How to Remove Dried Water Based Paint from Your Walls

Water based paint is used as an interior paint because it does not have the durability of acrylic paint which is used for exterior purposes. Latex paint is another term used for water based paint despite it not actually having any latex in the formula. If you are painting a ceiling, wood trim or a baseboard with water based paint you may find yourself with a mild cleanup on your hands. Removing water based paint while still wet is easy but when it dries the process is a little different but this article will show you how.

Step 1 - Preparing the Wall

In one gallon of water mix with it about a half teaspoon of soap and shake the bucket until the soap creates some suds. Take a sponge and dip it into the water and saturate it but wring it out to remove excess water. You do not want to soak the paint just clean it. Wipe down the wall with the sponge to remove any dirt or grime that may have accumulated. This alone may remove the dried water based paint. Do not rub or scrub the wall with the wet sponge. You merely want to gently wipe it down. Allow the wall to air dry before continuing forward.

Make use of the painters tape to section the wall off from the baseboard and trim. Getting water based paint on a wall is typically the product of painting the wood trim. You went through the work to paint it so do not make more work for yourself so tape it off.

Step 2 - Razor Blade

You'll not often use a razor blade to remove dried paint but it can come in useful on large dried globules. If you're dealing with splatter or slight streaking then do not worry about using a razor blade. Place the razor blade at a 45-degree angle at the edge of the paint blob. Use light pressure as you slide the razor blade along the bottom of the paint globule. Go very slowly as you use scrape the paint away. If there are any mistakes like paint being removed from the wall you can paint the area over with the wall paint. Any gaps or holes can be filled, sanded and then painted.

Step 3 - Using Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is able to break down many substances with one being paint. It can be used to remove oil based paint as well as water based paint. Remove the cap of the rubbing alcohol and pour a very small amount on a microfiber towel. Place the towel over two of your fingers so that the alcohol is over your fingertips. Do not use a lot of force when rubbing the paint because you do not want to remove the actual paint you want on the wall. Once the paint begins to smear; use a clean towel to remove the smeared paint. Continue in this manner until all of the unwanted paint is removed.