I spilled some paint....?

Question

When I was moving out I spilled my paint down some wooden stairs, the side of my brick building, and the cement below. I need to take it off ASAP. Will paint thinner work to take it all off?? If not, what will work the best??
I live in Minnesota so its cold as hell. So I don't really know what to do....

This happened like 5 days ago...We couldn't clean it because it was too cold and we didn't have a hose or anything....So I feel like I am screwed.

Answer 1

Your problem is not the paint but the brickwork, as brick is usually porous and will just soak up anything spilt on it. Paint thinner or white spirit should work if it is a white spirit based paint. Most domestic paints are. Automotive and graffiti type paints are not, so a stronger solvent would need to be used. Read the can for clues, it may be declared. However, because of the type of material it has landed on if it doesn't swab off with white spirit, then you have, as I see it, three choices,
1 find a pet graffiti removal operative
2 pretend it's art noveau
3 Sue the idiot who didn't put the lid on before you moved the cans

Probably the only difference the cold will make is to make the job longer to accomplish, depending on the viscosity of the paint, but it is some advantage as the solvent will evaporate more slowly and so be effective longer.

Answer 2

Don't try to wash the paint off,it will just spread and get messier! What you need is to let the paint dry. As you are somewhere really cold this may work in your favour.Scrape off much of the paint off as you can,you can get a tool for this at a hardware store.Then you just need a wire brush to remove the residue.

Answer 3

Use a pressure washeron the brick and cement. Your probly in trouble on the wood. Seek Profesional help