Comments on: How to deal with rusted paint cans

By: Gail Wilson

Gail Wilson — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 23:36:04 +0000

In reply to b.

I’m so happy to give you a great DIY tip about saving paint!

Happy DIY’ing!
gail

By: b

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 22:33:46 +0000

I’ll have to try that. I hate wasting an inch or so of paint when I could use it for something else. Great idea Gail!

By: Gail Wilson

Gail Wilson — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:14:00 +0000

In reply to Dee.

Dee,

hahah that’s so funny! I’m so happy it worked for you. One of my paints was stored in a milk jug, and I still was using it 10 years later. It was a latex paint that I used to paint my daughter’s bathroom (turquoise). I’m not sure why it ended up in a milk jug, but I painted many projects with it. I still have the jug, but haven’t checked it in a couple of years.
Happy DIY’ing
gail

By: Dee

Dee — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:41:22 +0000

I do this, but the paint I stored in cottage cheese containers or butter containers all hardened up to a clay like condition. I needed one of those colors for a touch up job, so I just added some water to a clump of “clay” and mixed it.

By: Gail Wilson

Gail Wilson — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 23:41:34 +0000

In reply to Vicki.

Vicki,

Thanks for a quick chuckle as I imagine you using a turkey baster in the paint. That is soooo clever of you! Yes, that one paint I have has been in a water jug for more years than I can count. And it’s been stored in my attached garage.
I’m so happy to hear that you figured out how to save your paint.

gail

By: Vicki

Vicki — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 23:08:54 +0000

What a great idea! We built a house three years ago and had leftover paint still in the cans. I needed to do some touch ups and of course the cans were rusty and crusty and I was concerned about rust flakes dropping into the can and tainting the color where it wouldn’t match. This was time consuming, but I had the idea to carefully stir the paint and then used a cheap plastic turkey baster to siphon the paint into clean plastic containers with screw on lids. I did have to use one glass jar as I didn’t have enough plastic ones on had (it was about a third of a gallon and I used a container from mixed nuts that I thoroughly washed but it wasn’t large enough). I don’t use laundry detergent that comes in jugs but it never occurred to me to use a gallon plastic water jug, as we used distilled water for humidifiers and they are already clean! Thanks so much for sharing!

By: Gail Wilson

Gail Wilson — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 00:15:15 +0000

In reply to John Hancock. Awesome John! Thrilled that your method worked out so well for you. It's the little things that make me happy! gail

By: John Hancock

John Hancock — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 21:53:15 +0000

I ladled the paint through some pantyhose into an empty detergent container. using a disposable plastic cup with the bottom cut out as a funnel, which eliminated the post clean-up. I was worried that the mesh would restrict the flow, but it went through as quickly as I could ladle it.

Thanks for the tip!

By: Gail Wilson

Gail Wilson — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 01:04:33 +0000

In reply to Joyce Dunlap.

I would saturate the surrounding area with water mixed with some dish detergent. A metal putty knife or small shovel may help you pry it off the floor.

good luck!
gail

By: Joyce Dunlap

Joyce Dunlap — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 10:53:07 +0000

I have a rusted can with orange paint, I think in the can. The top has rusted out and has let water in on top of the paint. The can is stuck to the concrete floor and I need advise as to how to remove it.