How and what to wash gouache from clothes, 10 best home remedies
Drawing is an interesting and useful hobby, but being carried away by creativity, you definitely need to know how and how to remove stains from gouache, watercolor and other paints that have settled on clothes or other nearby objects. Even if the artist protects the clothes with an apron, splatters may fall on exposed areas of the fabric and the brush may fall on the mat. In this case, it is better to remove the stains immediately with all available means.
Causes of difficulties
Gouache is one of the most common paints for children's creativity, so almost every parent faced the problem of removing the stains left by it. Why is it so difficult to treat the traces of this painting? Despite the fact that gouache is a water-soluble paint, its base is glue, so it is impossible to wash gouache off clothes, furniture or carpets without leaving a trace.
General recipes
To remove gouache, you need to start removing it as soon as possible. Dried paint is much more difficult to remove than fresh dirt.The soiled fabric is soaked in cold water and washed with gouache using one of the methods described below.
Hand wash with laundry soap
First, they try to clean the clothes with regular laundry soap. To do this, the fabric is soaked in cold water and thoroughly soaped, allowing time for the detergent to act. Then they try to wipe off the gouache with their hands, intensively washing the stained item of clothing for several minutes, after which the item of clothing should be rinsed well several times under running cold water. More often than not, laundry soap does a good job of removing fresh poster paint stains.
Glycerin and ammonia
If soapy water does not help, clothes are soaked in a mixture of glycerin and ammonia. The product is suitable for natural wool, silk or linen fabrics. To prepare the solution, the components are taken in equal parts. The cleaning agent is applied to the contaminated area, left for an hour, then the item is washed with soap.
Dishwashing liquid
You can use dishwashing liquid to wash the poster paint off your clothes. A concentrated gel works best. The product is added to warm water, stirred and the clothes are soaked for half an hour. After that, the fabric is washed by hand or typewriter.
You can also use detergent to remove any poster paint on your carpet. First, they try to clean as much of the top layer of paint from the pile as possible, then place a low basin under the carpet in the stain area and dampen the fabric with water. After that, wipe off the dirt with a brush using dish gel, laundry soap or use a carpet cleaner according to instructions. At the end, rinse with cold water.
Use of solvents
In the event that the detergents did not help to cope with the gouache that got on the clothes, the solvents come to the rescue. They are suitable only for natural fabrics, synthetics can deform. When working with them, be sure to ventilate the room well and use protective equipment.
Essence
To remove gouache from clothes with gasoline, apply the product to a cotton ball, carefully treat the stain and leave for a few minutes. After that, the fabric is washed in the usual way with soapy water. It is advisable to first try gasoline in an inconspicuous place.
Kerosene
Kerosene is used in the same way as gasoline. The solvent is applied with a cotton swab to the contaminated area, after some time the clothes are washed off by hand. Similarly, you can try dissolving the paint with acetone or an acetone-based nail polish remover.
All these products must be used with care so as not to damage the fabric and skin of the hands, since all solvents are quite corrosive.
Bleach
When choosing a bleach for removing gouache stains from light-colored clothes, preference should be given not to chlorine, but to oxygen. Active oxygen displaces impurities without damaging tissue structure and does not lead to yellowing of white tissues. If paint gets on the white shirt, the liquid bleach is applied directly to the stain and left to sit for a while. The powder is added during washing using a special measuring spoon. Dosages and washing methods are usually indicated on the packaging.
How to remove synthetics at home
It is better to remove gouache stains from synthetic fabrics, as well as from natural ones, immediately after the paint has penetrated, otherwise the glue base hardens and significantly complicates the process. Solvents for synthetics are not used so as not to damage the fabric. Cold or cool water is best.
Alcohol and acid
A good product for removing gouache stains from synthetic fabrics is a mixture of alcohol and oxalic acid. The components are combined in equal proportions and applied to the contamination with a cotton swab for half an hour. After processing, the product is washed off under running water, clothes are washed in the usual way.
The vinegar
A cotton ball is soaked in vinegar, the paint stain is treated and left to act for an hour. Then wash the fabric thoroughly.
Specialized means
If the stain is tough and other products fail, or if you are unsure of their effectiveness and safety, it is best to use chemicals made specifically for the stripper. Specialized tools will also come in handy in the event the poster paint ends up on the upholstery of a couch or rug.
eucalyptus oil
For best results, use the oil undiluted. The agent is applied to the paint stain, wait a while, then remove it with alcohol.
oil and powder
A little butter is combined with washing powder; after mixing the mixture well, rub it on the stain and let it sit for an hour. Garments treated in this way are washed by hand with soap.
What you should not do
When removing gouache stains, it is not recommended to proceed as follows:
- If possible, do not wait for the gouache to dry. A fresh stain is easier and faster to remove without leaving a trace.
- Do not wash things with boiling water, it is better to soak and rinse the contaminated area with cold water.
- Do not use solvents to remove stains from synthetic fabrics.
- Do not use solvents in unventilated rooms.
- When using flammable substances such as gasoline or acetone, do not work near open flames.
- Do not remove stains with aggressive products without protecting your hands with gloves.
How to remove wallpaper
If the gouache has come into contact with thick vinyl or non-woven wallpaper, fresh stains can be removed with baking soda or a detergent diluted in water. A sponge is moistened in the solution and the traces of paint are wiped off with careful movements.
It is impossible to wash the wallpaper with gouache, the stain will have to be masked, which can be done in several ways:
- replace the damaged section of the wallpaper with the same new one;
- disguise the stain by hanging a picture or sign;
- draw a picture with your child directly on the wallpaper, in the children's room it will be appropriate and creative.
In order not to have to resort to such rather radical methods, it is better to equip the workplace in advance, protecting the wallpaper around the table with a special screen or decorative panels.
Creativity should bring only joy and pleasure, and for this you need to know how to remove traces of paint that may remain in the drawing process. If you have care products on hand and know a few simple rules for quickly getting rid of stains, you can safely give your child gouache without fear of the consequences.