Safer Way to Clean Up After Painting

After painting anything, you inevitably get paint on your hands. Instead of using paint thinner or a strong chemical soap to get it off, use vegetable oil. It works just as well and is nontoxic which is healthier for you and the environment.

How to Remove White Out

White Out or any correction fluid leaves a very nasty stain. It is very similar to paint stains, but also has characteristics of plaster stains because of its thick consistancy. Once it has dried in place, you will have to use a putty knife to remove the majority of it. To remove the remaining residue, use paint thinner on a clean rag. Work the thinner into the stain until it begins to break down. Use a clean part of the rag and fresh thinner to remove the remainder. Be very careful when using paint thinner, it will discolor many surfaces. Also, it will obviously remove any paint from the area you are trying to clean. Paint thinner is also flammible and exposure can be dangerous, so always wear gloves and a respirator.

Removing Bathtub Decals

I love the non-slip surface bathtub decals make, but I hate how dirty they can get. Every few years we just replace ours, but removing them can be a challenge. Here are some tips that can make the job much easier.

• Soak the decals in mineral spirits and use a popsicle stick or other blunt object to get under them to pull the decals off. This will leave the glue so you will have to use something to remove it. To remove the glue you can use Bon Ami or other slightly abrasive cleanser if you can use that on your tub surface. We use Goo Gone. It works great on removing the excess glue.
• You can do the same procedure as above but instead of mineral spirits you can try rubbing alcohol, lighter fluid, nail polish remover, or paint thinner. I have only tried rubbing alcohol so try the others at your own risk.

As always, be careful when working in the bathtub. When you put many of these cleansers into the tub it can become very slippery and we don't want you to slip and hurt yourself.

Removing Oil-Based Paint from Clothing

Last year I bought two new pairs of jeans. They fit great and were still a solid color when I decided to paint the doors on my garage. I (as always) was extremely careful covering all areas to not be painted. I also practiced very careful brush strokes to keep the paint on the brushes. The door came out great. I didn't get a drop on me until I was cleaning up my drop-cloth and it rubbed paint directly onto my pants. To remove the paint, act fast and blot, don't rub. If you rub the stain it will only get forced deeper into the cloth. Apply a small amount of paint thinner or alcohol to a clean cloth and test on the inside seem of one of your pant legs to make sure it doesn't damage the color or the fabric. Once you have spot treated the area and the paint begins to soften, remove the remainder of the paint by agitating it in a solution of water and a strong liquid detergent. Once the majority of the paint has been removed, launder immediately. This will remove the final paint residue and all of the solvents.

Removing color stains left behind after removing candle wax

If you used our tip Removing Candle Wax, there can sometimes be color stains left from the dye in the wax. On many surfaces you can dab the area with a paper towel with paint thinner to remove the stain. Be sure to test an inconspicuous area to make sure that your cleaning solution is not going to damage your surface.