Solve Your Spilled Paint Problems With One Handy Kitchen Staple

Every year, over 9 million gallons of paint are used, according to Statista. Naturally, some of this paint gets into the naughty claws of your mischievous children, where it can be spilled in various locations. While this may seem like the ultimate nightmare for any parent, it doesn't have to be. As it turns out, applying a generous amount of salt should do the trick to help get rid of those pesky paint marks once and for all. This is beneficial not only to the spilled paint but to yourself, too. As the method is relatively inexpensive, you won't have to fork out any extra money on fancy paint-removing products that achieve the same result. Likewise, you don't have to worry about what surface you use it on as it is all-natural. 

As you're only using one ingredient, this hack by @brunchwithbabs is fairly straightforward and should not take long. If you're looking for a quick and easy solution, then this method is perfect! Grab your salt shaker, and you're ready to go. Now, let's see what this trick entails.

You'll need a relatively sizable amount of table salt for this hack. Taking to TikTok, @brunchwithbabs explains how to do it. "Just keep a shaker of salt or sugar and pour it right over your paint mess. After two minutes, you can see the salt is helping the paint solidify. Next, just wipe up the mess with a damp Viva paper towel. These things are key for a clean classroom and home." Make sure to apply a generous amount of salt so that you cover the whole paint spill. This is key for the hack to work correctly. If you use too little, the hack won't work the same, as the salt-to-paint ratio will be off. However, you should be able to get a good feeling if you're applying enough. As a result, you should never be able to guess that you or your kids even spilled paint in the first place. Likewise, if you don't have a towel, you can always use old clothes or another old cloth. 

To dispose of your paint mess, you should recycle it if you can. To do so, dump it into a recyclable bag or in an empty paint can if you have one. If you can do so, it will help prevent it from going to a landfill, which can negatively impact the environment. Don't put it in something that can't be recycled, or this will make it difficult to get rid of.

The reason this hack works so well all boils down to the chemical processes that occur when you apply salt to paint. When you apply it to the paint, it sucks in the moisture, essentially drying it out. As a result, you are left with something lumpier and easier to clean up with your wipes or an old cloth. Likewise, this is also why applying a generous amount of it over the paint helps. The more you use, the more moisture you can remove. Nifty eh? No mess and minimal cleanup time is just the cherry on top of the cake.

Of course, how well this hack works depends on what surface you spill it on. For example, a solid, hard countertop surface will be easier to clean than a sofa where you spill paint, and the liquid may soak in. In this case, you could use the hack to wipe it up before working on the stain via other methods. However, removing paint from your carpet may take more care. When working with fabrics, you must be more diligent and always check whether what you're using will damage your furniture.