How to Remove Gloss Paint From Tarmac

Written By
Adrian Grahams
Adrian Grahams
Published: Feb 1, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • Cloths
  • Bucket
  • Dish-washing detergent
  • Stiff-bristle brush
  • Paint scraper
  • Matte black oil-based paint
  • Paintbrush

Use only hot water and detergent, as solvent-based cleaners such as white spirit or turpentine will spread the stain over the tarmac surface.

  1. Blot up as much of the gloss paint as possible with a cloth.

  2. Fill a bucket with hot water and four to five drops of dish-washing detergent.

  3. Dunk a stiff-bristle brush into the cleaning solution and vigorously scrub the stained area to remove as much of the gloss paint as possible. Dab the stained area dry with a cloth.

  4. Scrape any remaining paint residue from the tarmac with a paint scraper. This should remove most or all of the gloss paint from the tarmac.

  5. Apply a matte black oil-based paint with a paintbrush to mask any stubborn paint spots that were not removed.

Tips

Spread a drop cloth on tarmac surfaces when painting nearby to prevent paint splashes and spillages.

Adrian Grahams

Adrian Grahams began writing professionally in 1989 after training as a newspaper reporter. His work has been published online and in various newspapers, including "The Cornish Times" and "The Sunday Independent." Grahams specializes in…

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