How To Get Spray Paint Off Your Car (Detailed Removal Guide)

The last thing you want to deal with is spray paint on your car. Whether you made a mistake while applying your spray-on bedliner or vandals had a field day on your car, you can get it off.

In this article, we look at how to get spray paint off your car so you can enjoy your ride again.

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Spray Paint on Cars: How It Normally Happens

You might be looking at how to get paint spray off a car because of vandalism. In addition to cleaning up the paint, you might also need to learn how to remove scratches from your car. By fixing the problem yourself, you avoid getting the insurance company involved and keep your premiums lower.

You might also need to know how to get spray paint off car paint because of other projects you were working on. If you were painting near your car, you might be dealing with overspray that needs to be cleaned up.

If you have other types of paint, be sure to check out our post How To Get Paint Off Your Car.

How to Get Spray Paint Off a Car Exterior (Bodywork)

Most commonly, when you want to know how to get spray paint off my car, it’s because the exterior of the car has been affected. We look at a few areas of concern.

Supplies you may need:

Car wash/bucket
Clean cloths
Rubbing compound
Nail polish remover
Lacquer thinner
Clay bar
Gasoline

off car doors

If you want to learn how to get spray paint off a car door, follow these steps.

1
Mix soap and water in a bucket.
2
Scrub the affected area.
3
Rinse it often.
4
Dry the car once the paint is completely removed.

If these steps don't work, you might need to try a rubbing compound, nail polish remover, lacquer thinner, a clay bar, or gasoline. However, don't let any of these sit on the paint for too long, or you could create more damage.

off car windows

To learn how to get spray paint off a car window, try these steps.

1
Pour some solvent on a clean rag and rub the spray paint. Don’t soak the rag.
2
Use a retractable safety scraper to remove any leftover paint.

Make sure you don’t drip any solvent into the door frame.

off car headlights

You want your headlights to look their best, but removing paint goes beyond cleaning car headlights.

1
You can try using car wash soap and water if the paint has just been applied.
2
Otherwise, you need to pour some solvent on a clean rag and rub the spray paint. Don’t soak the rag.
3
Use a retractable safety scraper to remove any leftover paint.

off car rims

Dealing with your wheels is similar to the other steps we’ve shown you.

1
Mix soap and water in a bucket.
2
Scrub the affected area.
3
Rinse it often.
4
Dry the wheels once the paint is completely removed.

If these steps don’t work, use a rubbing compound, nail polish remover, lacquer thinner, a clay bar, or gasoline. Just be sure to rinse it off completely when you are done.

How to Get Spray Paint Off Car Interiors (Leather & Fabric)

You spend a lot of time making your car interior looking nice through detailing, so any spray paint damage can be disturbing. However, these steps will help you restore the car interior without causing any further damage.

off leather car seats

Learn how to get spray paint off a leather car seat with these steps.

1
If the paint is wet, use a flat tool to remove any residue you can. Then, wipe it down with a damp rag.
2
If the spray paint is water based, you should be able to use a wet rag to remove it and scrape off any remaining chunks with a credit card.
3
You can also apply a small amount of olive oil to the spray paint and rub gently.

off fabric car seats

Many of the above steps remain the same when you want to know how to get spray paint off car interior seats covered in fabric.

1
If the paint is wet, use a flat tool to remove any residue you can. Then, wipe it down with a damp rag.
2
If the spray paint is water based, you should be able to use a wet rag to remove it and scrape off any remaining chunks with a credit card.
3
You can also apply a small amount of olive oil to the spray paint and rub gently. Just make sure you clean it up with water right away.

off car floor carpets

You can learn how to get spray paint off of your car carpets with the same set of steps.

1
If the paint is wet, use a flat tool to remove any residue you can. Then, wipe it down with a damp rag.
2
If the spray paint is water based, you should be able to use a wet rag to remove it and scrape off any remaining chunks with a credit card.
3
You can also apply a small amount of olive oil to the spray paint and rub gently. Just make sure you clean it up with water right away.

off dashboards

1
It’s simple to learn how to get spray paint off your car dashboard.
2
Try to wipe it with soap and water first.
3
Scrape it with a plastic credit card.
4
If that doesn't work, use a solvent, such as a nail polish remover. Just make sure you clean it up promptly when you are finished.

When to Hire a Professional

It’s not difficult to figure out how to get spray paint dust off a car, but there are times when the situation is too much for you to handle. If the paint has been sitting on the car interior or exterior too long, you might need professional help to remove paint from your car.

Additionally, if you have faced vandalism and a good chunk of the car is covered, the job is going to be too extensive for you to handle on your own. Instead of damaging the paint any further, call in the professionals for support.

Conclusion

We have looked at spray paint on a car, how to get it off. By now, you’ve picked the method that will work best for you, all that’s left to do is try it.