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I was working in my basement studio and a piece of acrylic punctured a red Krylon outdoor paint spray can which exploded onto the unfinished concrete floor, concrete walls, metal cabinets, and wooden backsplash. I am renting and thus need to clean the spray paint and have read that I can use turpentine or rubbing alcohol to remove the paint. What would be the best to use given the items I have to clean (concrete, wood, and metal)? Thanks!

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    Also am wondering if I should use some other solvent than turpentine or rubbing alcohol Commented Nov 29, 2018 at 20:57
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    You should probably contact the makers of Krylon for suggestions. I used some Krylon metallic spray paint as a base coat on a plastic model that I planned to paint with further layers of transparent acrylics. Much to my surprise, I found that the acrylics beaded when sprayed against the dried Krylon. I then tried all my usual paint solvents including separate applications of purple power, rubbing alcohol and paint thinner. Nothing even raised color onto my white cleaning rag. Krylon paints are tough stuff. But using them is a one way trip in my experience. I threw out the model. Commented Nov 29, 2018 at 22:50
  • As an alternative, ask the owners whether they will accept a painted floor and discuss which colour is acceptable. An extra layer of the same paint in a different colour should work.
    – Willeke
    Commented Dec 22, 2018 at 9:53

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Forget turpentine and rubbing alcohol. Whatever you do, you will have to refinish some of the surfaces.

For everything other than the concrete you should be ok with acetone. Use steel wool soaked in acetone to break the gloss of the solid areas of paint (being careful not to scratch the metal and to go with the grain of the wood) and then lots of acetone and clean rags. If the rag isn’t wet anymore, dip it in acetone again. Repeat. Wear chemical resistant gloves and a vapor rated gas mask.

Regarding the concrete: once the paint has cured (24 hours) try to chip it off with a chisel. Use a wire brush as last resort. If you use acetone, you will actually make it worse. Once you’re done, consider renting a floor buffer and use tinted floor wax to refinish the floor. For the walls do a similar preparation and then paint.

Dispose of the rags by bringing immediately to a hazardous waste treatment facility or burning in a safe and controlled environment.

DO NOT KEEP THE RAGS INSIDE THE BUILDING

EDIT: I found this solvent description: https://www.paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=KRI&doctype=PDS&prodno=075577025497

If you end up getting your hands on xylol or toluene - use excessive caution, as the fumes are carcinogenic and the fluid is caustic.

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