Okay ladies-- I sure hope someone out there can help me. I spilled some red paint on our driveway. For some reason, my husband's anal about keeping the driveway spotless (it's a driveway for heaven's sake -- not our toilet). Regardless, I spilt some red paint on it ... how do I get it out???
There's a product called goof off, it's worth a try. It removes permanent marker from my tile and vinyl floors.
G.
If it is latex paint, mix some DOWNEY (or other similar FABRIC SOFTNER)with water - about 1 Downey to 3 or 4 parts water. Let it soak. It is amazing how it can soften even hard dried latex paint.
With Downey, I have cleaned and restored to "like new" paint brushes which had been left to dry hard and worthless with latex paint. I have also removed old dried latex paint from a door. Just last week, I soaked electric outlet covers which had been painted the wall color in Downey/water. After just a short time, the paint scraped off with little effort. I always clean my brushes with this mixture now. After just a swish in the water/Downey mixture, they come out clean and dry soft - almost like new! GREAT!!
With concrete, you'll probably need to scrub with a brush. Got this hint from a book on painting - can't remember what the book title is, but the fabric softner really works!
Power washer with bleach solution....
My husband AND I are picky about our driveway. Guess that makes us odd but the driveway is a first impression of your house. What would you think driving up to a nice house with a driveway full of oil residue, etc. Guess it is just me.
A high pressure washer should help along with some elbow grease and a wire brush.
Good luck!
Mela Magic and Sol-U-Mel will take it off. Let me know if you would like to learn how to get, if you don't already have some.
H. M.
Looks like you got some good cleanup advice. I just thought I'd offer support by telling you that my dad used to freak out about the same thing. Grease stains from a boyfriend's car were just about the end of the world. After lenghthy "it's a driveway, where cars park" arguments, I ended up with a scrub brush and Simple Green. (That stuff works miracles on anything greasy, by the way.) Sounds like a good excuse for your husband to have some fun with a power washer!
I think a power sprayer washer thing should do the trick...
AprilJ
ps tell your husband to get over it.
This is so funny to me. Not your post, but the fact that my husband is also an engineer and he is the same way about our driveway being spotfree :-) I guess they all think alike.
You may have to rent a high pressure cleaner from a rental place or hire a company to do it. Doing it yourself would be cheaper. That's the only way I know how to get it out. The concrete is so pourous (sp?), the paint adhears to every nook and cranny.
It really depends on what kind of paint it is. Latex will be fairly easy to remove with a pressure washer or even full strength Krud Kutter (that stuff is AMAZING, I could write a book about it!) But if it is spray paint or something more stubborn, you can get a can of graffiti remover and use that. Just be patient when you do, and make sure your kids aren't around. A day with very little to no wind helps too. Anyway, spray the graffiti remover and be patient. If you let it sit on 20-30 minutes or so, it will wash away with the water hose with minimal effort.
We have worked at a car wash for 10 years and deal with knuckleheads washing out paint supplies in the bays on a weekly basis and then the occasional "taggers" in training. HAHA.
Have you tried letting some paint thinner sit on it, and then a pressure washer?
Can't help you with the paint problem, but I knew before reading your entire post you were married to an engineer! Honey, they are ALL like that! I know because I am married to one, too!!!!
It's definitely a man thing!!!! If it's oil based try mineral spirits first and if that doesn't work try muratic acid. You can get both at places like Home Depot and Lowes. You should be able to get it out with a little of the muratic acid but please be careful as it is an acid and can burn if any gets on your skin. We dilute it a bit so it's not so strong. What it basically does is eats away at the surface. Hope that works for you!
Have you tried acetone? Not sure where you could get it, but it's the agent in nail polish remover that gives it the unique smell and I've known schools to use it to get graffiti off brick walls. Don't know if paint thinner would help? Other than that, I'd say go to Home Depot/Lowes and ask them.
Tell the husband to grow up! If he's that fuzzy about red paint on a DRIVE WAY think of what your children are going to go through in the future!
Red paint. Go to the local Lowe's/Home Depot and inquire.
Good luck.
No advice to offer besides agreeing with what has already been posted, but I feel your pain. Our driveway and garage are in the back where no one can see them and no one goes in them but us and my husband has dreams of painting the floor and having it shine. All for the car to sit on. Guys just have different ideas of interior design!
The best way to remove spilled paint on concrete is to hose it off when the spill occurs, very easy when it happens. Obviously now the paint has dried and has skinned over, NOT good!! Now it will take some muscle pressure washer or sandblasting. First scrape off excess with a sharp tool, scraper, 5n1 tool, sqaure shovel edge. Then soak with laquer thinner or acetone to soften whats left, then remainder should come off with a pressure sprayer or washer. Next time take care of any paint issues immediately before it has time to set up.
C. Dandridge
HomePro Services
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GO to your local hardware store and buy MURATIC ACID. IT is VERY strong and highly dangerous for children but it is sold specifically for cleaning drives and other concrete. It smells like rotten eggs but cleaned the paint off my driveway with a little elbow grease. Good Luck :)
