The heat gun is very easy to use and makes relatively little mess when compared to sanding or chemical strippers. You should wear a respirator mask because the fumes could be harmful, especially if the paint is old enough to contain lead. Also, a pair of leather work gloves will help you avoid getting a nasty burn because melted paint will stick to your skin. A tool that I find very useful when working with a heat gun is a silicone spatula - not for scraping but to protect the heat from hitting the wall or baseboard near your designated target. A silicone mat is also good to protect horizontal surfaces from the extreme heat. I also recommend that you have an empty can nearby to park your heat gun in when you turn it off and set it down. A spray bottle of water will help extinguish any thing small that starts to burn. Good luck.
Hello, Joyce, if you don't mind lots of paint dust you can scrape and sand your cupboards or look for paint strippers that don't contain any harmful, smelly chemicals. This article has more info - https://www.thespruce.com/natural-paint-remover-4589270
I was wondering if you could help me with something -- I have an entirely oak kitchen. I know it's the rage now to paint or gel stain cabinets. I've been considering ...
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heat gun
Hi ! Before going through all that work , are you sure you just can't paint over them ?
Sand them down, preferably with an electric sander.
Shopkins' answer - heat gun. There are also non-toxic paint removers that are citrus based. This article contains lots of information about non-toxic paint/stain removers: https://homebuilding.thefuntimesguide.com/green_ways_how_to_remove_paint/
The heat gun is very easy to use and makes relatively little mess when compared to sanding or chemical strippers. You should wear a respirator mask because the fumes could be harmful, especially if the paint is old enough to contain lead. Also, a pair of leather work gloves will help you avoid getting a nasty burn because melted paint will stick to your skin. A tool that I find very useful when working with a heat gun is a silicone spatula - not for scraping but to protect the heat from hitting the wall or baseboard near your designated target. A silicone mat is also good to protect horizontal surfaces from the extreme heat. I also recommend that you have an empty can nearby to park your heat gun in when you turn it off and set it down. A spray bottle of water will help extinguish any thing small that starts to burn. Good luck.
So the "citrus based" and "soy based" are misleading terms. But there are non toxic strippers based on alcohols or lye here https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/2021/09/non-toxic-paint-strippers.html
Hello, Joyce, if you don't mind lots of paint dust you can scrape and sand your cupboards or look for paint strippers that don't contain any harmful, smelly chemicals. This article has more info - https://www.thespruce.com/natural-paint-remover-4589270