Whether you’re new to paintball or a seasoned vet, one question you may have is whether paintball will come out of your clothes.
While paintballs are designed to break upon impact, there are times when they may not break as intended and can leave paint stains on your clothing. But don’t worry, in most cases, paintball stains can be removed with the right treatment.
Let’s get into more details and also learn how to remove paintballs from your clothes
Summary – Paintballs are made of non-toxic, water-soluble dyes that will wash out of your cloth on a normal wash cycle. However, washing paintball clothes as soon as possible after the game is best to ensure clean and paint-free clothes.
What Are Paintballs Made Of?
Paintballs contain food coloring gelatin, calcium, polyethylene glycol, and water. Specifically, the outer shell is made of gelatin, while the inner side is made of a water-based, liquid dye contained within polyethylene glycol. These result in balls that are solid on the outside but liquid on the inside.
They can also be dyed in any color, including yellow, blue, pink, and red. Although the red color is uncommon and, in many places, outright forbidden due to its resemblance to blood.
Basically, paintball is non-toxic, biodegradable, and water-soluble. As such, it will not cause any harm even if it gets into your mouth and will not leave a permanent stain on your dress. It is also hypoallergenic, so there should be no negative reactions when it hits your bare skin.
Will Paintball Stains Come Off Your Clothes?
Although paintballs will stain your clothing, the stains will come off easily without requiring any tedious cleaning process. By using ordinary detergent and running your clothes under a normal wash cycle in your washing machine, you should get paintball stains off your cloth.
However, some paintball products are made of wax or oil-based filling. These paintballs can leave tough stains on your dress that are difficult to remove. Even so, the stains will come out if you pre-treat the clothes before running them through a wash cycle.
How to Wash Paintball Clothes
After a long day of paintball, removing and washing your paintball clothes as soon as possible is advisable to avoid leaving permanent stains on your dress. Since the paintball’s dye is water-soluble, it should wash off quickly and leave no lingering stains. But before you throw your clothes in the washing machine, consider the following cleaning guidelines:
Remove sticks and leaves:
Paint stains aren’t the only thing to be concerned about when going paintballing; there are also stains from trees and leaves. So, before putting your paintball clothes in the washing machine, make sure to remove any leaves or sticks that could damage the machine.
Pre-treat your clothes:
While a regular wash cycle will remove most paintball stains from clothing, some paintball brands may leave a lasting stain on your clothing. To avoid this, I always soak my paintball clothes for about 30 minutes in warm soapy water before washing them in the machine.
Keep white clothes separate:
Although I don’t recommend wearing white clothes for paintball because they are more difficult to remove paint stains from, some people do. And as long as you don’t mind the stress of cleaning, wearing a white dress to paintball is perfectly okay. It can even be more colorful.
So, if you have white clothing in your paintball outfit, it is best to wash it separately from the other colors. You can also add bleach to the white dress to help the stain disappear quickly.
Don’t mix paintball clothes with regular clothes:
It is best to wash paintball clothes separately from regular clothes, especially if the other clothes are light-colored.
Use warm wash
Depending on the fabric, wash your paintball clothes at 86°F (30°C) to ensure that stains are removed quickly.
Wash stained clothes as soon as possible:
Do not leave paintball clothes in the laundry for up to 24 hours, or it will become more difficult to wash the stain out.
Why Is Paintball Not Coming Out Of My Clothes?
As I said before, some types of paintballs are difficult to remove from your clothing, particularly those made with oil-based filling or wax.
So, if the paintball stain does not come out after a normal wash cycle, return to pre-treating the cloth by soaking it in stain remover for about 30 minutes before washing it again.
Other Reasons for Tough Paintball Stains on Your Dress
Paintball Color
If the paintball dye is red or pink, it will be more difficult to remove paint, especially if it’s on light-colored clothes. That’s why I recommend wearing dark-colored clothes for paintball games.
Paint Quality
There are so many issues with low-quality paintballs; they stain clothes more and pinch harder when they hit you. So, when looking for a paintball provider, make sure they use high-quality materials. You could look at their online reviews or ask your friends to recommend a good place.
Paintball Production Date
Paintballs are designed to last for a specific amount of time before becoming dry and less soluble. As a result, expired paintballs will hit harder and leave more stains. So, when selecting a paintball provider, make sure it’s a popular spot where the balls get used up quickly.
FAQs On Does Paintball Come Out Of Clothes
Does Paintball Come Out of Cars?
Yes, paintball paints come off cars more easily than regular paints because they are made of water-soluble, food-grade dyes. To remove paintball from your car, wash the car using warm water, car-washing soap, and a sponge.
Does it Hurt to be Hit with a Paintball?
It’s common for players to feel a slight sting when hit by a paintball. The pain is minor and does not result in a significant bruise. However, there are various levels of hit power, but each paintball establishment will provide protective gear to reduce the effect of the hit and make the game as enjoyable as possible.
