How do you remove dried latex paint from carpet?

[flyboy01]

Hopefully there are some painters on this forum. I need to remove dried latex paint from the carpet in my bedroom, it has been dry about a week. Anyone have any ideas, I prefer not to use Goof-off because of the smell it leaves.

[Thin White Duke]

You'll have to use some type of solvent.  I'd try brake cleaner.  Alot of times it just pushes it into the pad and you don't see it anymore.  Depends on the size of the stain though.  Test it on an area that won't be seen to see if it discolors the carpet.

[ski]

I'd try steam cleaning before I put any heavy solvents on it.

[jackie]

i would try boiling hot water and a stiff brush on it first.. may then steam clean. or you might try to scrape some of it off,if it is thick..good luck..

[Capt Jack]

the last two ideas are good starts.  try to heavy brush or other method to get as much dried paint out of the carpet fibers as possible.  vacuum the piss out of it and do it again and again.  once youve gotten all you can out manually, spot treat it and then try a steam cleaner.  I believe most latex paints are water based, so a good steam clean might get at least a majority out.  sadly that would also tend to thin it to the point where it saturates the remaining fibers.


at the very least youre not the first to have this problem.  a few sites have various ideas that should at least help make it a smaller mess.

http://www.ehow.com/how_15920_remove-latex-paint.html   
http://www.essortment.com/home/removelatexpai_skgg.htm
http://www.essortment.com/home/latexpaintremo_sctr.htm
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/latexpaint

[flyboy01]

I found some stuff at home depot that is made to remove latex paint, its called Masenbachers #5. I am going to try it when I get home tonight.

[ski]

Well do like Capt Jack said first.  Remove as much as possible manually before you put anything on it that will disolve it.