Methods of purifying crude or contaminated terephthalic acid using ionic liquids are described. Crude or contaminated terephthalic acid is contacted with a solvent in the absence of an oxidizing agent to form a purified product having at least 30 wt % less 4-carboxybenzaldehyde compared to the crude or contaminated terephthalic acid. The solvent consists essentially of an ionic liquid, optionally an ionic solid or a material capable of forming an ionic salt, and optionally an aqueous solvent. The ionic liquid is formed in situ from at least one ionic liquid precursor.