Paint stains are not easy to remove, as mothers of young artists know firsthand. It is quite possible to wash watercolors or gouache from clothes, especially if the blot is fresh, but you can also deal with old stains. The first rule in dealing with a stain is to start washing immediately. You need to wash things in cool water with powder and soap; hot water will only fix the stain on the clothes and it will become impossible to remove it.
What does watercolor consist of?
To wash watercolor stains, you need to familiarize yourself with its components. Watercolor is an adhesive, water-soluble paint, the main elements are included in the form of a fine grind. The richness and brightness of the palette is achieved thanks to natural dyes.
Transparency and softness of the image is the hallmark of watercolor. To ensure that it lays evenly, additional components are used - fixatives.
- Phenol is an antiseptic element that prevents mold.
- Ox bile prevents drops of paint from quickly curling on paper during the drawing process.
- Sugar, glycerin or honey (honey paints are popular) are used as a structure-softening element.
- Cherry or sloe gum, gum arabic, and dextrin make up a vegetable glue that gives elasticity and uniformity.
Dissolve watercolor with water.
How to remove a fresh stain
It seems that the transparency of the paint structure is harmless to the item. But even with thorough washing, a pale spot often remains, especially noticeable on white fabric. Therefore, it is advisable to remove watercolors from clothes immediately.
- Turn the item inside out and place the stained area under running cold water.
- Wash the item with washing powder.
- The stain must not be allowed to dry, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove. It is known that the best results in removing fresh watercolor stains are achieved within 3-5 hours after staining.
Important! Water should only be cold: warm or hot, on the contrary, helps to strengthen the dyes in the fibers of the fabric and will not help remove the watercolor stain.
Preparing things
If you start removing stains immediately after contamination, the chance of complete cleaning increases. Once the paint has hit the fabric, you need to:
- turn the product inside out;
- rinse it under water until the stain begins to disappear;
- Wipe the blot with laundry soap and wash the item by hand;
- Rinse the product under running water.
Note! The temperature should not be high, since in hot water the paint eats into the fibers of the fabric more strongly. You only need to turn on cold water.
Top 6 funds
There are many methods for removing watercolor paints from clothes. We list 6 of the most popular and effective ones.
Baby washing powder
This product will help remove paint stains more effectively if you first wash them under running cold water until completely dissolved. Then a double dose of baby washing powder should be poured into the machine and the clothes should be washed by turning on the appropriate program (depending on the type of fabric).
If the stain remains, repeat the procedure. This method is good for children's things, when more aggressive methods are unnecessary.
Stain remover or bleach
The method depends on the type of fabric. It will be easy to wash watercolor stains and without harm to clothes if you follow the instructions.
- The stain remover is applied to colored fabrics, directly to the stained area. Then carry out normal washing.
- The product can also be used as a main product: soak the item in a solution of water and stain remover for a certain time, and then rinse thoroughly.
- Bleach should only be used on white items. This is a rather aggressive product, which contains chlorine-containing components. For this reason, colored items can be ruined. Apply a small amount of bleach to the stained area, then rinse well.
Bleach should only be used with protective gloves to avoid an allergic reaction and irritation of the skin of the hands. Natural stain removers are safe: apply the product to the stain for 15 minutes, after which you should wash the item as usual. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
Antipyatin
First, the area of contamination must be soaped with laundry soap, then Antipyatin must be applied. Then leave the item for 1 hour. After this, wash thoroughly. The method is good when the watercolor stain went unnoticed and had time to dry completely.
Vanish, Amway SA8, Stork
The products have proven themselves very positively. These stain removers are oxygen-based and are recommended for delicate fabrics or children's clothing where boiling or bleaching is not desired.
- Apply the required amount of stain remover to the damp cloth with the stain and leave for 20 minutes.
- Mix warm water with powder or product (according to the instructions) in a container and soak the item.
- Then wash and rinse well.
After this procedure, you can usually wash off the watercolor paint without a trace. It is important to carefully read the instructions that are on each package.
How to properly wash children's clothes
A child's skin is sensitive to aggressive household chemicals. If you use special products to remove stains, then even old stains can be washed off perfectly without harm to the children’s body.
- It is recommended to use washing powders intended for washing only children's clothes. These are the brands “Aistenok”, “Karapuz”, “Ushasty Nyan” and others.
- Laundry soap will truly help out when you urgently need to wash a watercolor stain. You can't wash your face with it, but it removes dirt perfectly. You should first rub the stain and let the soap soak into the fabric. Then wash the item and rinse well.
- Baby soap will also help. It is anti-allergenic, safe, but is powerless against old dried watercolor stains.
Before purchasing products, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the composition. Household chemicals for children should not contain phosphates, chlorine or optical brighteners.
Ways to remove watercolors from clothes
The first step is to determine the type of fabric and its color, since the use of different cleaning products depends on the characteristics of the product.
Washing methods
If paint gets on synthetics, then a good folk method will help - salt and ammonia. First, the blot is wiped with a solution of ammonium hydroxide, and then soaked in salt water (1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter is enough). As soon as the stain fades, the item can be washed in a machine.
Watercolor can be removed quite easily from cotton items - you can just wash it with laundry soap and cold water.
When washing silk clothes, you need to be careful not to damage the delicate structure of the fabric. The blot is first wiped with laundry soap and is not washed off
After this, you need to heat denatured alcohol and wipe the dried soap along with the stain until the stain is completely removed. At the end of the procedure, the product should be washed in the standard way. Wool is also not picky about watercolor blots. The stain is washed and dipped in boiling water for 3-4 seconds, after which the item needs to be rinsed.
The best household chemicals
To combat watercolors on fabric, you can use Bos and Vanish oxygen stain removers. A little solution is poured onto the blot, after which the product should be left for 20 minutes. After the time has passed, the item is washed in hot water with the addition of powder and stain remover.
How to properly wash children's clothes
Children's skin is vulnerable to irritants and aggressive household chemicals, so special products should be used:
- Laundry soap. Despite the fact that it is not suitable for washing, it cleans dirt well and does not leave marks on clothes.
- Baby soap. This type of soap is safe for delicate skin. Moreover, it is completely washed out of the fabric. However, it makes no sense to use it against stubborn stains.
- Baby powder. The brands "Karapuz" and "Aistenok" are produced specifically for washing children's clothes.
Boiling
An old and proven method will help you remove watercolor paint from a white shirt. You need to start preparing the composition.
- Mix soda (1 tbsp), 1 cap each of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, and laundry soap shavings.
- Add 1 liter of water.
- Immerse the item in the solution and boil.
- Wash in washing machine.
- Dry.
Other methods that have been actively used by housewives for many years can also come to the rescue. They are based on components that are always at hand.
Printer ink
Printer ink often gets on clothes. While the stain is fresh, you need to rinse it with ice water. Then wash off the stain with laundry soap and rinse in cold water. If there is a trace of paint left, you can moisten a cotton pad in ammonia and treat the stain. After this, the product must be washed in the usual way.
Some tips for removing dried stains:
- Alcohol-based solvents work well with this paint. These are ammonia, acetone and regular alcohol.
- If the stain was created not so long ago, you can try treating it with milk, mustard or lemon juice.
- Special stain removers and bleaches are capable of removing the most difficult stains.
An unusual way to deal with ink stains, about which you can hear good reviews from housewives, is to apply ground chalk to the stain.
Traditional methods
It is recommended to first test the product on an inconspicuous area of the fabric of the product. Only then use it to remove watercolor stains.
Oil + powder
You can wash watercolors this way if the stain is fresh. You need to mix washing powder (1 tsp) with half a teaspoon of butter until smooth.
Then rub the mixture into the stain using a brush in an even layer. Machine wash and dry.
Alcohol
Use when heated for all types of fabrics, even silk. Apply the product with a moistened swab to the stain and sprinkle with talcum powder. Then rinse. This way the gouache is also washed off.
Ammonia + vinegar
Take the ingredients in equal quantities and apply delicately with a cotton swab to the watercolor stain for 30 minutes. Next wash. The method helps to wash away even old stains that are ingrained into the fabric.
Hot vinegar
Not suitable for delicate fabrics. The product should be poured into a container and heated. Apply to the stain from the edges to the center. Wash.
How to remove an old stain
It is more difficult to get rid of dried paint on clothes, but it is also quite possible. To do this, you need to choose the appropriate method or even combine several options. If you didn’t get the paint off perfectly the first time, you can repeat the procedure.
This is interesting:
painting pants black .
The most effective way is to use proven traditional methods:
- soaking with laundry soap and then washing in a machine;
- use of any modern oxygen stain removers;
- using heated table vinegar applied to the stain with a cotton pad to dissolve the paint;
- soaking the contamination with a solution of soda and hydrogen peroxide;
- a mixture of glycerin and alcohol in equal proportions;
- Apply white spirit to the contaminated area with a napkin.
Attention!
Hot vinegar and other strong preparations are not suitable for fine silk and synthetics.
After using any cleaners, you must rinse the product and wash it by machine or hand. For delicate fabrics, you can use dry cleaning services that use safe, potent preparations.
Old stains on clothes
