using thinner as much as possible.
You see, laminate flooring planks have melamine resin, which features formaldehyde and adhesives. These two elements react with the strong chemicals in paint thinner to discolor laminate floors.
But it’s also worth noting that thinner won’t just affect your laminate floor. It will also affect you. This chemical produces fumes that could be hazardous to humans and pets once inhaled.
Does Acetone Damage Laminate Flooring?
Yes, acetone can also damage laminate flooring. However, it isn’t as dangerous as paint thinner on laminate flooring. As such, it should also come after you’ve tried all other methods but paint thinner.
Compounds in acetone react with bicarbonate and polyurethane finishes causing damage to the laminate surfaces. That could leave the floor looking uglier than it initially was. For that reason, we recommend that you try and mix the product with water. Then, test the resulting solution over a small area to see if it can get rid of the stains without affecting the beauty and pattern of your laminate floor.
Does Vinegar Ruin Laminate Floors?
Yes, it’s still possible for vinegar to ruin laminate floors. However, that’s very unlikely to happen. Vinegar is gentler than most chemicals when diluted. As such, it interacts politely with the laminate floor once applied.
Vinegar is naturally acidic. That’s why it’s tough on paint stains and germs. However, it doesn’t react the same to your flooring. This chemical remains gentle on your laminate floor. Hence, it’s one of the products you can least expect to damage your beautiful floor.
In fact, other than using it for stripping paint, you can even use vinegar solution for cleaning the floor. It does the work fine. In fact, better than most chemical cleaners you will find in the market.
Will Rubbing Alcohol Hurt Laminate Floors?
Maybe. Whether or not alcohol can hurt laminate floors depends on the concentration and how much time it interacts with the floor. In strong enough concentrations, rubbing alcohol on polyurethane and urethane finishes could damage them.
Sometimes you don’t even need to rub. Provided that it’s concentrated enough, leaving alcohol to sit on the laminate floor for quite a long time can damage it. But diluted, alcohol will hardly cause adverse effects on laminate floors.
But again, that will depend on the type of alcohol in this case. For denatured alcohol, it’s a strong solvent. As such, it can hurt laminate floors. So yes, always use this type of product cautiously.
Conclusion
Getting rid of paint spills off your laminate floor can be a source of headache, especially after the paint dries up. However, with the help of a few substances, it’s pretty easy. But beware, some of the products you have to interact with are just as dangerous to the flooring as to the drops of paint.
As such, always try the safest ways of getting the work done. The last options, in the order of their risk level, need to be ammonium-based cleaners, denatured alcohol, acetone, and thinner, with thinner coming as the last resort.