Do It Yourself Paint Remover

Different types of paints made of colored pigment that is usually powder or liquid is an essential part of our home, and its an easy way to refresh and change the aura of our home.

Paint gives life on everything, there are many kinds of paint, some are oil based, water based and liquids.

Paint used in any sort of building structures, woods or some metals to protect from water or sun. It is also used in wall decorations and arts. But sometimes, we make a mistake in applying it or damage.

There are paint removers that you can purchase in many hardware and home depot, but some of them are expensive and can contain toxic chemical ingredients that can harm you, your family and the environment.

Some even can cause serious diseases and death. 

That is why many people are using homemade or what they call DIY or Do It Yourself steps in making crafted materials into some kind of home decoration or arts and repairing things to make it new. You can easily create your own DIY paint remover in an easier way and use a simple ingredient.

Here are some ways you can use in doing your DIY Paint Remover

1. Baking Soda and Boiling Water

Removing paint in hardware is a simple task and doesn't need expensive paint remover. Using boiling water in removing paint is useful, you can add some baking soda to make sure it works. It DIY paint remover technique works in metal hardware.    

Steps:

• Put water into a large pot, make sure that the pot you will use is not used in cooking.
• Place it into the stove and wait until it boiled.
• Add some ¼ cup of baking soda. Do not stir.
• Place the pieces of metal hardware into the boiling water and do let it touch each other. You can use tongs to prevent to get burned.
• Let it simmer until 15 to 20 minutes.
• When it’s done, place it in a cloth to let it warm. You can use an old toothbrush to scrub the metal hardware.   

2. Vinegar

Vinegar is used to add flavor in some foods such as pickles and salads. But vinegar is not just for cooking.

Vinegar is inexpensive and easy to find that is effective in removing paints on windows and other hard surfaces. This is eco-friendly and non-toxic chemical so it is safe

Steps:

• Heat a small amount of vinegar into a saucepan or place it in a microwaveable bowl and use a microwave oven to heat it.
• Dip a clean sponge or any paintbrush. Scrub it into the dried paint area.
• Wait until the vinegar will soften the dried paint in 10 to 15 minutes. If it is still stuck on, reapply some more.
• Lastly, use a paint scraper to remove the loose paint and wipe the surface using cloth.

3. Soda and Flour

This is effectively used in removing paint in a larger area. You can buy washing soda in a grocery store and usually in the laundry section.   

Steps:

• Dissolve the washing soda in cold water. The ratio is 1:1.
• Mix warm water into 2/3 cup of flour and make it into a gel.
• Combine the soda mixture into the flour mixture.
• Brush the cream it into the surface area using a paintbrush.
• Leave it in 30 minutes to one hour, never forget to moist it by spraying water
• Rinse it with warm water and vinegar mixture.

4. Borax, Ammonia, and Soda

Borax is known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate or disodium tetraborate and uses in many cleaning purposes. While Ammonia is a colorless gas it came from the air, soil, and water, animals, plants and humans.

This is commonly used in making fertilizers. Same as the Soda and Flour the mixture of Borax, Ammonia, and Soda are used in a larger surface.

Steps:

• Mix the borax, ammonia, and soda with a ratio of 1:1:1.
• Dissolve the borax, ammonia and soda mixture into 2 liters of water.
• Use a paintbrush then brush it into the paint area that needs to be removed.
• Leave it within 30 minutes.
• Scrub it using steel wool and dip in warm water.

5. Lye

Lye or sodium hydroxide is considered as one of the oldest paint strippers. This is effective but has a danger. Lye can burn skin, you must know the proper way to use it and make sure to use protective gear.

Steps:

• Put on acid-resistant gloves in your hands and work in an outdoor area.
• Fill 2 gallons of water into a bucket or a larger container.
• Put one cup of lye powder and a cup of corn starch then stir using a wooden stick.
• Use an oil-based paintbrush and apply it into the surface.
• Wait until 5 minutes.
• Sweep the paint using a metal knife
• Apply some vinegar or water on the surface then rinse it with water.

6. Liquid Laundry Detergent

Liquid Laundry Detergent can be used as one of the ingredients for the mixture in paint removers. You can use this mixture if you accidentally spilled paint in your doorknobs handle or even in metal switch plates.

Steps:

• Put the metal hardware into the pot with water.
• Add two tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent.
• Brush the metal using a toothbrush to remove remaining paint.
• You can frequently repeat the steps to remove all the paints

7. Hydrogen Peroxide

Latex paint is water-soluble and dries only within a couple of minutes. This is used in indoors walls and stains in carpets. Hydrogen peroxide has an oxidizing that similar to bleach to remove paint stain in carpets.

Steps:

• Put water in the stain paint carpet using a disposable plastic spoon.
• Wipe it up using a paper towel to remove even the fresh paints.
• Get an old cloth and dap it with 3 percent of hydrogen peroxide.
• Keep it in the carpet for an hour
• Check the carpet, if it still has a paint moisten another cloth with hydrogen peroxide and wipe into the carpet. Continue until the paint is dissolved.

This is the simple steps that you can use to create your homemade paint remover. The ingredients that are used are easy to find and cheap.

But even if it is a non-toxic, you still need to be careful and always use proper or appropriate gear and protection for your safety.

Wear your gloves, safety glasses, protecting clothes and respirator.  Mostly, this DIY paint removers are effective and usually used wall surfaces but you can also use it in metals, glass window, furniture, woods, and carpets.

In addition, if you don’t have time to do your Do It Yourself paint remover, you can also use products that are eco-friendly and non-toxic that is safe and harmless.

Paint Removers you can get for yourself

1. No Methylene Chloride Paint Removers

Methylene Chloride can cause cancers, it can also cause hand and eye fatigue and some chemical burns. So if you buy to make sure to check the label to remove paints without exposing in toxic chemicals.

2. Soy Gel Paint Removers

You can buy soy gel paint removers, this is non-toxic and effective. You can apply in using paint brushed and just leave for several hours. This can be applied in furniture, moldings, and cabinets.

3. Citrus Based Paint Removers

This paint remover is very effective and powerful in removing paint in larger areas. It is a gel that can stay in 24 hours and usually used in the indoor surface.

4. Stripping Pads

Made from synthetic and abrasive fibers that are designed to vanish and strip paints from metal and wood surface. This is more effective and resistant than steel wool

5. Heat Guns

In removing paint you can use a blower or other heat guns. This is a simple and effective way to remove paint without making paint remover. You just need to point the heat gun directed to the painted area to make it heat. Just wait until the paint has some bubbles.

Then use a tool to scrape the paint off into the wooden surface. Just repeat the process until you remove all the paint.

6. Paint Scraper

You can also use a paint scraper, you need to be patience in using this as a paint remover because of the repeated process until you finish and used most likely if the paint is in bad condition.

7. Sandblasting

For larger surface or in the vehicle, you can use an eco-friendly and easy to use like sandblasting. This is simply shooting sand at the paint area and it automatically flakes off.

In all that you do, you must be careful using either homemade or using purchased product. Never forget to dispose of it in proper disposal and away from children to prevent an unexpected accident.  

The way to protect your investment choose paint that gives protection to your walls or furniture. And if your paint is on bad condition, you must consider to repair it before it damages more. We hope that this Do It Yourself paint remover will help you to protect your things and home in the future.