How to remove dried paint drips from wall

Stains and drips happen all the time, no matter how much you want to avoid them, and no matter how experienced you are in this area, there will always be stains, on the wall, on the floor, or even on windows. However, we have good news, here are some tips on how to remove dried paint drips from a wall.

Drips can happen for all sorts of reasons while painting, but too much paint on the brush is always the main reason. When this happens and the paint dries, it lifts up creating drips.

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How to fix dry paint drips?

The best way to get rid of the paint stain is to cut or sand off the drips. Then the area will need to be repainted to get that smooth finish.

This procedure applies to any type of paint stain on a wall, as long as it is dry.

• Scrape the paint off the wall with a putty knife when the paint is dry.
• With a medium-fine 220-grit sandpaper sand the area until it is smooth. Sand only in the direction of the drop. Sand only in the direction of the paint drop. If you sand back and forth, or in the opposite direction of the paint drop, the paint will cake or flake, and the stain will be larger.
• Wipe the area with a damp cloth.
• Touch up the affected area with the same paint used on the walls. Use a high-quality brush to even out the area.
• If the repair does not match, repaint the wall.

Also, If despite your best efforts, the paint stain is not fixed and instead leaves a sink in the wall or other damage, you only have the option of filling and matching with glazing putty and repainting the entire area.

If the paint is still fresh you can try:

Wipe up wet paint drips

Give a few brush strokes in the same direction you were painting or in the direction the paint is going and see what happens. You must do it with delicacy to avoid producing a more significant stain or even worse discoloring it.

Let the paint dry

If the paint is tacky to the touch, let it dry because it can make the stain bigger or cause the paint to fall off, increasing the problem.

Once you are satisfied that the drip has flattened completely, apply another coat or two of paint. Once the paint dries, the stain will be barely noticeable.

The trick is to brush in the same direction you have used for the surrounding area. Don’t try to eliminate the drip by brushing in the opposite direction, as this tends to create unsightly cross strokes that are difficult to remove.

If the paint is already dry and there is not much you can do, there are other solutions to get rid of those pesky stains.

How to fix paint drips on a wall?

Some of the most common products for cleaning dried paint stains you may have at home, such as:

Nail polish remover

These chemicals are quite strong, effectively removing any paint. You can try wiping a small section of the stain with one of these chemicals.

Rubbing alcohol

This is a commonly used solvent at home, with which you can thin thick paint or clean dried stains without smudging or leaving traces on the wall.

Soap, water, and a scraper

Soap and water can help you repair a stain progressively for some types of paints. Especially glass or crystal surfaces. Don’t try to scrape it off or use a brush because you can make the problem worse.

Paint thinner

It is one of the best if not the best materials to clean dry stains on walls, it can clean even oil. It is powerful so it is recommended to use it very little, as well as to avoid it in enclosed areas.

Paint stripper gels

Similar to paint thinners, they can remove latex paint and oils on metals, walls, wood, and bricks.

Getting paint where it shouldn’t be is a normal part of the house’s interior painting. It’s worth mentioning that no matter what method or material you use, it’s always best to try to remove paint spills and splatters as soon as possible while they’re still wet. Never rub the paint off either; always wipe it dry so that it does not spread and further stain any surface.

Paint carefully if it helps not to generate so many stains or very big stains but they will always appear, what you should do is to protect the areas that you have already painted or that you are not going to paint, like floors, with papers and newspapers, also do not load rollers with a lot of paint, that is to say, try to squeeze them before passing them through the area and apply several coats of paint to even out the ones that are very fresh.

Also, you can check this guide about how to remove dried paint drips from walls if you don’t achieve the goal!

Written by Vanessa Gallanti. December 19, 2022

Enthusiast about planning, project management, construction materials and technology, and construction. A civil engineer from Los Andes University and a content writer for Kukun.