Yikes! You’ve just moved into your new home and discovered the previous owners left dried latex paint splatters and drips on the hardwood floors! What do you do? You need to know how to safely remove latex paint from hardwood floors.
The trick to removing old, dried, latex paint from hardwood floors is to start with a method that involves the least amount of chemicals. You want to avoid damaging the hardwood finish on the floors at all costs. You can consult with a professional painting company for suggestions if the recommendations below don’t work. Sometimes new products come on the market and a professional painter may be able to suggest one.
You may not know if the dried paint is water-based latex, or an oil-based paint. Oil-based paints require a more aggressive approach that can damage the floors. If you’re unsure, start with these gentle processes below to remove latex paint. If these don’t work, the drips or splatters may be an oil-based product.
SCRAPING WITH A PLASTIC SCRAPER
The first attempt should be scraping the paint with a plastic scraper tool such as a plastic putty knife. The goal is to gently scrape the latex paint splatter so as not to damage the wood. Do not use a metal scraper! The last thing you want to do is scratch the floor or dig out a chunk of the wood! Always scrape with the grain of the wood! Remember, we’re trying to discover how to safely remove latex paint from hardwood floors, not remove the finish. If this technique doesn’t work, move on to the next step.
DAMP MICROFIBER CLOTH & MILD SOAP
The next level, if the plastic scraper was not successful, is to try a damp microfiber cloth with a drop of dishwashing liquid. Again, work in the direction of the wood grain not against it, when rubbing. You can put a good amount of pressure into rubbing the paint splatter with this cloth. Sometimes, the moisture is enough to soften the paint. Softened paint can then be gently scraped with your plastic scraper.
GOOF OFF PAINT SPLATTER REMOVER
For stubborn water-based latex paint splatters, Goof Off Paint Splatter Remover can be tried. The manufacturer claims it will not damage hardwood floors. However, there have been a few complaints that on some wood floors, the finish was damaged. Again, try it in an inconspicuous area first so that if the finish is damaged, it will not show.
When discussing how to safely remove latex paint from hardwood floors, the main goal is to remove the paint and obviously not damage the finish on the flooring. You’ll want to first test any of these methods in an inconspicuous spot to ensure they don’t hurt the finish.
If you’ve tried the more gentle methods above and nothing has helped so far, the dried paint may very well be oil-based. Oil-based paint is a little more tricky and truly should be dealt with by the hardwood floor experts. Your best bet is to call a hardwood flooring company and talk to them about what you’ve tried. They can advise on any other approaches that may be available to you.
