Are Paintball Paints Washable? Will They Stain?

When it comes to stains, paint is usually about as tough as it gets. However, paintball paints are slightly different, and you often don’t need to let your fear of ruining your clothes stop you from enjoying the fun of a paintball experience. 

Paintball paints are washable because they are made from organic, water-soluble dyes and non-toxic, water-soluble materials. They do not stick to clothing like regular paints, and they easily dissolve in water.

Read this article to establish whether paintballs will wash out of clothes or leave stains. Also, read more to determine if paintball pain will wash off cars.

Will Paintballs Wash Out of Clothes?

Paintballs will wash out of clothes because they are made from non-toxic, water-soluble dyes that wash off in a regular laundry cycle. They are made of organic products, meaning they are food grade and will come out if you clean your clothes immediately using your usual laundry detergent.

Although they are called paintballs, they are not made of real paint. Paintballs and the paint filling are designed to be biodegradable, eco-friendly, water-soluble, and non-allergenic. If you wash them soon after play, they will rinse out of your clothing thoroughly (source: Paintball Help).

Washing paintball paints off your clothes usually requires just a regular wash. You can follow these guidelines:

1. Wash paintball-stained clothes as soon as possible 
2. Apply stain remover if the paint remains after the first cycle.
3. Leave it to sit for 30 minutes, then clean again.
4. Add some bleach to white clothes to act as an extra cleaning agent (source: SFGate).

Can Paintball Paints Stain Your Clothes?

Paintball paints can stain your clothes, but not permanently if you take proper care. Paintballs are biodegradable, non-toxic, non-staining, and cannot leave permanent marks. You can launder your clothes in a regular wash cycle to wash off paint residue.

Paintballs do not decompose or disintegrate, but they can stain light-colored clothing if you leave them unwashed for too long. It is better to launder any clothes with paintball paint right after play to prevent the colors from setting into the light-colored fabric and leaving a mark.

Regardless of the amount of protective paintball gear you wear, some paintballs will still end up on your clothes. Therefore, we recommend wearing older clothes because other than the paintballs, you will be running through the woods and you will get dirty.

Paintball dyes are water-soluble, unlike other paints. Therefore, you can pre-treat your paintball clothing and wash it with other garments. Also, paintballs will not damage your washing machine, but you should avoid mixing paintball clothes with light-colored ones (source: Paintballic).

Before washing paintball paint off your clothes, it is advisable to pre-treat the clothes because they may have had the paint for many hours before you wash them.

Can You Wash Paintball Paint off a Car?

You can wash off paintball paint from a car because they are water-soluble, non-toxic, food-grade items and dyes. They come off easier compared to regular paint. However, paintballs can be challenging to clean because they travel at high speeds and penetrate the surface. 

You can use cheap and effective homemade solutions to remove paintball paint from your car. Here is how to clean paintball paint off a car:

1. Wash the car’s exterior, as usual, using warm water, car-washing soap, and a cloth or sponge. 
2. Dry off all of the areas to see if any paint remains.
3. Spray bug and tar remover on any remaining paint stains and let it soak for one minute. 
4. Wipe and dry the area using a clean microfiber cloth, and the surface should be stain-free (Source: PB Review).
5. Rinse off the surface to clear any cleaning product or paint residue.

If the paint is on the car window, the cleaning procedure and supplies necessary are slightly different. Here is what you need to do:

1. Mix dishwashing soap with warm water, then apply it to the surface with paint using a sponge.
2. Scrape off the paint slowly using a razor blade, ensuring you hold the razor at an angle to avoid scratching the window.
3. Rinse the razor off before moving to a different stain.
4. Spray the car window with a little glass cleaner, then dry it with a towel. (Source: Hobby Strategy).

As you have seen, paintballs contain non-toxic, water-soluble dyes that wash off clothes and cars. So, enjoy paintball with your friends or family, and do not worry about staining your clothes.