I decided to do a little sewing project using old jeans.   So where does one go? –The old jeans box.  It’s an official part of my stash of cloth.

Maybe you have one too?  You know–the box of odds n ends n old jeans that you keep for sewing and craft projects.

I dug through the box to see if I could find something to repurpose.  I found a likely pair of  jeans whose hem length and baggy legs spoke of bygone times.

And then I noticed why these had gone to the craft box without holes or tears.  Paint, latex paint.  These were my old painting pants.  Crumb. 🙁

 I found many suggestions online of how to remove latex paint.  Most of it was what to do while the paint was still wet.  This latex paint had had years to dry.   Some suggested rubbing alcohol, but another method caught my eye…

I settled on this method solely based on the fact that what I needed was in my bathroom cupboard. –Hairspray.  Yup.  Cheap hairspray.

I had once used hairspray to get a permanent ink drawing off an end table (kids!)  anyway it worked on the table, so I decided it was worth a try.

To remove the latex paint:

I sprayed the painted areas with a lot of hairspray and after it had a few minutes to soak, I began to brush it with a stiff nylon brush.

A few of the paint spots peeled off and rolled away.  Other spots needed more hairspray and brushing.  Eventually it all came out.  ALL OF IT!

I was definitely pleased and surprised that anything would remove latex paint; even ancient paint.

I dragged the jeans down to the washer immediately and rubbed in a bit of washing detergent into the areas where the paint had been and ran them through a regular cycle.  When they came out I checked them to be certain all traces of paint were gone and then I tossed them in the dryer.

Paint gone from waistband, thigh, and behind –all of it.  And jeans ready for my planned project.

I hope this post helps you.  Oh! And find out what I did to the jeans in my next post. –Laura

Further helps:

How Stuff Works

Apartment Therapy