How To Remove Paint From Vinyl Floor?
Shojib Hoq
Sep 25, 2022
There are three general types of paint: oil, acrylic or latex (water-based paint), and spray paint. All can be affected on vinyl floors. So, you may find an answer about “how to remove paint from vinyl floors”?
Paints can be easily removed on vinyl floor if the paint is stubborn or wet. Most of the time water and a wet rug is enough. But if the paint is cured, you must follow advanced techniques such as rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, paint remover, solvent, etc.
In this article, I will explain many worked vinyl floor cleaning methods. Read the article and choose your option. As well as give you some necessary tips which may help your floor protection. 😉
Table of Contents
- How to protect the vinyl floor while the paint removing?
- 9 effective ways to remove any paint from vinyl floor
- What is the best way to remove paint from vinyl floor?
- FAQ About Remove Paint From Vinyl Floor
- Can you use paint stripper on the vinyl floor to remove paint?
- Can you use dish soap on vinyl floors to remove paint?
- Can I use mineral spirits on vinyl flooring to remove paint?
- Can you use Ammonia to remove paint on vinyl floors?
- Can you use bleach for paint removal on vinyl flooring?
- Is paint thinner work for paint removal on vinyl floors?
- Can you use magic eraser on vinyl floors to remove paint?
How to protect the vinyl floor while the paint removing?
In paint removal, you may use different materials that could damage or scratch the floor. You should carefully do your job.
Sandpaper or scraper can be used for removing paint. You should choose fine-grit sandpaper paper. For scrapers, use plastic scrapers. Metal scrapers and non-fine grit sandpaper can scratch the vinyl floor.
For using solvent on the floor, you should be careful. Some solvent dissolves paint and also vinyl floor finish. So before using solvent, check manufacturer guidelines. Before applying it to the main project, you should test the solvent in a small space. In the test, if you are unsatisfied, try different methods.
9 effective ways to remove any paint from vinyl floor
Oil or enamel paint
- Goo Gone: best method for removing oil paint.
- PEC-12: heavy-duty paint remover
Latex or house paint
- Hand sanitizer: Primary, however, great for water-based paint
- Rubbing alcohol: dissolve latex paint easily
Acrylic paint
- Scrapper: scrap paint
- Nail polish remover: dissolve old cured acrylic paint
Spray paint
- Rubbing alcohol: Works well for spray paint
- Left off: specialized spray paint remover
Work for all paint
- Home Remedy: vinegar and baking soda mixer
#1 Goo Gone
Goo gone dissolve oil paint on vinyl floors. With easy scraping, the paint will be removed.
What you need
- Goo Gone
- 0000 steel wool
- Soapy warm water
How to apply Goo Gone?
Step 1: Spray Goo gone on the paint surface.
Step 2: Give it some time to dissolve.
Step 3: Take steel wool and rub the paint. The paint will come off soon.
Step 4: Wipe off paint with soapy warm water and rug.
Note: If the paint does not come off with steel wool, don’t do it very hard. wool can scratch the vinyl floor.
This video tutorial may help you 😋
Can you use Goof off on vinyl flooring?
Goof off has two versions. One is solvent-based, and the other is water-based.
You should not use Goof off pro strength remover because it is solvent-based, which is pretty strong. It may remove paint from the vinyl floor and the vinyl protective layer.
You can use Goof off water-based stain remover. It is a soft version of Goof off and does not harm vinyl floors. You can use it on more lite materials like leather.
#2 12-PEC
12-PEC generally used for photography projects. However, it works great for oil paint removal on vinyl floors.
Note: Highly toxic chemical. Use gloves, goggles, and masks.
You need
- 12-PEC
- Cotton Swabs
- Worm soap water
How do you apply?
Step 1: Put safety gear properly and apply 12-PEC on the affected area.
Step 2: Give it some time to dissolve, and gently rub the area with a cotton swab.
Step 3: After removing, use a damp rug to clean the area.
#3 Hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is alcohol-based, which is the perfect chemical to remove water-based paint, such as latex paint. Sanitizer is a very easy and safe chemical vinyl and the human body.
What do you need?
- Hand sanitizer
- Scrubbing brush
- Soapy damp rug
How to apply hand sanitizer
Step 1: Apply hand sanitizer on the affected paint area and give it some time to dissolve.
Step 2: Take a scrubbing brush and rub the paint. The paint will be coming off.
Step 3: Remove the loose paint with a damp soapy rug.
This video will help you
#4 rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is an advanced chemical that can effectively remove latex paint from vinyl floors.
The process is the same as hand sanitizer. However, I will describe it again. 🥰
You need
- Rubbing alcohol
- Scrubbing brush
- Damp rug
How to apply?
Step 1: Apply rubbing alcohol on the paint area.
Step 2: Give it some time like 10 minutes to dissolve, and take a Scrubbing brush and rub the paint. Brush will remove the paint.
Step 3: Take a soapy dump rug and clean the paint on the floor.
Is rubbing alcohol safe for vinyl floors?
Rubbing alcohol does not contain any strong solvent or chemical which can harm vinyl floors. This chemical is used for a long time to clean the floor.
However, if vinyl floor manufacturers have different recommendations, you should apply them. But for one or two times using rubbing alcohol on vinyl floors is very safe.
What is the best latex paint remover method for the vinyl floor?
There are tested hand sanitizer vs. nail polish remover vs. rubbing alcohol vs. wd 40 for removing latex paint from the vinyl floor. Hand sanitizer gives the best results, and then rubbing alcohol. Nail polish remover did not do a good job; however, I believe if we take different brand, that could work well. Wd 40 did not do a good job.
It is the comparison video 😉
#5 Scraper
You can soften acrylic paint, then use a scraper to remove the paint.
You need
- Rubbing alcohol
- Plastic scraper
- Damp soapy rug
How to apply the method?
Step 1: Apply rubbing alcohol on dried acrylic paint. Give it a good time to dissolve, like 30-60 minutes.
Step 2: Take a plastic scraper. Why plastic scraper? It does not scratch the floor. Scrape the paint from the floor.
Step 3: Take a dump soap rug and clean all paint.
#6 Nail polish remover
Nail polish remover is a strong solvent that contains acetone. It is very effective against any type of water-based paint, such as acrylic paint.
Note: before applying to the main project, please test it on a small surface.
What do you need?
- Nail polish remover
- Cotton swabs
- Safety gear (mask, goggles, gloves)
How to apply this method?
Step 1: Apply nail polish remover with cotton swabs.
Step 2: Rub the nail polish remover with a cotton swab and give it some time to dissolve.
Step 3: Take a dumb rug and clean the dissolved paint.
This video may help you 🥇
Will acetone damage vinyl planks?
Vinyl flooring product is plastic based. Acetone is a heavy solvent. This chemical dissolve plastic. So acetone can damage vinyl plank.
However, some vinyl is not affected by acetone for short use. You should test on the vinyl first apply. Of course, test it in an unseen area.
And check vinyl manufacturer recommendations before applying.
#7 Soapy damp rug
You can remove spray paint with soupy damp rug and rubbing alcohol.
You need
- Rubbing alcohol
- Damp soapy rug
How to apply
Step 1: Apply rubbing alcohol on the vinyl floor and give it a minimum of 10 minutes to dissolve.
Step 2: Soak a cloth with rubbing alcohol. Rub the dissolved paint with the cloth.
Step 3: After removing the paint, take a damp soapy rug and clean the area properly.
#8 Left off
Left off is a perfect product for removing cured spray paint from vinyl floors. You also can remove acrylic paint, primer, permanent marker, etc.
What do you need?
- Left off
- Scrubbing brush
- Clean damp rug
How to apply?
Step 1: Spray Left off on the paint.
Step 2: Give it some time to dissolve.
Step 3: Rub the paint with a scrubbing brush. The paint will start to be removed.
Step 4: Use a damp soapy rug for cleaning and removing paint.
#9 Home Remedies
You can easily make home remedies by mixing vinegar and baking soda to remove paint on vinyl floors. It is a safe and easy process.
You can try this process for removing acrylic, oil, and spray paint.
What do you need?
- Baking soda
- White Vinegar
- Scrubbing brush
How to apply?
Step 1: Put 1 tablespoon baking soda and 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a bowl. Then mix with a spoon.
Step 2: Apply mixer to the dried paint area, and give it some time to dissolve.
Step 3: Take the scrubbing brush and rub the paint. Remove the paint.
Step 4: After removing, take a damp cloth and clean the area.
Will vinegar damage vinyl floors?
Vinegar is an acid-based product. But the acid is very weak, which is 5-10%. It is not that much effective for damage vinyl floors. However, vinegar should not regularly use on the floor.
You can use vinegar to remove paint project without issue.
Can you use apple cider vinegar to remove paint from vinyl floors?
Apple cider vinegar contains 5-6% acid, less than the general vinegar. It can remove the paint but will be less effective.
However, you can try it as a test project. If you are happy, go for the main project.
What is the best way to remove paint from vinyl floor?
You can easily clean any stubborn paint with soap and a dump rug. But if oil paint is cured, apply Goo Gone with steel wool. If it doesn’t work after that, apply 12-PEC. It is a strong method, and it will work.
For latex, acrylic, and any water-based paint, hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol are popular methods for cleaning cured paint.
Spray paint is a different type of paint. However, for removing paint, rubbing alcohol work great. If it doesn’t work, apply Left off product.
You can try the home remedies method for any cured paint. I hope it will work.
FAQ About Remove Paint From Vinyl Floor
Can you use paint stripper on the vinyl floor to remove paint?
Paint stripper is a powerful solvent. It can dissolve paint as well as plastic surfaces like vinyl floor. It can remove the paint but damage the vinyl floor protection layer. So paint stripper is not recommended for vinyl floor use.
Can you use dish soap on vinyl floors to remove paint?
Dish soap can be used on the vinyl floor to remove paint. Dish soap dissolves the paint, and with a scraper or dishwasher, you can remove the paint. However, for cured paint, dish soap does not give good results. This method can be best if the paint is stubborn. There are popular dish soaps in the market, such as Dawn, Palmolive, etc.
Can I use mineral spirits on vinyl flooring to remove paint?
Mineral sprite generally does not affect vinyl floors. However, you should not use it directly on the floor. Wet a cloth with mineral spirits and then apply it as a remover. Removing cured paint doesn’t give great results for acrylic and latex paint. However, you can test it and then apply it to the project.
Can you use Ammonia to remove paint on vinyl floors?
Ammonia is a corrosive chemical for vinyl floors. And it damages the vinyl floor badly. However, Ammonia is a good chemical for removing paint, but it is not for vinyl floors.
Can you use bleach for paint removal on vinyl flooring?
Blench is a harsh chemical that can affect vinyl floors; however, it can be applied on vinyl floors. But it is not effective for removing paint.
Is paint thinner work for paint removal on vinyl floors?
Paint thinner is not recommended product use on vinyl floors. This chemical can damage the vinyl’s upper layer.
Can you use magic eraser on vinyl floors to remove paint?
Magic Eraser tested on vinyl floors. Result, it is a safe product. Rub magic eraser as a light passer on the paint area. If the vinyl floor has a shiny finish or textured, scrub hard to remove the paint.