Removing acrylic paint from plastic is easy, as long as you are using the right materials and techniques. You need to make sure that you can remove the paint without damaging the plastic.
You can easily remove acrylic paint from plastic and plexiglass acrylic sheets. Harsh chemicals will cause the plastic to melt and warp, but other methods will work so you can save the items that are covered in paint.
The great thing about plastic or plexiglass acrylic sheets is that they are both non-porous surfaces. This means that in most cases paint will not permanently bond to either material and you can remove it rather easily.
Today we are going to take a look at how to remove acrylic paint from plastic and plexiglass acrylic sheets. Let’s get started!
Removing Wet Acrylic Paint From Plastic
It is a lot easier to remove wet paint from plastic than it is to remove paint that has dried. You don’t even need to use any solvents for this in most cases.
First, fill a bucket with warm water and add some mild dish liquid. Stir it up to combine the soap and water.
If the items you are trying to clean are small, you can simply submerge them into soapy water and let them soak for a few minutes. Use a sponge or even your fingertips to scrub the paint away.
If you are trying to clean larger items, you may have to dip a sponge into the water and scrub away the paint rather than letting it soak off. It may even be necessary to scrub the affected areas a few times to get rid of all of the wet paint.
Once you have cleaned the plastic item, allow it to completely dry. Leave it in a well-ventilated area. Or, you can use a towel to pat the area dry.
Removing Dried Acrylic Paint From Plastic
You are going to need to use a bit of elbow grease to remove dry paint from the plastic. If there are thick globs of paint, you may want to soak the affected area(s) with rubbing alcohol. I suggest using a 91% or 99% rubbing alcohol for this purpose.
While this isn’t necessary, it will make the job a whole lot easier. You only need to use enough alcohol to cover the affected area.
Whether or not you use alcohol, you will still need to scrape the paint away. Use a sharp tool, such as a paint scraper for this purpose.
Place the scraping tool against the edge of the paint at an angle. If you are using a paint scraper, you will need to push the paint away from you. If you are using your fingernails, move in the opposite direction.
Keep scraping until you have removed most of the paint. There may still be a bit of paint left, but you can use oil or water to get rid of that.
Putting some oil or water on the paint stain will help to soften the paint, making it easier to scrape off. You may even want to do this before the first step.
Once you have removed all of the paint, you can clean the surface with clean water. Allow the item to air-dry and then it will be ready to use again.
Removing Acrylic Paint From Plexiglass Acrylic Sheet
There are a couple of methods you can use to remove acrylic paint from a plexiglass acrylic sheet. The method you choose will depend on a few things, including the type of acrylic paint involved.
I advise testing each of the methods on a small section of the plexiglass before cleaning the entire affected area.
#1. Remove Acrylic Paint With Isopropyl Alcohol
The first method involves using isopropyl alcohol. Soak a soft cloth with the isopropyl alcohol, and gently rub the cloth against the area where you need to remove the paint.
Rub the cloth in circular motions, and repeat as often as necessary until you notice the paint beginning to loosen. At this point, it should start coming off quite easily.
You may need to do a second round of cleaning with isopropyl alcohol to remove all of the paint. This is especially true if there are thick layers of acrylic paint.
Also, never use any abrasive materials to remove acrylic paint from plexiglass. You don’t want to end up scratching the surface, which will ruin it.
#2. Remove Acrylic Paint with Acetone
While acetone is a great tool for removing paint from many surfaces, you will need to be careful when using it on plexiglass. Acetone is a very strong solvent, and if you use too much or let it sit on the plexiglass for too long, it could damage the surface.
Before you apply the acetone, make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated area. Acetone has strong fumes, and you don’t want to end up with any respiratory issues.
Take a soft cloth and dampen it with some acetone. Place the cloth onto the affected area and rub it in a circular motion.
Keep doing this until you have removed all of the paint. You may need to rinse the cloth and add more acetone as needed until the entire stain has been removed.
Once you have removed all of the paint from the plexiglass acrylic sheet, rinse it with clear water and let it dry thoroughly.
I don’t recommend using acetone on plexiglass unless it is absolutely necessary. I only suggest using acetone if the isopropyl alcohol doesn’t clean off all of the acrylic paint.
Conclusion
There is no need to panic if you spill acrylic paint on a plastic item or a piece of plexiglass acrylic sheet, or if you make a mistake while painting on plastic. With a little bit of effort, you can usually clean it off fairly easily.
It is easier to clean wet paint than dried paint, but even if it is dry you should be able to get it off plastic. Often, I simply soften the paint and then peel it off with my fingernails.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!