Quick answer: Standard Craft Smart acrylic paint is washable only while it is wet. Like all acrylics, it is water-based, so fresh paint rinses off hands, brushes, tables and most fabric with soap and water. Once it dries, the acrylic binder cures into a water-resistant plastic film that does not wash out of clothing or off porous surfaces. If you need paint that comes out of fabric after drying, look for products specifically labeled “washable” (usually tempera-style kids’ paints, which Michaels also sells under its own labels) rather than regular craft acrylic. The sections below explain exactly what “washable” means, how to get wet and dried Craft Smart acrylic off skin, clothes, brushes and surfaces, and how to make it more or less permanent on purpose.
The question “is Craft Smart acrylic paint washable” usually arrives in one of two moods. Either a parent is about to hand a bottle to a child and wants to know what happens to the T-shirt, or someone has already painted a tote bag or a pair of shoes and wants to know whether the design will survive the laundry. The answer serves both: wet, it washes away easily; dry, it is permanent on fabric and difficult to remove from anything porous.
That is not a flaw. It is what acrylic paint is, and it is why the same bottle works for painting a canvas, a wooden sign and a pair of canvas sneakers. This explainer covers what Craft Smart acrylic is, what washable does and does not mean, removal methods by surface, and how to lock the paint onto fabric when you want it to stay. For a broader look at the line, our Craft Smart acrylic paint guide covers the color range, finishes and how it stacks up against other craft brands.
What Craft Smart Acrylic Paint Is
Craft Smart is the house brand of craft and art supplies sold by Michaels, the US craft retailer. Its acrylic paint line is a water-based craft acrylic sold in 2 oz and 8 oz bottles in matte, satin, gloss, metallic and glitter finishes, plus multi-surface and outdoor formulations. It is positioned as an inexpensive, general-purpose craft paint for wood, paper, canvas, terracotta, fabric and similar surfaces.
Chemically it works like every other acrylic paint: pigment and fillers suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion thinned with water. While wet, water keeps the polymer particles separate and the paint is soluble. As water evaporates, the particles fuse into a continuous flexible film that is no longer water-soluble. The whole behavior of the paint, including the washability question, follows from that.
What “Washable” Actually Means on a Paint Label
The word carries two different meanings in the craft aisle, and confusing them causes most of the trouble.
| Label meaning | What it promises | Typical products | Craft Smart acrylic? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washable (kids’ paint sense) | Comes out of clothing and off skin even after drying, with normal laundering | Washable tempera, washable finger paint, some washable kids’ acrylics | No |
| Water-based / cleans up with water | Wet paint rinses off with water; no solvents needed | All acrylics, including craft acrylics | Yes |
| Washable once heat-set (fabric paint sense) | The painted item can be laundered without the design washing off | Fabric paints, fabric mediums | Yes, with care or fabric medium |
So Craft Smart acrylic is “washable” in the sense that cleanup is easy while wet, and “washable” in the sense that a finished fabric project can survive the laundry. It is not “washable” in the sense a parent means when asking whether it will come out of a school uniform.
Craft Smart Acrylic on Skin
Wet paint rinses off with warm water and ordinary soap. Dried paint on skin peels or rubs off with soap, warm water and a little friction; a washcloth or a soft nail brush speeds it up. Oil (baby oil, cooking oil or lotion) softens stubborn dried flakes. Avoid solvents on skin. Craft acrylics are generally labeled non-toxic under US art material standards, but they are not formulated as body paint, so keep them off faces and away from eyes and mouths.
Craft Smart Acrylic on Clothing and Fabric
This is the surface where the wet-versus-dry distinction matters most.
Wet or still damp
- Act immediately. Do not let it dry.
- Scrape off any blobs with a spoon or card.
- Flush the back of the stain with cold running water to push paint out of the fibers rather than through them.
- Work liquid laundry detergent or dish soap into the stain with your fingers.
- Rinse and repeat until no more color lifts, then launder as usual. Air-dry and check before using a hot dryer, which sets any residue.
Dried
Once cured, acrylic has bonded to the fibers. Complete removal is often impossible, but these steps reduce or sometimes eliminate the mark:
- Scrape or pick off any raised paint with a dull blade or fingernail.
- Dab the stain with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, 70 percent or higher, using a cloth. Alcohol softens dried acrylic. Blot rather than rub, and refresh the cloth as it picks up color.
- Alternatives if alcohol is not available: hand sanitizer (which is mostly alcohol), hairspray, or acetone on fabrics that tolerate it (not acetate, triacetate or modacrylic). Test on a seam first.
- Work detergent into the softened area, rinse with warm water, and repeat.
- Launder. Expect a faint shadow on light fabrics even after a good result.
Commercial acrylic paint removers and some laundry pre-treatment sprays also help. Dark or printed fabrics hide residue better than white cotton.
Craft Smart Acrylic on Brushes, Palettes and Tools
Rinse brushes in water as soon as you stop painting, then wash with dish soap or brush soap until the water runs clear, reshape and lay flat to dry. Paint that has dried in the ferrule is the main cause of ruined brushes. To rescue a brush with dried acrylic, soak the bristles in isopropyl alcohol for ten to twenty minutes, work the softened paint out with a comb or your fingers, and wash with soap. Dedicated brush cleaners formulated for dried acrylic are gentler on natural hair.
Dried acrylic peels off glass, glazed ceramic and plastic palettes in sheets, especially after a soak in warm water. Paper palettes are simply thrown away.
Craft Smart Acrylic on Household Surfaces
- Sealed wood, laminate, tile, metal, glass: Wet paint wipes up with a damp cloth. Dried paint usually scrapes off with a plastic scraper or softens with isopropyl alcohol.
- Unsealed wood, grout, concrete: Paint soaks in and dried marks are difficult to remove entirely. Sanding is the realistic fix for wood.
- Carpet and upholstery: Blot wet paint with water and a little dish soap, working from the outside in. For dried paint, dab with isopropyl alcohol, blot, and repeat; avoid soaking the backing. Glycerin can help soften old stains.
- Walls (latex paint): Wet acrylic wipes off. Dried spots can be gently rubbed with alcohol on a cloth, though this may dull the wall paint; touch-up is sometimes easier.
Making Craft Smart Acrylic Stay on Fabric
If your goal is the opposite, a painted shirt or tote that survives washing, a few steps make the permanence work for you.
- Pre-wash the fabric without fabric softener to remove sizing that blocks adhesion.
- Mix the paint with a fabric medium (a clear additive sold alongside craft acrylics, including under the Craft Smart label) at the ratio on the medium’s bottle, commonly around two parts paint to one part medium. The medium keeps the dried paint flexible so it does not crack or stiffen the fabric.
- Paint in thin layers rather than one thick coat. Thick acrylic cracks when fabric flexes.
- Let it cure for 24 to 72 hours. Touch-dry is not cured.
- Heat-set by ironing the back of the fabric (or the front through a pressing cloth) on a setting appropriate for the fabric, for several minutes, moving constantly. Alternatively, tumble dry on high for 30 minutes.
- Wait a week before the first wash, then launder inside out in cold water and air-dry when possible.
Without fabric medium, plain Craft Smart acrylic will still adhere to cotton and survive gentle washing for a while, but it dries stiff, can crack along folds and may fade faster. The medium is cheap and worth using.
Craft Smart vs Washable Kids’ Paints
For young children’s projects where clothing matters more than permanence, standard craft acrylic is the wrong tool. Washable tempera and washable finger paints are formulated with binders that release from fibers in the wash even after drying. They are less durable on finished projects, can flake off smooth surfaces and reactivate with water, but those are acceptable trade-offs for toddler art.
Michaels and other retailers sell washable kids’ paints, sometimes under house labels. Read the front of the bottle: if it does not say washable, assume it is not. Other craft acrylic brands behave the same way as Craft Smart; the comparison in our DecoArt vs Craft Smart acrylic paint guide covers how two common craft lines differ in coverage and finish, but neither is washable once dry.
Does the Finish Change Washability?
Craft Smart acrylic comes in several finishes, and they behave a little differently when you try to remove them.
- Matte: Dries fastest and soaks slightly deeper into fabric and raw wood, so it is the hardest to lift once dry. Wet cleanup is identical to the others.
- Satin and gloss: Contain more binder, which forms a slicker film. On fabric they sit more on the surface, so alcohol softening works a bit better. On hard surfaces they peel in larger sheets.
- Metallic and glitter: Pigment and glitter particles leave sparkle behind even after the binder is removed from fabric. Expect residue.
- Multi-surface and outdoor formulas: Designed for stronger adhesion and weather resistance. These are the most permanent of the line and the least forgiving on clothing.
Quick Reference: Removal by Surface and Stage
| Surface | Wet paint | Dried paint |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Soap and water | Soap, water, washcloth; oil for flakes |
| Cotton clothing | Cold water flush, detergent | Isopropyl alcohol, detergent; faint mark may remain |
| Synthetic clothing | Cold water flush, detergent | Alcohol; test acetone only on acetone-safe fibers |
| Brushes | Water, then soap | Alcohol soak, comb out, soap |
| Glass, tile, plastic | Damp cloth | Peel or scrape; alcohol for residue |
| Sealed wood | Damp cloth | Plastic scraper, alcohol |
| Raw wood, grout | Blot quickly | Sanding or accept the mark |
| Carpet | Blot with soapy water | Alcohol dab and blot, repeat |
Precautions That Prevent the Problem
- Dress children in old clothes or a smock, and roll sleeves above the elbow.
- Cover the work surface with a plastic tablecloth or newspaper taped down.
- Keep a damp cloth and a bowl of soapy water on the table so wet spills are handled in seconds.
- Pour small amounts into a palette rather than painting from the bottle, which limits the size of any spill.
- Check hands, elbows and chairs before anyone leaves the table; paint found five minutes later is still washable, paint found an hour later is not.
FAQs
Does Craft Smart acrylic paint come out of clothes?
While wet, yes, with cold water and detergent. Once dry, it is permanent on most fabrics. Isopropyl alcohol can soften dried paint enough to reduce the stain, but complete removal is unlikely on light-colored cotton.
Is Craft Smart acrylic paint safe for kids?
Craft acrylics are generally labeled non-toxic under US art material standards and are suitable for supervised use by children who no longer put things in their mouths. For toddlers, or when clothing matters, washable tempera is the better choice.
Can I use Craft Smart acrylic paint on fabric?
Yes. Mix it with fabric medium, apply in thin layers, let it cure for a few days and heat-set with an iron. The result withstands normal gentle laundering.
How do I get dried Craft Smart acrylic off my hands?
Warm water, soap and a washcloth or soft brush remove most of it. A little oil or lotion softens stubborn flakes. Avoid solvents on skin.
Will Craft Smart acrylic wash off a painted rock or wood sign?
Not easily once dry, but outdoor exposure will eventually fade and wear it. A coat of clear acrylic sealer or outdoor varnish protects painted rocks and signs from rain and sun.
Is there a washable version of Craft Smart paint?
Michaels sells washable kids’ paints, which may carry its own labels, but these are separate products from the standard Craft Smart acrylic line. Check for the word washable on the bottle.
Final Thoughts
Craft Smart acrylic is water-based and easy to clean up, but it is not washable in the kids’-paint sense: once dry, it stays. Treat spills immediately, keep rubbing alcohol on hand for the ones you miss, and use fabric medium and heat when you want a painted design to last through the laundry. Choosing the right paint for the job, washable tempera for toddler art and craft acrylic for anything meant to be permanent, avoids most of the frustration. For the full picture of what this paint does well and where it fits among craft acrylics, read our complete guide to Craft Smart acrylic paint and its finishes.
