How To Get Liquid Latex Out Of Carpet in 3 simple steps

If you’re a painter or were, simply, doing your own home painting, you might have used liquid latex as part of your process. However, you might also have spilled it on your floors at some point. 

If you wind up with liquid latex on your floors, don’t panic. You can get rid of it in just three simple steps. 

First, blot the wet paint. Second, scrub the liquid latex with water and dish soap. Finally, use a stain remover on difficult stains. 

What Is Liquid Latex and Why Is It Staining My Carpet? 

Before we jump into how to remove liquid latex, let’s take a minute to address a few things you need to know about the substance. Having a solid understanding of the stuff will make it easier for you to get liquid latex out of your floor. 

Liquid latex is water-based paint. You can use it for tons of different applications including: 

• Casting
• Body painting
• Face makeup

Latex paint dries quickly, doesn’t give off harsh fumes, and is easy to clean up, making it a preferred choice for many people. 

What’s interesting about liquid latex is that it’s a water-based substance. That means that it can actually come out of your carpets pretty easy! If you’re painting with liquid latex, you won’t have to worry too much about getting it out of your carpets.

From time to time, however, you might find that you need some harsher chemicals. In that case, rubbing alcohol will usually do the trick.

Part 1: Dab the Wet Paint to Get It Off the Ground

Now that you know what liquid latex is, it’s time to get to work. The best way to get rid of liquid latex stains is to catch them early while the material is still wet. 

If you catch it early enough, you can usually remove it before it sets into the carpet. That means less scrubbing and less worrying for you. 

However, if you arrived at the scene of the spill a little later, don’t worry. You can dab the paint with some paper towels or rags to get up the worst of the solution. 

Part 2: Mix Up a Bucket of Warm Water and Dish Soap

Once you’ve blotted up the worst of the latex it’s time for you to break out the water and the dish soap. Mix up hot water and a few drops of dish soap in a bucket. The hotter the water, the better, although make sure that it won’t burn you. 

Stir the mixture so that you create a slight lather. Then, dip a heavy-duty scrubbing brush into the mixture and thoroughly saturate the bristles. 

Next, get to work scrubbing the stain. Don’t expect the stain to come up without a bit of elbow grease. You’ll need to spend at least a few minutes scrubbing the stain, and may need to repeat the dabbing process and then re-scrub to get everything out. 

Pro Tips for Getting Out the Worst of the Stains

Sometimes, you’ll have liquid latex stains that just don’t want to come out of the carpet. Never fear, because Steam Clean is here with a couple of quick solutions!

Commercial Carpet Cleaner

If you don’t have a commercial carpet cleaner you can use a microfiber cloth and a mixture of one cup of vinegar and one cup of water. Spritz the cleaning solution on the stain and use the microfiber cloth to get rid of the stain. 

For those who are working with a carpet cleaner, follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s label. Repeat the process as many times as you need to get rid of the worst of the stain. 

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is truly magical stuff, and when you pour it on liquid latex, you can usually get the last of the pesky stains out of your carpet!

For this method, just pour a tinge of rubbing alcohol on the carpet. Let it soak into the stain and then dab at it with a dry rag to get it out of the floor. 

Rinse the carpet with cold water by blotting it with a damp, cool rag. This should get rid of the rubbing alcohol from your carpets and any lingering liquid latex with it. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Dissolves Liquid Latex?

Alcohol is a well-known solvent for latex. You can use either isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol to remove and dissolve latex paint and products around the home. 

Is Liquid Latex Easy to Remove?

Liquid latex is fairly easy to remove, and can usually done with just dish soap and warm water. You may need to use a bit of elbow grease, but you should have the liquid latex out of your carpets and clothing in no time.