How To Remove Spray Paint From Plastic

Nothing ruins a painting project like splatters and drips of paint all over your plastic items and other unwanted surfaces – at least that has been my biggest nightmare whenever I decide to spray paint any surface around home!

Painting slip-ups are common – even with the most meticulous DIY experts – as we can never be too careful with spray paints.

So, there is no need to beat yourself up for this minor painting mishap.

Removing spray paint from a plastic surface would demand more than a simple ‘rub and wipe,’ especially if you do not notice the mess till it has completely dried up.

Many DIY-ers would often rush to the nearest store to get more and more paint thinner or polish remover.

It is advisable to be careful when using these solvents to remove spray paint from plastics.

Although they do the job quite well, they might deteriorate your plastic surfaces if you do not use them correctly.

Generally, using the wrong method to remove spray paint from a plastic surface has always landed me in a much worse problem.

How to Remove Spray Paint from Plastic Surfaces

Recently, I was refinishing my patio furniture in my backyard and wasn’t paying attention to my son’s toys all over the garden.

Being inexperienced in painting, I kept spilling paint all over, including my boy’s plastic toy truck.

As it was his favourite in the whole lot, I had to find a solution, or I would have been in big trouble when he got back from school.

Luckily, a few trials and failures had helped me learn a few tricks to use in paint removal from plastic surfaces.

Within no time, I had the plastic toy truck all cleaned up, looking newer than before.

I’ll share my favourite trick with you!

Step-by-Step Guide for Removing Spray Paint from Plastic Surfaces

What you will need!

• A pair of gloves
• Warm water and soap
• Clean rags/paper towels
• Plastic putty knife
• Vegetable oil
• Nail polish remover

Step 1: Wash the Surface with Soap and Water

Before you think of applying nail polish remover, you should start by trying to wash off the paint using water and soap.

The spray paint would come off if it had not dried off.

However, you need to proceed to step two if the stains are all stuck up on the surface.

Step 2: Scrub the Surface with a Plastic Putty Knife

If the paint is stuck on the surface, a plastic putty knife might help scrub it off.

Ensure you are gently scraping to avoid damaging the surface. If the paint has dried up completely, then a plastic putty knife would not be of much help.

Step 3: Apply Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil can help moisten and loosen the spray paint. Apply a small amount of vegetable oil on a rag and gently rub it on the stained plastic surface for a minute or two.

When you notice small patches of paint coming off, try scraping with a putty knife again. If that doesn’t work, then it may be time to try solvents.

Step 4: Apply Nail Polish Remover (or another solvent of your choice)

Applying nail polish remover removes paint from a plastic surface, whether dried or not.

Apply small amounts of nail polish remover on a paper towel or rag and gently scrub off the paint from the stained surface.

Step 5: Remove Stains With A Damp Rap

Once you get rid of all the stains, wash or wipe the surface with a damp rag to remove detached patches.

How Do You Remove Spray Paint From Plastic?

Here’s how you remove spray paint from plastic in 5 steps…

1. Wash the surface with soap and water.
2. Scrub the surface with a plastic putty knife.
3. Apply vegetable oil.
4. Apply Nail polish removal.
5. Remove any patches with a damp rag.

Removing spray paint from a plastic surface can be a daunting task.

However, the mess is not something you cannot fix at home with a few DIY steps.

Follow the step-by-step guide above to remove any paint stain from a plastic surface without leaving a trace.