How To Remove Paint From Plastic – 4 Simple DIY Ways

Painting jobs make your house adorable. It rejuvenates the house and gives a whole new look.

But the aftereffects sometimes spoil the happiness when you discover some color drips, splatters on the household plastic appliances, switchboards, outdoor furniture.

Unlike the metals, glass, ceramic items, merely swiping off the paint doesn’t remove the paint stains from plastics. It needs a little more careful effort to keep the material free from damages.

The splatters and color stains become more of an issue, especially when the paint has dried.

But why worry?

Accidents like these are typical during paintwork, even for a seasoned professional. And, there are foolproof ways to banish the undesirable paints off from your plastic appliances.

Without much wait, let’s have read to find out the best suiting method for you!

Materials That You Will Need

• Work gloves
• Face mask
• Putty knife
• Clean rag / Paper towel / Sponge
• Dish soap
• Warm water
• Water bucket
• Vegetable oil
• Nail polish remover
• Rubbing alcohol

Know What Type of Paint is It!

Plastics are delicate materials and vulnerable to damages when they come into contact with chemical agents.

So, instead of trying various paint removers in a go, make sure what kind of paint it is. Find out whether it’s latex-based or oil-based.

Knowing the type of paint helps you develop an idea about which stain removing material will work best on it.

Take some nail polish remover containing acetone or a little rubbing alcohol and rub it on a small spot to test.

If the paint becomes gooey and gumming up, note that it is latex based.

If not, then it is an oil-based paint. Use a paint-scraping tool and try scraping off the paint. Try some vegetable oil, motor oil, or eucalyptus oil to soften the paint for removal. Remember, apply steady pressure, or you may end up making scratches on the plastic surface.

Below I have shared all the methods step-by-step in detail. Keep reading!

How To Remove Paint From Plastic At Home

These are some easy DIY hacks that will help you scrape off the paint spills from your plastic materials.

Before you go…

Why Hand Gloves?

As you are handling some harsh chemicals, hand safety should be the priority.

Prolonged exposure to chemicals such as acetone in a bare hand creates skin irritation and sometimes causes inflammation and rashes.

Always prefer hand gloves made of rubber to have all-round protection to your hands.

You can choose to wear a facemask and a face-shield as an added safety measure.

Let’s read.

Using Mild Dish Soap and Water

This is one of the best ways to remove a paint spill without worrying about any damage to the material.

Take a bucket of warm water, a mild dish soap, grab a clean rag. With the soap, make a foam using the warm water and rub it on the paint. Let it soak for a while and then wash it off.

The paint residues should come down as you rinse using the damp rag.

Using Household Oils

Hit the pantry or get some vegetable oil from your kitchen!

Yeah, vegetable oil comes to the rescue when the paint has dried. Oils help by softening the bonding between the paint and plastic—thus, the removal becomes easier.

Also, as a lubricant, oil reduces friction while rubbing the paint on a plastic substance’s soft surface. Vegetable oil is hundred percent safe and smooth on your hands as well.

Put a few drops of vegetable oil on the clean rag and coat it until it feels oily.

With this oil-coated rag, start rubbing the plastic’s surface slowly where the paint has stained.

If you notice the paint coming off, keep repeating the above process for a while. Scrubbing the affected area repeatedly will help the paint unstick from the place.

Though it is safer than the chemical solvents, this process takes a considerable amount of time. You need to bear a little patience to get the paint removed.

After a while, if you notice no changes despite many attempts, this indicates the paint has hard-dried and needs some stronger solvents for removal.

Using Nail Polish Remover

Nail Polish Remover contains a chemical agent called acetone.

Acetone is a paint thinner that readily evaporates when it comes into contact with air. It is a petroleum-based solvent and not hazardous to use.

Being a household stationery Nail Polish Remover is easily accessible in the house premises, making it the best tool for lifting off the paint stains from plastics.

Handling Nail Polish Remover doesn’t necessarily require a pair of hand safety gloves because they are harmless to your skin. Also, there is less damage to the plastic appliances as acetone doesn’t react harshly on them.

Take a piece of clean rag and dampen it with a sizable amount of Nail Polish Remover. Drop some remover on the paint spilled area as well.

Leave the spot this way for five minutes. It will help the paint dissolve with the acetone and will take off the paint on scrubbing.

Repeat the steps 3-4 times until you see some changes in the color spilled area. Acetone, being a paint thinner, works gradually by making the bond weaker. So, you have to wait for a while to see some changes.

Sometimes, Nail Polish Remover doesn’t work on paint spills that have dried long back. If this is the case, you might need some more potent solvent like rubbing alcohol to remove the paint.

Using a Strong Paint Solvent

When nothing works out on the paint, applying a strong solvent like rubbing alcohol, aka. Isopropyl alcohol can do the work for you.

Rubbing alcohol is pretty much available anywhere, starting from the online stores to the supermarket.

It is a strong paint-thinner, much more potent than acetone. This means rubbing alcohol is highly effective in lifting off the paint.

Though isopropyl alcohol is less hazardous, it can damage the surface of the plastic if rubbed abrasively.

If you have sensitive skin, handle it carefully, else you may get skin inflammation and irritation.

Also, make a note that alcohol only works on latex-based paints. Oil-based paints will need mineral-spirit based solvents.

Keeping the above points in mind, before handling them, always wear a pair of vinyl or rubber hand gloves. When working in a closed space, put on a face mask to prevent inhaling the fumes. Use a fan to create an outward movement of the air.

First, pour a sizable amount of the same on the paint-stained area. Leave it for 5-7 minutes to let the paint dissolve. Then bring a piece of rag, dip it with some isopropyl alcohol. Now, rub the area with the rag and firmly scrape off the paint with the help of a putty knife.

Conclusion

The surface of plastic appliances is soft and delicate. So, paint splatters don’t stick on them that strongly.

With some little effort and a few hacks, you can remove the paint spills quickly from the plastic. You should be gentle when playing with the hacks and methods to ensure the plastic material is free from any damages.

I hope the step-by-step methods will help you remove the paint from plastic effortlessly!