Removing Spray Paint from a Table
Spray paint coats surfaces evenly with water, oil or latex paint. The fact that spray paint has several bases makes it difficult to remove without damaging other finishes if you are not sure what type of paint was used. When removing spray paint from a table you must take into account the type of paint and the type of finish on the table, if it exists.
Instructions
Method solvent
- Read the spray paint label to determine what the base is, if you can. Select the solvent considering the base paint: water-based paint is water, latex paint is alcohol and oil based is acetone.
- Look closely at the table to see what type of finish the surface is. Wood can be raw, stained or varnished. Plastic and glass are more resistant to solvents with less worry.
- Apply the appropriate solvent on a clean cloth and if there are no worries about the underlying table finish. If you are concerned about the finish, you use the scraping method to remove paint.
- Apply mineral oil on a rag and clean a section of the table where you have worry about the paint finish, such as wood. Mineral oil lubricates the wood and helps protect any finish.
- Place a cloth on the stain paint.
- Scrape the paint with a scraper. Be careful not to apply too much pressure to scratch or damage the finish of the table. Use a finger nail if you have big concerns.
Tips & Warnings
- Clean paint accidents immediately to make the job easier.
