How To Get Spray Paint Off Skin

Getting spray paint on your skin can be a pain, which is why it’s best to wear gloves when using it. But if you’re caught up in your project, it’s easy to forego gloves and lose yourself in the fun of spray painting.

If you do get spray paint on your skin, there’s no need to worry. If you’ve got the right tools on hand, you won’t have any trouble getting the spray paint off of you.

There are many different ways to get spray paint off your skin. From paint wipes to oil, we’ve found the best ways to remove spray paint using easy-to-find items. 

Paint Wipes

One of the best items to buy when removing paint is paint wipes. These professional wipes are designed to remove paint from surfaces and your skin.

All you need to do is grab one and wipe off the paint. They won’t irritate your skin and are great for rehydrating you.

If you’re working on a large project, it’s best to keep some paint wipes on hand to remove unwanted spray paint from your skin.

Hand Sanitizer

It’s useful to have some hand sanitizer on you when you’re using spray paint. Hand sanitizer contains a small percentage of alcohol, so rubbing it on your skin will loosen the paint from your skin.

Once the paint is loose, you’ll find it’s easier to wash it off your skin.

Rubbing Alcohol

Do you know how hand sanitizer can loosen the paint due to alcohol? Rubbing alcohol has the same effect. Put some rubbing alcohol on the paint on your skin.

For the best results, we recommend using ethyl or isopropyl alcohol. Leave it there for a few minutes, then grab a cloth and wipe the excess paint from your skin.

Acetone

If you have some spray paint on your skin, you can remove it using acetone. Acetone can be bought from most grocery stores.

You can put a little bit of acetone on the spray paint so that it will loosen it. However, we suggest you don’t use it if you have sensitive skin, as acetone is a pretty harsh chemical.

Dish Soap

Everyone has dish soap on hand, which makes it a perfect alternative to help you remove spray paint from your skin.

Lather the dish soap on your skin as you would with regular soap and wash it off under the kitchen sink. If you have any paint under your nails, simply remove it with the rough side of a sponge.

The paint should loosen and will come off quickly. 

Coffee Grounds

You can actually combine coffee grounds and dish soap to remove spray paint from your skin.

Mix the dish soap with some water to create a lather, then scoop some coffee grounds and mix it into your soapy water. You then just need to rub it over the area, and you’ll see the paint come off. 

Butter

While you might not think that butter will help you in this situation, you may be surprised. There are natural oils in butter that can loosen your spray paint.

Of course, you should use real butter for this. Just rub a little bit on the painted skin, and then rinse it with dish soap. You’ll see that the paint will come off with ease.

Mayonnaise

Like butter, mayonnaise has oil in it that makes it easier to loosen the paint from your skin. You just need to rub a little bit of mayo into your skin and leave it for a few minutes.

However, if you don’t like the feeling of mayo on your hands, we recommend skipping this method. Once it’s been a few minutes, just wash it off with some soapy water.

Paint Thinner

If you don’t have any natural remedies on hand, we recommend using paint thinner as a last resort. While it can be effective, like acetone, it can be harsh on your skin.

We recommend using naphtha or mineral spirits. Soak a clean cloth in the thinner, and rub it gently on your painted skin. Again, if you have sensitive skin, we don’t recommend you use paint thinner.

Oil

Spray paints are made from oil, so other oils will break it down to make it easier to wipe off. All you need to do is rub a little oil onto the paint on your skin.

All you need to do is wipe it off afterward. Best of all, it doesn’t matter what oil you use. 

We should mention that if you use coconut oil, then you should mix it with baking soda first. You can mix coconut oil and baking soda, which you can then treat like any other soap.

This will help you to remove the paint more quickly. If you’re not using coconut oil, you can just apply it normally.

Toothpaste

Everyone has toothpaste in their house, and the best thing about this method is that it’s gentle on your skin. If you have sensitive skin, then we recommend this method.

You just need to rub in a little bit of toothpaste and leave it for a few minutes. Once it’s rested, put your painted skin under the sink and rinse it off.

If you’re in a hurry, you can scrub it quickly to quicken the rinsing process.

Pumice Stone

If you’re struggling and you have a pumice stone, you can just rub it over the paint. You don’t even have to wash it off. Just rub it over the area until the paint is gone.

Final Thoughts

Everyone has different methods of removing spray paint from their skin. Although one of the best ways to ensure you don’t have to worry about this is by wearing gloves when using them.

Wearing the right clothes and gear when using safety equipment is essential.

However, if you still manage to get paint on you, these methods should help you get the paint off your skin easily and without experiencing any irritation.