How to Strip Paint from Hardware
Protect your paint job from peeling., Uninstall the hardware., Soak your hardware in soapy water in a crock pot., Brush the hardware free of remaining paint.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Protect your paint job from peeling.
Paint can easily pull away with your hardware when you remove it from the wall.
Take a utility knife or a similar tool and cut along the perimeter of the hardware.
Remove all supplemental parts, like the spindle and knob of doorknobs, pieces connected by a hinge, and so on.
In some cases, you might not be able to completely cut through the paint with your cutting tool.
In this situation, score the paint deeply and, when removing the hardware, try to break/tear the paint along the scoring.
Peeling is especially common when there is an unbroken layer of paint connecting the surface of your hardware to the surface where the hardware is installed. -
Step 2: Uninstall the hardware.
Paint may have filled in fastener slots (like screws) or created a layer over fasteners, making them difficult to remove.
Use your utility knife to carve out these slots or to peel away paint so you can remove the fasteners easily.
With an appropriate tool, like a screwdriver or claw hammer, take out the fasteners.
With screws, use the lightest pressure you can manage while uninstalling.
Pressing too hard can cause your screwdriver to slip and result in gouged hardware., Insert your hardware into a crock pot.
Add water to the crock pot until the hardware is completely covered.
Mix in a tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid laundry detergent.
Set the crock pot to medium or high.
Allow the hardware to soak overnight.Your hardware may still be hot when you go to remove it from the crock pot.
Use tongs to prevent yourself from getting burned.After a night of soaking in hot, soapy water, the paint on your hardware should be soft and ready to fall off.
Use an old crock pot or buy one secondhand at a thrift store for your paint removal.
This will prevent paint from contaminating a crock pot you still use., Stiff bristle brushes may damage the finish of your hardware.
Use a soft bristle brush to break up stubborn paint.
Paint will harden quickly after being removed from the crock pot.
Dip fixtures back into the hot crock pot water to re-loosen hardened paint.Hold the hardware with a pair of tongs or with gloved hands to prevent yourself from getting burned.
While holding the hardware like this, brush remaining paint free. -
Step 3: Soak your hardware in soapy water in a crock pot.
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Step 4: Brush the hardware free of remaining paint.
Detailed Guide
Paint can easily pull away with your hardware when you remove it from the wall.
Take a utility knife or a similar tool and cut along the perimeter of the hardware.
Remove all supplemental parts, like the spindle and knob of doorknobs, pieces connected by a hinge, and so on.
In some cases, you might not be able to completely cut through the paint with your cutting tool.
In this situation, score the paint deeply and, when removing the hardware, try to break/tear the paint along the scoring.
Peeling is especially common when there is an unbroken layer of paint connecting the surface of your hardware to the surface where the hardware is installed.
Paint may have filled in fastener slots (like screws) or created a layer over fasteners, making them difficult to remove.
Use your utility knife to carve out these slots or to peel away paint so you can remove the fasteners easily.
With an appropriate tool, like a screwdriver or claw hammer, take out the fasteners.
With screws, use the lightest pressure you can manage while uninstalling.
Pressing too hard can cause your screwdriver to slip and result in gouged hardware., Insert your hardware into a crock pot.
Add water to the crock pot until the hardware is completely covered.
Mix in a tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid laundry detergent.
Set the crock pot to medium or high.
Allow the hardware to soak overnight.Your hardware may still be hot when you go to remove it from the crock pot.
Use tongs to prevent yourself from getting burned.After a night of soaking in hot, soapy water, the paint on your hardware should be soft and ready to fall off.
Use an old crock pot or buy one secondhand at a thrift store for your paint removal.
This will prevent paint from contaminating a crock pot you still use., Stiff bristle brushes may damage the finish of your hardware.
Use a soft bristle brush to break up stubborn paint.
Paint will harden quickly after being removed from the crock pot.
Dip fixtures back into the hot crock pot water to re-loosen hardened paint.Hold the hardware with a pair of tongs or with gloved hands to prevent yourself from getting burned.
While holding the hardware like this, brush remaining paint free.
About the Author
Ronald Lewis
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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