How to Remove Paint Stains From the Floor

When painting the house, it's possible to spill vinyl drips on the floors. However, with immediate and thorough cleanup, the problem can be solved.
How to Remove Paint Stains From the Floor

Last update: 27 November, 2022

Paint is a great ally for home decoration, as it allows you to give color, texture, and style to your walls. However, this product can generate concerns when it’s carelessly applied and drips to other areas. Learn how to remove paint stains on the floor in this article!

Paint can easily spill when tripping and overturning a jar or when resting a brush with the fresh product on the surfaces. Anyway, despite the reason, you should remain calm and keep in mind that it is possible to recover the appearance of the affected floor with proper cleaning.

As soon as the paint comes into contact with the floor, furniture, or some porcelain, it’s important to act with haste. This is because types of vinyl that dry require more arduous work to remove them. In addition, if the product isn’t removed in time, it can begin to peel or discolor the most delicate materials.

How to remove paint from tile floors

The materials that can be used to remove paint from tile are a broom, a cloth, water, vinegar, a paint stripper, and a spatula.

The first thing is to clean the space with a broom to remove dirt that can generate lumps when applying the cleaning product. Then, it’s advisable to prepare a solution of vinegar and hot water, spray it on the localized stain and use the cloth to rub it hard.

If this first technique doesn’t give the expected results, it’ll necessary to use a liquid-containing chemical. Thus, it’s necessary to buy a stripper, apply it evenly on the stains, let it act for 25 minutes, rub it with a cloth, and clean it with hot water to remove the traces of vinyl and product.

In addition to this, when the paint has very strongly adhered to the floor, a metallic spatula can be used to weaken the most hardened parts. At this point, it’s essential to scrape towards the same side to prevent the stain from spreading further.

Remove Paint Stains
When painting a wall or any space in the home, certain stains can fall to the floor or ruin nearby furniture.

We think you may also enjoy reading this article: How to Remove Resin Stains from Your Clothes Without Damaging Them

How to remove paint from a wood floor

In order to remove paint stains from wood floors, two different techniques can be used. The materials needed in the first one is water, dish soap, and two good textured towels.

This method should be used when the spilled paint is water-based. The first thing to do is to wet one of the towels and add a good amount of soap to it. Then, it’s necessary to scrub continuously so that the stain disappears little by little.

As a final step, you just need to use a dry towel to remove the remains of soap and paint so that the floor manages to return to its original appearance.

On the other hand, if the paint is oil-based, it’s necessary to carry out the second alternative. In this case, the materials required are a good-quality paint thinner, a brush, and a clean towel.

The most commonly used thinner is the universal one; however, it’s important to seek advice from a hardware store to avoid buying a product that weakens your wood. This liquid must be applied with the help of a brush to help distribute it uniformly. It should be left to stand for about 2o minutes so that the paint softens as much as possible.

After that, a towel should be used to clean the stains and remove the traces of the thinner used. This will ensure that the floor is once again dry and shiny.

How to remove paint stains from carpet floors

To remove paint from a carpet or carpeted floor, you will need a towel, acetone, a stain remover, two toothbrushes, gloves, a face shield, and a vacuum cleaner.

The first thing to do is to wipe the stains with a towel to remove the paint that’s still fresh. It’s important to keep in mind that you should not press downwards to avoid sinking the vinyl between the fibers.

The next step is to put on the mask and gloves because acetone is a strong chemical that needs to be handled with protection. After this, you have to spray it on one of the brushes and start rubbing in detail on each stain present.

The acetone will weaken the paint chips that are more adhered to and reduce the size of the stain. However, small traces of vinyl may still be visible after application.

Therefore, the next step is to apply carpet cleaner to each stain and scrub with a clean brush until all localized residue is removed. Finally, a vacuum cleaner should be used to absorb the liquids used, dry the carpet and recover the authentic tones.

Remove Paint Stains from a clean rug
Carpets and rugs are the ones that require more work and care when removing paint stains.

Like this article? You may also like to read: How To Remove Limescale and Calcium Stains from the Shower

Selecting the right products is key

No matter what, it’s essential to use cleaners that don’t alter the properties to remove paint stains from the floor. Therefore, it’s advisable to consult an expert to find out which product best suits your needs and doesn’t cause discoloration or destroy the layers of protective enamel.

It’s also important to keep in mind that it’s not advisable to use sharp tools such as spatulas or knives on wood or carpet floors, as they can cause blunt damage. Don’t despair and get to work!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Pérez A. Aplicación de pinturas e imprimaciones protectoras [Internet]. Málaga: IC Editorial; 2013. [citado 08 de junio de 2021]
  • (S.A). Los decapantes químicos industriales [Internet]. Francia: (S.E); 2006. [citado 08 de junio de 2021]

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.