Unwanted spray paint in your concrete is not attractive to the overall look of your building or home. It may appear like a stain or dirt in which could mess up the quality of your concrete finish. Spray paint happens when the finishing coat is not complete, or there’s no finishing mask applied in the first place. It could also be a faded design in a paint project or simply an unwanted drift from a paint job. Regardless of the cause, removing such stain is quite time-consuming and laborious.  It could be easy if the spray paint is still fresh, but more often than not, it is not since spray paints dry up quickly. 

You can use basic soap and water to scrub the paint off, but in some cases, you will need chemicals to do the job for you. This article will show you how to successfully remove paint stains from your concrete. 

Method 1: Clean Using Soap and Water 

Using the materials that you can easily access at home – soap, water, and hard bristle brush scrub off the paint stain carefully but rigorously. This method is recommended if the stain is just small or light. It also won’t harm giving this a try first before resorting to other chemical solutions. This is a non- toxic,  safest, and most economical solution for removing paint spray from the concrete. However, this method uses the mildest solution therefore, it may take more work to remove the paint, and it may not remove everything. Since the concrete is porous and highly absorbent, once the paint dries up, it will be difficult for it to come off with just soap and water. But it’s always worth a try since this method is simple and free. You may need to apply and scrub several times. 

Adding some vinegar to your cleaning solution is also recommended since it is proven to clean a variety of surfaces. But be careful using vinegar in sealed concrete areas, because the acid from it could strip the seal coating. It’s better to test the vinegar first in a small spot to see how it reacts to specific paint stains before fully diluting the entire area on it. 

Materials Needed: 

  • Buckets of water 
  • Mild soap or detergent 
  • Garden hose (for outdoors) 
  • Stiff bristled brush 
  • Mop and bucket (for indoors) 
  • Protective gears like goggles, gloves, respirator and safety glasses) 
  • Warm water 
  • Versatile, absorbent paper towels 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Wear your protective gear before working. 
  2. Clean the area to remove any dust or dirt. 
  3. Prepare your cleaning agent. Pour warm water to two separate buckets then add some dish soap or detergent on the other one. 
  4. Wet the stained spot with warm water. 
  5. Apply the detergent solution using a brush. Scrub it using a circular movement. 
  6. Damp the spot with a clean paper towel. 
  7. Rinse with fresh water. You can use a garden hose if you’re outdoors. 
  8. Just keep on repeating the process until the stain is removed. 

Method 2: Use Any of the Following Removers – Aerosol, Trigger Sprayers, or Liquid Solutions.

If soap and water don’t work, you can use any graffiti remover. A graffiti remover has special ingredients that seep into surfaces and loosen the paint. They come in various forms – trigger sprayers, wipes, aerosol cans, pastes, liquid solutions, and sponges. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to find the most suitable for your needs. 

Generally, graffiti removers are inexpensive although they involve chemicals it’s not as strong as TSP or paint thinner. Every product or brand varies in strength, and some removers may not require you to scrub the stained area. Just blotting or wiping with a cloth or towel will be enough to remove the dirt. Bit since this remover is loaded with chemicals that require it to sit in for several minutes to a few hours for it to work, this could be time-consuming. 

If you’re any graffiti remover, take into consideration that if you apply it on a vertical surface, it will tend to drip down. Use a painter’s tape or plastic drop cloths to protect the bottom surface. 

Materials Needed:

  • Water bucket 
  • Warm water 
  • Scrub brush 
  • Graffiti remover 
  • Mop and bucket (for indoors) 
  • Garden hose (for outdoors)
  • Paper towels or disposable cloths 
  • Protective gears 

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Wear your protective gear before working.
  2. Clean the spot to remove any dust or dirt. 
  3. Pour warm water into the empty bucket. 
  4. Read the manufacturer’s instruction on the graffiti remover and apply it accordingly. 
  5. Let it sit for a few minutes,m depending on the severity of the stain.
  6. Using a brush, scrub it in gently in circular movements. 
  7. Wipe the spot with a disposable cloth or paper towel. 
  8. Wash it with clean, warm water. You can run the garden hose if you’re outside. 
  9. Repeat this process until the paint is removed. 

Method 3: Apply Paint Thinner, Stripper, or TSP.

Paint thinner and strippers, from the terms itself, are used to penetrate and loosen off thin paint on different surfaces like concrete. These are forms of solvents that can dissolve substances like paint. Paint thinner is a kind of solvent, similar to other types, which can remove paint-like stains like xylene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), acetone, turpentine, naphtha, and denatured alcohol. On the other hand, paint strippers are also known to remove paint stains although the formulation is different from the thinner. 

Lastly, TSP or trisodium phosphate works like a paint stripper. It comes in both powder and liquid form. 

Using these materials won’t break your bank. They are relatively affordable and available to your local hardware stores. However, solvents are flammable, so better keep them away from any heat sources or candles. They can also burn skin upon contact. Thus, wearing protective gear like thick gloves is inevitable. TSP, on the other hand, comes with non-caustic (won’t burn skin) options if you want to avoid skin injuries. 

Materials Needed:

  • Paint thinner or stripper or TSP 
  • Clean, disposable cloth 
  • Protective gears 
  • Stiff brush 
  • 1- gallon bucket
  • 5-gallon bucket 
  • Warm water 
  • Garden hose (for outdoors) 
  • Mop (for indoors) 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Thinner or Stripper: 

  1. Wear your protective gear before working. 
  2. Clean the specific spot to remove any dust or dirt. 
  3. Carefully apply the thinner or stripper to the stained spot. Make sure to follow the instructions on the product label. 
  4. Using a clean, disposable cloth, wipe the spot after application. 
  5. Keep on applying and wiping until the last residue of the stain is gone. 

Step-by-Step Instructions for TSP: 

  1. Wear your protective gear before working. 
  2. Clean the specific spot to remove any dust or dirt. 
  3. Read the instructions on the product label and follow the directions for diluting TSP in warm water. 
  4. Using a brush, apply the TSP solution to the stained spot. You can also scrub it and let it work for 20 minutes before totally scrubbing. 
  5. Rinse the area with warm water. 
  6. Keep on repeating the process until the stain is fully removed. 
  7. Clean the work area. 

There are other ways to remove the spray paint on your concrete. Some may resort to using a power washer, sandblaster,  and angle grinder. But the methods enumerated above are ideal for paint sprays as they could easily come off using lighter substances.