How to Remove Paint From Antique Hardware

$0.00
1.5 Hours
Easy
I've spent a lot of time stripping paint from wood, but this was my first attempt at stripping metal. I decided to go with the "slow-cooker" method, and to my complete surprise, it was really easy!
Removing paint from antique hardware.
I didn't want to ruin my slow-cooker (or cook a future meal in paint residue), so I actually used an old saucepan on the stove. I just dropped the doorknobs and hinges in, made sure they were completely covered with water, then let them simmer on low for about an hour. I just kept them in there until the paint looked like it was starting to peel.
You can use boiling water to remove paint.
Once the paint looked kind of loose and bubbly, I used a pliers to hold on to the hot hardware while I scrubbed it with a brass bristle brush. Most of the paint peeled off in big chunks. I only had to use the brush to get in all the little details.
This was one of those rare projects where the end result actually justifies the amount of time I spent doing it. I don't get a lot of those around here, so I tend to appreciate them when they come along.
You can read more about this project and see the entire kitchen transformation on my blog: http://www.sarahsbigidea.com/


Thanks for reading!


Sarah's Big Idea
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 6 comments
  • Deborah Deborah on Aug 20, 2016
    soak in a crockpot for a few hours. add a squirt of dish soap paint comes off like butter!
  • LibraryKAT LibraryKAT on Jan 22, 2017
    Thank you for this post! I just used a small saucepan with plain water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap to remove the paint from a cast iron bookend. It boiled for about an hour and then I used a hard plastic bristled brush to take off almost all the black enamel, followed by scrubbing with an old toothbrush to remove the rest. There are only a couple of VERY small spots of black paint left. You have to really look to see them. This was a wonderful and easy way to do it. Thanks! :-)
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