Dear Cheapskate: Help! I dripped latex paint on my new carpeting and discovered it too late. It dried hard and I’m afraid the carpet is ruined. -- Ruby R., California
Dear Ruby: Relax. Even if it’s been there for a long time, you can get latex paint out of carpet or any type of fabric with lacquer thinner (not paint thinner!) available at hardware stores or home improvement centers. Using a clean white cloth, saturate the dried paint with the lacquer thinner until you can tell the hardened paint is softening. Gently blot with a clean area of the cloth. Be patient. Keep working at it until the paint is out completely. Be sure to test the carpet or fabric for color fastness in an inconspicuous place first (in a closet or behind the sofa) so you will know exactly how it reacts with your specific carpet (I am very hopeful). Remember to always store lacquer thinner out of the reach of children and pets.
Stories by Everyday Cheapskate
- Everyday Cheapskate: Home equity vs. student loans -- what to do?
- Everyday Cheapskate: Pet health insurance -- is it worth it?
- Everyday Cheapskate: A sparkling clean, seasonal savings, more thrifty tips from savvy readers
- Everyday Cheapskate: The bare minimum every kid should know about credit
- Everyday Cheapskate: 7 ways to simplify life, and save time and money
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”
COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM