What and how to quickly remove paint stains from jeans at home?
Content:
- Features of denim
- Preparation for the process: glycerin as a softener
- How to properly wash jeans stained with paint?
- We remove paint depending on the type and degree of contamination
- Removing dye from white denim
- Homemade methods and remedies for removing paint stains
- Getting rid of hair dye stains
- Useful tips
It is very difficult to remove persistent stains from such dense fabric; there is always a risk of damage to the product or the appearance of stains on the surface. Work done at home is also complicated by the fact that it is not always clear what type of dye you are dealing with. If some stains can be washed off without any problems, then sometimes you have to spend several days to eliminate others, gradually going through the available options.
Features of denim
Denim, also known as denim, is a dense, hard material made from cotton. Lycra, elastane and other synthetic fibers are added to the fabric for comfortable wearing. Dyed cotton threads form the basis of the fabric, undyed weft threads run along the reverse side. In the production of denim, twill or finely patterned weaving is used.
The first jeans appeared in 1873 and were only brown.And only many years later did craftsmen learn how to dye rough fabric with high quality and give it different shades.
Denim fabric produced by modern textile manufacturers comes in different densities - from light to extra-thick.
Main advantages of the material:
- durability - denim clothing can be worn for years, it will not fray or decay;
- hygroscopicity - like any cotton, it perfectly absorbs moisture;
- breathability - the fabric “breathes” and at the same time protects from the wind;
- antistatic – does not accumulate static electricity;
- versatility - clothes are sewn from denim, shoes and various accessories are made.
Flaws:
- Over time, the fabric fades and acquires a whitish tint;
- shrinks a lot after washing, especially if the composition contains elastane;
- the material takes a long time to dry, and when dry, it becomes hard;
- Jeans should be washed separately to avoid staining other clothes.
When starting to remove paint stains, you need to know the characteristics of the denim material and study in advance the rules for washing and drying clothes made from it.
Preparation for the process: glycerin as a softener
Any paint - watercolor, acrylic, oil - washes off very poorly. This is explained by the fact that the coloring substance contains a pigment that is responsible for the color, and binding elements with the help of which the paint is firmly fixed to the surface. Therefore, if you sit on a freshly painted bench, you can not only stain your jeans, but also get stuck so that it will be difficult to get up.
To soften and more effectively remove paint stains, you can use glycerin. From a chemical point of view, glycerin is a representative of polyhydric alcohols.Physically, it is a viscous, transparent, odorless liquid with a sweetish taste. The substance is sold in pharmacies.
Before starting cleaning, you need to dilute glycerin with water in a 1:1 ratio and pour the resulting mixture onto the contaminated part of the clothing. After an hour, you can begin further processing. The dried blot will soften, and it will be much easier to remove. You can also use glycerin not dissolved in water, only in this case it is better to warm it up a little.
How to properly wash jeans stained with paint?
You can remove paint from denim pants by washing only if the formation is still fresh and has not had time to dry. In this case, experts suggest proceeding according to the following scheme:
- First, we moisten the area with the stain with warm water, rub it with brown laundry soap, and scrub the stain with a brush for several minutes. Water-based paint will begin to come off little by little under this influence. In this case, soak the product in a soapy solution for several hours and then try to wash the stain by hand.
- Some formulations do not withstand treatment with dishwashing detergents. We apply the concentrated composition directly to the problem area, wait a few minutes and try to clean the surface with a thick sponge or soft brush. Then we rinse the item and put it in the washing machine.
- To remove traces of oil dye, you need to mix washing powder with butter and apply the resulting composition to the problem area with rubbing movements. The fabric should be soaked through. After a quarter of an hour, wash the jeans by hand, then send them to machine wash.
We remove paint depending on the type and degree of contamination
If paint gets on your jeans, don't despair. There are many ways to clean a stain so that not a trace remains of it.
The main thing is to check the safety of its effect on the material before using the chosen product. To do this, apply a little cleaning agent to the clothes in an inconspicuous place, wait 15–20 minutes, then wash and dry. If the result leaves much to be desired (the stain has not disappeared, but the fabric has changed color), the only option will be dyeing jeans.
Fresh paint
It is always easier to wipe off a newly appeared stain than dry paint that has penetrated deeply into the fibers of the fabric. Therefore, you need to start cleaning immediately; speed in this matter is the key to success.
If clothes are stained with water-soluble paint, such as watercolors, you need to wet the contaminated area with warm water and try to rub it with your hands - perhaps the fresh paint will dissolve and the stain will disappear.
With oil and acrylic compositions the situation is more complicated. Here you can’t do without special cleaning products:
- To remove fresh paint stains, you can use vegetable oil. A few drops of the product are applied to the contaminated area, after which the area is sprinkled with salt, flour or starch. The oil will soften the paint, and the powder will absorb the fat along with particles of the dye.
- Mix butter with washing powder, taking the ingredients in equal quantities. The resulting paste is rubbed into the material in the area of contamination using a brush. After 30 minutes, the item is washed in a machine or by hand.
- Dishwashing liquid can help remove fresh paint stains left on denim.You need to drop a little Fairy onto the blot and wash the product after 15–20 minutes.
- The most reassuring remedy for stains is a stain remover, which you can probably find in any household. If most of your wardrobe is occupied by denim, you simply need to get one of the stain removers: Unix-Clean Z-Active, Vanish, Sarma or Bos Plus. Cleaning should be carried out according to the instructions included with the selected product.
Regardless of the cleaning composition, stain removal work is always completed by washing the product. If after drying there are still traces of paint on the pants, cleaning will have to be repeated. Even specialized stain removers, which are considered the safest and most effective means of combating paint stains, do not always cope with these complex stains the first time and require re-processing.
Old paint stain
It is much more difficult to remove a dried paint blot than to remove fresh stains. Here you cannot do without aggressive chemical compounds such as alcohol, gasoline, white spirit.
- Using refined gasoline You can get rid of a stain that is years old. It is important not to make a mistake when choosing a product and remember that only special gasoline is suitable for cleaning clothes, which is sold in hardware stores under the symbol “B-70” or under the name “Nefras”, and not the kind that is used to fuel cars. Using a cotton swab dipped in gasoline, treat the stained area, moving from the edge of the stain to the center, then wash the product as usual.
- White Spirit Easily dissolves dried paint stains. Unlike acetone, this substance does not change the color of the material, so it can be used to clean not only light, but also dark jeans.
- Duet of alcohol with glycerin will help get rid of complex old contaminants. To prepare the cleaning product, glycerin is diluted with alcohol in a 1:1 ratio and applied to the clothes prepared for treatment. After an hour, the product is washed in a machine or by hand with the addition of washing powder.
Work with solvents and alcohols must be carried out in a well-ventilated area, protecting the skin of your hands with rubber gloves.
Water-based
Water-based paints, watercolors, tempera, and gouache dissolve in water, so to remove stains it is often enough to thoroughly wash clothes stained with such compounds. You must proceed as follows:
- Rinse the contaminated area of clothing with warm water or apply a wet cloth to the stain to soak the denim fabric with moisture.
- Prepare a cleaning composition by dissolving 1 tbsp. l. washing powder in 100 ml of water. Apply the mixture to the stained area and rub into the fibers of the fabric using a brush.
- If paint stains still remain, you can use alcohol or nail polish remover without acetone to remove them.
- Wash the jeans in the machine, selecting the cycle according to the instructions on the tag.
If after all the manipulations there are barely noticeable marks left on the denim, you can paint them over with a suitable felt-tip pen.
Oily
Removing oil paint stains is much more difficult, since you can no longer count on the help of water.
Work on removing blots from oil paint is carried out in several stages:
- First of all, you need to scrape off most of the dried paint from the surface of the material. To do this, you can use a dull knife or tape - stick it on and tear it off.
- Moisten a hard cotton napkin in a solvent (it is better to use an oil solvent) and use circular movements, moving from the edges to the middle, to treat the area of contamination.
- If cleaning with a solvent does not give the desired results, you can spread glycerin on the stain and leave it for 5-7 hours. During this time, the substance will dissolve the remaining paint particles and release them from the fabric fibers.
- A final machine wash with added detergent is an indispensable condition for effective cleaning.
Removing dye from white denim
Colorful stains on the leg of light-colored jeans or the sleeve of a jacket are especially striking. Such contaminants can be removed using the means listed below.
- Glycerol heated in a water bath or in the microwave and rubbed into the fabric. After the stain disappears, you need to remove the greasy marks using a stain remover or dishwashing detergent.
- Acetone - savior of white clothes from paint. This chemical compound leaches the pigment from the fabric, so it is not recommended for use when cleaning colored jeans. The traditional way to get rid of stains is to soak a swab in acetone and treat the stain, then wash the product.
- An effective way to remove paint stains from white jeans - using a mixture of purified gasoline and white clay, taken in equal proportions. The mixture is coated with the contaminated area and the product is left until the gasoline evaporates. After this, shake off the remaining clay and put the jeans in the wash.
If the stain has not been completely washed off, you can disguise it with embroidery, appliqué, or make a fashionable hole in this place.
Homemade methods and remedies for removing paint stains
Not every housewife knows that inexpensive and effective paint removers are hidden behind kitchen cabinet doors. You can revive damaged clothes using vegetable oil, soda or soap solution.
Vegetable oil
Sunflower oil combined with baking soda is an indispensable solution for cleaning stains from denim of any color. The procedure is as follows:
- The contaminated area of clothing is moistened with water.
- Mix 1 tsp. soda with sunflower oil until smooth.
- Apply the resulting paste to the stain and wait half an hour, periodically rubbing the mixture over the material.
- Rinse off the product under running water and put the product in the wash.
Before starting work, the thickness of the blot can be reduced by scraping it off with a knife or other metal object.
Soap solution
You can remove a stain of oil paint using a concentrated soap solution.
- The basin is filled with hot water (+60°C).
- For 1 liter of water add 1 tbsp. l. dishwashing gel.
- The water is foamed.
- Immerse the jeans and thoroughly rub the contaminated area.
- Leave the item in the same water for half an hour.
- Wash thoroughly by hand again.
Finish cleaning by machine washing with the addition of a stain remover for colored materials.
Getting rid of hair dye stains
Hair dye is the most difficult to remove from any clothing, because the main indicator of the quality of the dye composition is durability.
To remove fresh stains, it will be enough to wash the product with laundry soap or regular washing powder.
If the problem happened a few days ago, you won’t be able to get rid of the stain by simply washing it and will have to use chemicals:
- Hydrogen peroxide (3%) is applied to the clothing in the dirty area for 20 minutes, then rinsed in cool water.
- Instead of peroxide, you can use 9% table vinegar.
- A mixture of glycerin and vinegar can remove traces of black paint. First, treat the stain with glycerin and wait a few minutes until the paint softens. Then apply a few drops of vinegar and rub with a damp cloth. At the end of the work, the item is washed as usual.
To avoid having to deal with hair dye stains, it is best to wear protective clothing when working with this persistent chemical.
Useful tips
To ensure that paint stains disappear from denim without a trace, and the material does not lose its attractiveness, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Cleaning should begin immediately as soon as contamination is detected.
- Before using specialized stain removers, you must carefully study the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations.
- It is worth testing the selected cleaning agent on the reverse side of the product.
- When cleaning, you need to move from the edge to the center of the stain so as not to enlarge the contaminated area.
- You will have to repeat cleaning several times until all traces of paint disappear.
- If you are not sure that you can handle the problem on your own, it is better to take the item to the dry cleaner.
Practical and versatile denim clothing is always in trend, and today no fashionista can do without jeans, a skirt or a jacket made of this material. To save your favorite item from stains at any time, it is better to have a profile stain remover designed for this type of fabric. In addition, you can use improvised means or chemical solvents that will effectively deal with paint stains.
Every summer they paint benches in the city, and every summer my son stains his jeans with this paint. I'm already desperate. But sunflower oil washed everything off perfectly!