How to Remove Paintball Stains From Clothes

Once the dust has cleared from a paintball contest, players must clean paint-covered clothing. The paint used in paintballs is water soluble, meaning it should wash out easily and should not leave lasting stains. The key to ensuring this happens is to not give the stain time to set in the clothing. To this end, removing and laundering clothing as soon as possible after each game will lead to clean clothing for many games.

Things You'll Need

  • Laundry detergent
  • Washing machine
  • Stain remover
  • Brush
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean up while on the field. Dab at fresh stains on the clothing with the rag or paper towel, pressing lightly to absorb paint. Do not use a wiping motion: This will just spread and smear the paint into the clothing fibers.

    • 2

      Separate paintball-stained clothing from other laundry, especially whites, delicates and light-colored fabrics. It's best to wash paintball clothes by themselves. Place clothing in the washing machine, use a standard laundry detergent and follow the care instructions for the specific clothing. Pre-treating and extended soak styles should not be needed.

    • 3

      Run the washing machine normally. When the cycle is finished, thoroughly check all garments--interior and exterior--to make sure the paintball spots are fully removed. If they are, transfer to the dryer and run normally. If the stains persist, do not place the garment in the dryer. Instead, proceed to the next step.

    • 4

      Apply a stain-removing pre-treatment agent to the remaining stains, following the products directions. Gently brush to work the stain out. When brushing is complete, place in the washing machine and run through another wash cycle.