How do I remove paint from metal hinges?

Roxie Francis
by Roxie Francis
  6 answers
  • Kelli L. Milligan Kelli L. Milligan on May 03, 2019

    Just brush on some paint stripper or soak it in a shallow bowl of stripper. Will bubble off. Clean with steel wool

  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on May 03, 2019

    5 WAYS-no chemicals needed ------ Best method: remove the hardware and boil it with boiling up a quart of water with about one-quarter cup baking soda. for 15-20 minutes. Second choice: soak it for a few hours in boiling hot water. Third method: soak a washcloth in the hot mixture and drape it over the hardware. Watch. The paint peels right off. 4th method:Vinegar dissolves even old, stubborn paint. Heat a small amount of white distilled vinegar in a small saucepan. Dip a clean paintbrush or a sponge in the hot vinegar. Allow the vinegar to soften the paint for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the loosened paint with a paint scraper.5th method: A long, hot, sudsy soak in a crockpot. This method, uses nothing more than water, a bit of liquid detergent, and heat to break the paint bond. More often than not, you can slide all the cooked paint layers off with your fingers. A scrubbing with a nylon brush removes the stubborn bits. (Wire brushes or power tools are much too aggressive for this kind of work.)Place the hardware in the crockpot. Cover with water, add a couple of tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent, and turn the heat to medium. Put on the lid and let the contents of the pot cook all night. The next day, the paint will be soft and ready to fall off the metal.

  • Linda Sikut Linda Sikut on May 03, 2019

    Hi Roxie,

    You can put the hinges in a slow cooker (crock pot) with some hot water and soap, turn it on low and let it "cook" for an hour or two then take them out with tongs, let them cool and brush off the paint. The hot soapy water should loosen the paint so that it slides right off. Repeat if necessary. Wishing you the best.

  • Stephanie Fudge Stephanie Fudge on May 04, 2019

    I've used Awesome cleaner from Dollar Tree. Let them soak for an hour or two, then use an old toothbrush, comes right off.

  • V Smith V Smith on May 05, 2019

    I have had to clean layers of old paint off of antique hinges. I started out boiling them in water and then using a brass bristle brush to push the softened paint off. It worked to some extent but it was a long process because the hinges I was cleaning were ornate. In the end I found it easier to just use a heat gun and the brass bristled brush. If you go this route wear a mask. Also I found that laying them out on a silicone pot holder made for good heat protection of the work area.

    • Roxie Francis Roxie Francis on May 12, 2019

      Thanks SOOO much. I will definitely try this when I get to do my project of repainting the kitchen cabinets in my recently purchased 1976 home. I MIGHT replace kitchen hinges since some don't seem to be performing well anymore BUT the same cabinets are also in 3 bathrooms, a walk-in closet & a game room so I could interface with other cabinet hinges. At any rate, I really hope NOT needing to replace ALL the hinges. That is the reason for my initial question. LOTS of hinges.... Whew!