The short answer: it depends on the paint and how long it has been there
Paint on concrete falls into four situations. Fresh latex, still wet or tacky, will usually lift with water, a stiff nylon brush and a little dish soap. Cured latex is harder but often softens with a dedicated latex remover or a citrus-based stripper. Fresh oil-based paint needs mineral spirits, not water. Cured oil-based paint, enamel or epoxy is the toughest, and usually needs a chemical stripper with real dwell time before anything else will move it.
If you are standing over a fresh spill right now, stop and blot. Do not hose it. Water spreads wet latex into a wider, thinner film that soaks into more of the pores. Scoop up the puddle with a putty knife or cardboard, blot with rags, then clean what remains.
Why a pressure washer alone often disappoints
Concrete is porous. Paint does not just sit on top. It wicks into the surface pores and grips the sand and cement paste. A pressure washer can knock off flakes and the top layer, but the pigment that soaked in stays behind as a faded ghost of the drip.
Turning up the pressure to chase that ghost is where people get into trouble. A narrow tip held close enough to blast paint out of pores will also blast cement paste off the surface. You end up with a clean spot that is rougher and lighter than the slab around it, plus wand marks that never go away. The paint is gone and the concrete is now scarred instead.
Method for cured paint: soften, dwell, scrape, then rinse
Start with the gentlest product that matches the paint. For latex, try a latex-specific remover or a citrus or soy-based gel stripper. For oil-based and enamel, use a stripper labeled for those coatings. Apply it thick, past the edges of the stain, and keep it from drying out. Many gel strippers need anywhere from fifteen minutes to several hours, and the label is the authority. Covering the area with plastic in hot Valley sun slows evaporation and lets the product keep working.
When the paint wrinkles or turns soft, scrape it with a plastic or metal scraper and work the residue out of the texture with a stiff brush. Then rinse with a pressure washer using a wide fan tip held at a steady distance, or better, a rotary surface cleaner that moves evenly. Expect to repeat on thick spots. Two lighter rounds beat one aggressive one.
Safety and where the sludge goes
Strippers and solvents are not harmless. Wear chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection, keep kids and pets away, and work with good airflow. Read the label for ventilation and flammability warnings, especially with solvent products near a garage.
Do not wash paint sludge into the street. Los Angeles Municipal Code section 64.70.02 prohibits discharging untreated wash water from paved-surface washing into the storm drain system. Scrape and bag the softened paint, absorb liquid residue, and block the gutter path while you rinse. Dispose of solvent rags and leftover stripper according to the label and your local household hazardous waste guidance.
What results to expect
Thin drips and roller splatter usually come out well. Large, old spills on rough or broom-finished concrete often lighten a lot but leave a faint shadow, because some pigment sits deeper than any safe method can reach. Colored or stamped concrete is a special case. Strippers can affect color hardeners and sealers, so test in a hidden corner first.
If a shadow remains after two careful rounds, the honest options are to live with a faint mark, clean the whole slab so it blends in, or have the area resurfaced. More pressure is not one of the options.
When a pro makes sense
A few drips by the garage door are a fine weekend project. Large spills, painted-over areas, or paint on a driveway you also want cleaned overall are where professional equipment helps. Cleaning the full slab after stain treatment matters because a single bright spot in a dull driveway can look worse than the paint did. At Say Wash It we treat the stain first and then clean the full surface for an even finish. As of October 2026, driveway cleaning on our calculator is $0.50 per square foot with a $195 visit minimum, and the flat price is confirmed before work starts. For spray paint tags rather than spills, see our graffiti removal guide.
Key points
The short answer: it depends on the paint and how long it has been there
Paint on concrete falls into four situations. Fresh latex, still wet or tacky, will usually lift with water, a stiff nylon brush and a little dish soap. Cured latex is harder but often softens with a dedicated latex remover or a citrus-based stripper. Fresh oil-based paint needs mineral spirits, not water. Cured oil-based paint, enamel or epoxy is the toughest, and usually needs a chemical stripper with real dwell time before anything else will move it.
Why a pressure washer alone often disappoints
Concrete is porous. Paint does not just sit on top. It wicks into the surface pores and grips the sand and cement paste. A pressure washer can knock off flakes and the top layer, but the pigment that soaked in stays behind as a faded ghost of the drip.