How to Get Paint Off Laminate Flooring? (2023)

Any home renovation projects that imply painting often end up with paint splatters and marks on the most unexpected surfaces (including ourselves)!

And of course, even if you paint something else than the floor, your flooring will most likely be covered with the paint splashes and blots.

But what if you have laminate floors? Will it be possible to get rid of that paint from this type of surface?

Won’t you harm laminate if you decide to scrape the paint off, for example?

We know that you probably have way too many questions, so we decided to help you out a bit. This is why, now you are reading this article.

From this article, you are going to find out how to get paint off laminate floors and do it not only quickly, but also safely and effectively. In addition, we will share several alternative paint removing methods with you so that you have a few options to choose from depending on your particular case.

In addition, you will learn the safest way and the safest cleaning product you should use in order to get paint splatters off your laminate flooring.

Related:How to Get Spray Paint Off Linoleum Floor?

How to Get Paint Off Of Laminate Floors?

When it comes to paint removal from your home’s flooring, many of us become unsure and hesitant about the suitable cleaning products that can be used. Depending on the sort of material that is used on your floors, the paint remover will vary, of course.

So in case you have laminate, you will definitely want to learn what to use in order to remove paint splatters and marks from the laminate floor safely.

In fact, there are several everyday cleaning items that can be used and serve you as an effective paint remover to apply on laminate! For example, you can try out solvents like mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol.

Also, white vinegar makes an excellent cleaning solution for cleaning dried paint.

But it does not matter how exactly you are going to get dry paint off the laminate floor. What does matter is how properly you get the floor ready for the upcoming cleaning.

We want to tell you that if, for example, you have to deal with a massive paint spill, the very first thing that must be done is to remove the excessive paint. Otherwise, the cleaning procedure will turn out to be endless!

This is why chipping away and loosening up the dried paint is an efficient way to make the cleaning process easier.

So first of all, consider getting that excessive paint off. This can be done by removing it with the help of a razor or a putty knife, for example, or a paint scraper, as an option.

Each of these simple and affordable tools will easily lift up the dried paint from the floor’s surface.

All you need to do is to delicately press your paint removing tool at the edge of the paint spill and push forward to lift the dried splatter.

Be careful not to press too much or too hard since this may lead to cutting through the flooring!

Once again, you should keep it in your mind like a rule of thumb: chipping a large paint spill away will save you a lot of time before you proceed to using a cleaning solvent.

In case you wonder how to get wet paint off the laminate floor, the process is much simpler.

1. If the paint splatter is still fresh, you will just need a clean cloth and some mineral water.
2. Damp the cloth with water and wipe the paint splash off thoroughly.
3. In most cases, it is enough for cleaning your laminate flooring from accidental paint mishaps.

And now, here is how you can remove paint from laminate safely and quickly.

Check out each of the methods we are going to provide you with so that you understand exactly whether or not they suit you.

Using Acetone

Acetone is a go-to remedy when it comes to dealing with paint splatters or spills. In addition, this cheap and easy to buy liquid is a great substitute for the more expensive commercial paint thinners.

So if you are on budget and you need to get rid of a nasty paint splash, acetone is your best friend.

Acetone (also known as nail polish remover, by the way) has another great benefit. See, the cool advantage of using acetone for paint removal is that the solvent evaporates really quickly, meaning the paint remover solution works fast!

To make use of this miracle:

• Simply dampen a clean cloth with acetone and work the liquid into the paint spill.
• If you have to cope with a large, dried paint spill, you can pour a little nail polish remover directly on the stain and delicately loosen it with a clean cloth.
• After you let the acetone sit for enough time and break through the paint (a few minutes is usually enough), clean it with a cloth soaked in warm water.
• If there is still a little paint on the surface, repeat the cleaning procedure from the beginning.

Use Liquid Dish Soap

Another handy and affordable way to clean paint off the laminate floor. Dish soap is great for cleaning heavily greased dishes, so it will definitely manage the paint splatter.

It will dissolve the paint leftovers the same as it does to greasy leftovers on your frying pans and casseroles. And then, after loosening them, the detergent will make the paint much easier to get rid of.

• To use this method, you will need to mix together rubbing alcohol, vinegar, dish soap and water (one cup of each).
• Then simply fill the spray bottle with this homemade remedy and pulverize the solution right onto the paint blot.
• If you don’t have a spray bottle, simply damp a soft cloth with the paint removing mixture and cover the splatter with it for a while.
• Wait for five minutes and then wipe everything away.

Opt For Some Rubbing Alcohol

This is another universal remedy for dealing with stubborn paint marks. How does this cleaning solution work, you may be wondering? Well, it is pretty simple.

The agent has a high alcohol content which lifts dried paint that is stuck on laminate flooring and makes it easier to clean as a result.

Another benefit you get when using rubbing alcohol as a paint remover is that it removes stains from clothing as well.

In order to get rid of the paint splatter on laminate flooring with this method:

1. Soak a piece of paper towel or cloth in isopropyl alcohol and work the solution into the paint spill. At this stage, you need to make sure that the entire paint spill is covered with the solution.
2. Next, let the liquid sit on the affected area for about five minutes. This should be enough for the product to do its magic.
3. After you cope with the major part of work, soak a clean cloth in water and wipe away the paint and rubbing alcohol residue.

Window Cleaner

You might be surprised, but regular window cleaners can also be effective when cleaning the paint marks away from the laminate flooring. In addition, this product is a great substitute in case you don’t have any other solution at hand right now but you need to clean the paint blot badly.

The application method is very simple.

1. Spray a generous amount of window cleaner on the affected area of your floor and let the liquid sit on the surface for five minutes.
2. Afterward, using a damp paper towel or cloth, wipe up the paint spill thoroughly.
3. If you can still see that there are a few remaining paint spots after cleaning the floor, scrape them off the floor with a putty knife or razor blade.

Try Out Regular Vinegar

Well, to some of you this might sound like shocking information! But indeed, regular white vinegar works great as a paint remover! Especially on laminate flooring since it acts very delicately without harming the surface.

In addition, vinegar is natural and eco-friendly, and if you are allergic to household chemicals, this might be your only option to use.

The application of this product is pretty simple.

1. Mix a gallon of warm tap water with one cup of white vinegar in a large bucket.
2. Then with the help of a mop or a clean cloth, swab the paint splatter until it is all covered with the cleaning solution.
3. You will have to let the vinegar break through the chemical compounds of the paint for five minutes.
4. And afterward, using a soft cloth and cold water to clear away the stain.

Denatured Alcohol

Welcome another alternative way of dealing with the nasty paint splatter on your laminate flooring!

If you happen to spill latex or acrylic paint on your laminate floors, you do not have to refinish the entire area. Instead, consider using denatured alcohol to clean up a paint spill.

Believe it or not, but using denatured alcohol for paint drips does have several benefits.

For example, not only does this cleaning solvent break through paint easily, but it also disinfects the surface.

In order to manage your paint mark easily:

1. You need to soak a clean cloth in denatured alcohol and scrub the paint drips thoroughly.
2. We recommend you combine the cleaning properties of denatured alcohol with a scraper in order to eliminate dried paint as fast as possible.
3. After the paint spill is done cleaning, dampen a cloth in warm water and use it to remove any denatured alcohol residue.

As you can see, even a dry and stubborn paint splatter on the laminate floor is not the end of the world!

With the use of the correct remedies and methods, you can easily manage even the most hard to remove paint marks quickly and safely. leaving the surface of the floor clean, shiny and paint free.

Things to Know Before Getting Paint Off Laminate Flooring

Before you get that stubborn paint mark off your laminate floor, it is good to know a few handy tips that will be very helpful for you. First of all, you should learn more about the laminate floor structure.

Why is that, you may wonder? Well, because then you will understand better how and why paint sticks to it and what can help you to get it off the flooring faster and more effectively.

As you probably know, laminate is quite a durable material.

There is almost nothing that is able to scratch it or leave any other types of marks on the surface of this material. This is why so many people praise laminate as a flooring material in fact.

However, there is one thing you should be careful of while cleaning laminate flooring. We are talking about the amount of water you use.

See, a downside of laminate flooring is that, if too much water affects the floor, it seeps in the cracks and causes irreversible swelling. This is why, when using water to remove paint from a laminate floor, it is better to use little to be sure that you will not damage the surface.

Another nuance that you should pay attention to when getting paint off of your laminate floors is the type of paint you are dealing with.

Depending on what type of paint you need to clean off, you might want to use different cleaning methods and products.

Usually, we use one of the two types of paint for our home painting works.

Those types are acrylic paint and latex paint. Fortunately, both are easy to clean off the laminate floor.

But even with that in mind, understanding the differences in chemical structure of each type of these paints lets you know what cleaning solvent to utilize against the stubborn paint.

Related:How to Clean Dried Acrylic Paint Brushes?

Latex paint

It is water-based. Also, it does not have a lot of chemicals. Because the paint contains water, latex paint is generally easier to lift off laminate and wood floors.

Acrylic paint

It is chemical-based and tends to create a stronger bond to the surface. When cleaning acrylic paints off the laminate floors, it is important to make use of a cleaning solution that contains natural paint thinner. It will break through the chemical bonds better.

With these tips in mind, you will be able to choose the paint removing solution more effectively and thus, your paint splatter removal will go easier and faster.

Related:How to Get Acrylic Paint Off Wood?

What Is the Safest Paint Remover For Laminate Floors?

Laminate, as you probably know, is quite a durable material. This is actually the reason why we use it for our floors. However, even though this material is scratch-resistant, it does not mean that we can clean paint off it using any tools or products.

This is why quite many homeowners often wonder what the safest solutions are to use on the laminate floors when it is needed to remove the dry paint splatter. Well, there are several options, in fact, that can be used for removing paint from the laminate floor!

1. Nail polish remover
2. Window cleaning liquid
3. Homemade paint removing solution made of vinegar, liquid dish soap, rubbing alcohol and water

Each of these remedies is absolutely safe to use on laminate since they don’t harm the surface.

But anyway, before you apply the cleaning product, make sure that your floor is cleaned and there is no dust, debris, or dry paint particles on it.

Now that you know how to get dried paint off your laminate flooring safely, and you also learned several alternative methods of doing that, you can be sure that no paint splatter will survive in your home!