Remove Paint From Any Metal as if it Was Never There: 2 Methods

Paints are made to stick right, and they stick really good. Lets say you have painted your door knob made of brass but want the original back now. Or a previous house owner has painted beautiful metal components that you are not happy with. So, what is the best way to remove paint from any metal without scratching the metal itself?

In this simple tutorial we will explain how to remove paint from any metal as if it was never there. So, let’s start.

Method-1: For most common paints (chemical free)

Paints are plastic by nature. This means that at higher temperatures they loose their strength and become softer. You can tap this property of paints for your own benefit.

What would you need?

• A cooking pot.
• Water.
• Pint scrapper.
• Mineral spirit.
• Scrubbing pads.

Instructions:

1. Boil water in a pot large enough to hold the metal component.
2. Put the metal inside and boil for up to 6 minutes.
3. Remove the metal from water and scrape the paint using the paint scrapper. Do it fast while the metal is still hot enough.
4. Gently chip away the paint from all over the metal. For crevices and hard-to-reach areas, you may want to use the scrubbing pads instead.
5. Once the paint is thoroughly scrapped, spray the mineral spirit all over and scrub with the pads. This will ensure any residual paint is also removed.
6. Finally rinse the metal piece with warm water.

Method-2: For hard-to-remove paints (chemicals involved)

While you can remove most of the paints with hot water, there are others that stick really hard even at elevated temperatures. In that case, you will need add one or more chemicals to remove the paint completely.

What would you need?

1. Drop cloth or old newspapers.
2. Paint stripper.
3. Disposable paint brush.
4. Scrubbing pads.
5. A nylon brush or scrubbing pads.
6. Mineral spirit.
7. Rubber gloves.

Instructions:

1. Important: Cover the work area with drop cloth or recycled newspaper. You can also do this using cardboard or plastic bags.
2. Important: Wear your gloves and a full sleeve shirt to avoid direct contact with the chemical.
3. Pour a small amount of the metal stripper into a bowl/glass. Thoroughly apply the stripper using your paintbrush. Let it sit as per the instructions on the stripper.
4. Once you see the paint bubbling up from the metal surface, using your paint scrapper, chip away the paint from all the flat surfaces. For crevices and hard-to-reach areas, use the scrubbing pads. Use the metal scrapper and scrubbing paints alternatively until all the paint is removed.
5. Now, spray/apply mineral spirit and wipe the surface down with a clean cloth or a scrubbing pad.
6. Finally, thoroughly rinse the metal with water and wipe down using a fresh rag/clean cloth.
7. That’s it, your metal component is back to it’s old glory.

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