One of my new year's resolutions (right after dropping those 7 pounds) was to re-do my bedroom. Folks, I had a vision. In my mind I could picture it all; the white linens, the natural wood dresser, the corner chair, the new headboard but most importantly; the color. 

After weeks of samples and going back and forth, I finally decided on my perfect color. Tin Foil Grey (N500-3) by Behr was the perfect grey. It's not too bright, but not too dark. It's just right for a bedroom.

My work had begun. After removing all of the clothes, throw rugs and the teddy bear (yes, I just have the one), I masked off the corners of the room and began painting. The lines were straight and the coats were smooth. But nothing could have prepared me for what came next. While my headphones were in, my 95 pound German Shepard decided to sneakily waltz into the room and lay half of his body across a freshly painted wall! To make matters worse, after I freaked out and he bolted out of the room, he decided the best thing to do was run across my entire clothing collection.

So there you have. The situation that prompted this one question:

How do you get paint out of clothes?

This is a complicated question, but we're here to make it easy. The first thing you need to do is identify if the paint is water based or oil based.

Oil based paints are more durable, but the payoff is that they take longer to dry. Cleaning them up requires paint thinners like turpentine. Water based paints are quicker to dry and easier to apply, but may not last as long or be as durable. Depending on the type of paint that's permeated your clothing, your course of action may look different.

How to get oil based paint out of your clothing.

Oil based paint stains can be a little tricky because they behave like grease. It doesn't mix well with water and naturally adheres to surfaces very well. Your best bet here is to check out the label on the back of the paint can to identify the recommended removal chemical. There might be a specific brand of solvent that the paint manufacturer recommends. Once you've got a hold of the solvent, follow the steps below.

- Always protect your hands and eyes, especially when using chemicals.
- Remove any dried on paint.
- Remove any excess wet paint.
- Using your solvent, rub it into the outside of the clothes, then turn the article of clothing inside out and rub the paint thinner on the inside of the stain.
- Using an old (or new) toothbrush, rub the stain vigorously, then wipe any excess paint off with a soft sponge. 

This should get most of the paint out of your fabric, but be careful when using this technique on cotton. Rubbing too hard could cause the cotton to pill.

How to get water based paint out of your clothing.

If the paint has dried, use a paper towel to wipe away as much as possible. You can rinse the clothes in warm water to to begin breaking down the paint. Use a stiff brush to scrub any excess paint off of the clothes, then as quickly as possible, wash the clothes in a laundry cycle. Its a smart idea to separate any "infected" clothing from your regular laundry cycle.

In the case of Hank the German Shepherd, a well deserved bath with his favorite shampoo did the trick... mostly. There were still some spots on his fur, but as he shed, the paint shed away as well. If you're ever painting a room with pups in the house, be sure to put up barricades!