Painting your home's interior is a great way to give it a fresh look, but the downside of this home improvement task is the potential stains and spills it leaves on your floors, particularly if you have carpeted flooring. The last thing you want is paint spilling on your carpet, but if you're forced to deal with it, then you can undertake some smart carpet cleaning actions to eliminate dry water-based paint stains.

Gather Your Carpet Cleaning Essentials 

Make sure you have all your carpet cleaning essentials handy to get the job done quickly and correctly. You will need liquid laundry detergent, cold water, a paint scraper or a knife, a vacuum cleaner, a cloth towel and some paper towels. Avoid using hot water because the heat and steam may cause some carpet fibres to shrink. While this may not necessarily happen to your carpet, there's no point in taking a chance.

Scrape The Paint From The Carpet Surface

Use the paint scraper or a knife to scrape the dry water-based paint off the carpet. Once you have managed to scrape it away, use a vacuum cleaner to scoop up the paint debris from your carpet area. Make sure you remove loose paint residue on the carpet to prevent it from settling in. The remaining paint will be tackled using liquid detergent and water.  

Apply A Solution Of Liquid Detergent And Water

Mix water and liquid detergent in a squirt bottle and apply it over the paint-laden area on the carpet. Saturate the stained area and let the solution sit for several minutes to soften the residual carpet paint. After some time, use paper towels to blot the stained area. Take care not to rub too aggressively because this may cause the paint stain to spread to clean areas of your carpet. Add more solution as you blot the stain. Repeat these steps until the paint stain lessens and vanishes.

Dry The Paint Stained Area

Once you are satisfied that the stain has been removed, ventilate the room well to quicken the drying process. Apply a dry cloth towel over the stain to absorb any excess liquid. Keep in mind that you should avoid using the carpet until the damp areas have dried thoroughly, else you may end up with completely avoidable new stains that are equally as unforgiving as paint.

Since the paint is water-based, these carpet cleaning tricks will work wonders, allowing you to enjoy the look of your pristine carpet and your freshly painted walls.