Gouache is a wonderful bright paint for artistic creativity. And if handled carelessly, it leaves wonderful stains on clothes. And washing gouache from fabric at home turns out to be not as easy and fun as painting with it.
It's all about its composition. Gouache paint consists of glue, white and colored pigment. The presence of an adhesive base makes it difficult to remove the stain. But don’t despair, nothing is impossible. Although next time it’s better to use an apron, arm ruffles or old clothes. It is possible to wash gouache from clothes and fabrics at home, without resorting to dry cleaning.
General features of cleansing
The difficulty of getting rid of gouache paint stains depends not only on the detergent chosen for this purpose, but also on the fabric on which the stains settled. However, before embarking on the path of struggle, it is important to consider some general rules that apply equally to all fabrics and stains of any color.
- Fresh gouache paint stains are much easier to remove.
- This difficult task cannot be done without soaking.
- All manipulations with the stain must be done in cool water, otherwise it will not be possible to wash it off. Under the influence of hot water, gouache eats into the fibers of the fabric.
- Before you wet the stained fabric, examine the gouache stain. If the paint layer is quite large and has already dried, clean it with a brush and only then proceed to soaking and washing.This will make your job easier and prevent new stains from forming.
- The information on the label of the soiled item will help you decide on the choice of cleaning product.
Also, in the fight against multi-colored patterns in the style of abstract art on your favorite things, a clear action plan will help.
- Clean the stain with a stiff brush (if it is already dry);
- Rinse the stained area under running cold water; some of the paint will come off immediately;
- Soak the item with detergent for about 30 minutes;
- Wash the area of contamination;
- Rinse the item in cool water;
- Complete the process by washing the item in your usual way.
That's all. And in order to remove all gouache stains without hassle, you need to choose the right product.
We remove gouache stains on natural fabrics
Natural fabrics are less easy to clean from stains than synthetic ones. However, the range of means for this is quite wide. If the stain is not old, laundry soap will do the job perfectly. They need to wash the contaminated area and leave it for a while. Or soak the item in a solution of soap shavings and cool water.
If the stain is not completely removed, you should use a solvent. White Spirit is well suited for removing gouache from fabric. The product is applied to the stain and left to act for half an hour. After which the item must be thoroughly rinsed and washed.
Also, simple products that every housewife always has on hand will help you remove gouache stains at home.
- table vinegar, it should be applied to a cotton swab and lightly rubbing, treat the area of contamination;
- dishwashing detergent perfectly dissolves the adhesive component of gouache paint;
- acetone-based nail polish remover is a worthy alternative to any solvent;
- and with the help of whitening toothpaste you can get rid of paint stains in a matter of minutes, but this method is only suitable for white natural fabrics.
Removing gouache from synthetic fabrics
Removing a stain of bright and rich gouache paint from synthetic fabric will not be difficult. The shelves of household chemical stores today are full of all kinds of bleaches and stain removers. For synthetics, you can use almost any of them. The only rule is to strictly follow the instructions on the bottle.
If you don’t have any treasured bottle of such a product in your home stash, and you seriously intend to not let the stain dry out and remove it fresh, feel free to use any option from the previous paragraph.
There is another wonderful remedy that is most likely found in every home. This is ammonia.
Separately, it is worth noting mustard powder. You need to dilute the dry mixture in a small amount of warm water to the consistency of thick sour cream, apply gouache to the stain after rinsing and rub a little with light movements. After this, immediately wash off the mustard. This method is good for cleaning colored items.
Removing gouache stains from delicate fabrics
Cleaning delicate fabrics from stubborn gouache will require maximum attention and patience.It is from them that gouache stains are most difficult to remove.
The fact is that using standard bleaches and rough solvents can irreversibly damage your favorite item.
To wash velvet, silk or velor, you will need special, gentle gel-based products. To rid fabric of paint, do not resort to washing or mechanical cleaning. In this case, only soaking followed by repeated rinsing is suitable.
Among the available means, the following composition has proven itself to be excellent:
- glycerol,
- ammonia,
- denatured alcohol.
All ingredients must be mixed in equal proportions and the resulting mixture applied to the stain with a cotton swab. Leave for a while and then wash with detergent for delicate fabrics.
Carpet and upholstery cleaning
Often, the result of creative impulses is gouache stains on carpets, curtains and upholstery. The cleaning principle generally differs little from the above options. But the process of soaking and rinsing is not possible.
In this case, specialized tools will come to the rescue. The required amount of powder or gel is dissolved in water until a thick foam forms. The foam should be applied to the contaminated area and lightly rubbed with a soft bristle brush. Then you need to thoroughly rinse off the remaining product from the cleaned surface and you can take up your brushes again!
To summarize, it is worth saying that there are cases when a paint stain cannot be completely removed by any means. If this happens, don’t be upset, give things a new life by adding a few more gouache accents.Moreover, hand-painted clothes are in fashion today!
