# How clean paint off wood floor

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 24, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487 "2006-12-24T22:08:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487/1 "2006-12-24T22:08:23Z")

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My daughter painted her bedroom and left drops, drips and splotches of white (latex, water-based) paint on the wood floor. What is the best way to clean them off?

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**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487/2 "2006-12-24T22:15:29Z")

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[QUOTE=JillGat]  
My daughter painted her bedroom and left drops, drips and splotches of white (latex, water-based) paint on the wood floor. What is the best way to clean them off?  
[/QUOTE]

You didn’t say if the floor is a finished floor or just bare wood. Generally, soap and water should clean off water-based latex. But if the paint fell on bare wood, it could be tough cleaning off any paint that has already permeated the wood.

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**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487/3 "2006-12-25T00:42:28Z")

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As **nivlac** said, wash the area with soap and water. If the paint has cured you may be able to peel off any drips, then finish by scrubbing with soap and water.

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**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487/4 "2006-12-25T01:07:30Z")

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Assuming it’s a finished wood floor, I think I’d try using a razor blade device, very carefully to avoid damaging the wood finish, and then use soap and water, making sure to dry the area thoroughly after the paint is removed, then perhaps a bit of paste wax and buffing.

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**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-clean-paint-off-wood-floor/385487/5 "2006-12-25T02:44:53Z")

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pealing it up will take care of paint. Primer might still leave residue behind in that case sand with 220 paper. I recomend against paste wax.