What’s the best way to remove latex paint from brass hinges?

[Louis Brandt]

Hello,

I’ve got several brass hinges that have two or three layers of latex (no oil) paint on them. I’ve tried soaking them in mineral spirits, but that hasn’t done much good. I’ve also tried soaking them in vinegar (which is a mild acid), and that hasn’t done much either.

I’d prefer not to have to use a wire brush on them, because it will scuff them up, so is there any solution that I could soak them in that would remove the paint without my having to risk scratching them up?

Thanks,
Louis

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Louis,

I have had good luck using a sharp utility knife. At the very edges I am able to cut through the paint and then I can peel it off using my fingers and scraping it with my finger nails or the edge of the utility knife blade. I don't know of any liquid that will strip latex paint unless it would be one of the commercial paint solvents.

[Jamie Buxton]

Lacquer thinner will attack latex, but not the brass.

[Bill White]

Denatured alcohol will do the job.
Bill

[Keith Kline]

Crock pot and water

[Jason Roehl]

Lacquer thinner will attack latex, but not the brass.

Bingo.

Lacquer thinner, xylene, brush&roller cleaner, acetone, methylene chloride, MEK.

Or heat.

[Jeff Todd]

water and vinegar mix in a pot boil the water drop the hinges in for a bit... paint should come right off.

[Jason White]

Soak them in a crock-pot (on low) full of soapy water overnight. The paint will come right off with barely any scraping.

Jason


Hello,

I’ve got several brass hinges that have two or three layers of latex (no oil) paint on them. I’ve tried soaking them in mineral spirits, but that hasn’t done much good. I’ve also tried soaking them in vinegar (which is a mild acid), and that hasn’t done much either.

I’d prefer not to have to use a wire brush on them, because it will scuff them up, so is there any solution that I could soak them in that would remove the paint without my having to risk scratching them up?

Thanks,
Louis

[Peter Quinn]

Rapid brush cleaner works pretty good. Soak for a few hours, wipe lightly with a synthetic wool pad. Any methelyne chloride based stripper will work, and that orange stuff might help.

[Jason Hanko]

This (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93252) might work...

[Ron Bontz]

There used to be a product called "Goof off". It was made to remove latex paint. :)

[Jeff Bratt]

There used to be a product called "Goof off". It was made to remove latex paint. :)

Still is a line of products - http://www.goof-off.com/
The original is mostly acetone and xylene...

[Billy Trinh]

Funny I needed to do the exact same thing for 8 old hinges. Used xylene and a scraper razor blade. damped all the hinges with xylene and just use razor blade to scrape the paints them off. Paint pretty much just slide off the hinges

[Lee Schierer]

Get some citrus based paint remover and drop the hinges in a paper cup full for a hour or so. The paint should come right off with a soft bristle brush. Once the paint is off you will want to polish them up and apply a couple of coats of clear lacquer to prevent tarnishing.

[Garth Keel]

soapy water, crock pot on high overnight.

[Steve Mellott]

+1 Goof Off works very well. Its designed for that application.

[Henry Ambrose]

Ammonia will do it.

Although the crockpot and soapy water sounds good.

[Vince Shriver]

laquor thinner is your answer. Soak overnight.

[Damion Bevacqua]

soapy water, crock pot on high overnight.

This is the way to do it.

I used this trick on the brass hardware in my 105 y.o. home, worked like a charm.

You can even put it in a pot of water on the stove on low for a few (12) hours.

[Denny Rice]

Louis,

+4 Crock pot........... with Dawn dish washing liquid and one cup of Vinegar. Go out and buy the wife a new crock pot and hijack the old one. Fill the pot 3/4 full with regular tap water, add two good squirts of dawn and one cup of vinegar. Set on high to bring up to temperature and back it to low overnight. You will be AMAZED in the morning. When I do this I usually take a soft brissle brush and maybe a scothbrite pad to remove anything that isn't off from the soaking. I have just done this to hardware from the 1920's the stuff looks like new when I was finished. To keep it looking new, a coat of beeswax polish to keep it looking new. Hope this helps.