How to Remove Old Paint From Hinges
- 1). Remove loose paint from the surface of the hinges by scrubbing them vigorously with a wire brush. If scrubbing with a wire brush reveals an ornate design on faces of the hinges, they may be brass. Stop scrubbing immediately.
- 2). Don heavy rubber gloves and eye protection. Place the hinge on a flat surface that will not be damaged easily, like an old table or a concrete patio. Open the container of naval jelly. Use the applicator supplied with the naval jelly to apply a coat of the naval jelly to the hinge, turning the hinge as necessary to coat all of the hinge's surfaces.
- 3). Leave the hinge undisturbed for five minutes if it appears to be brass or 10 minutes if it does not. Keep children and small animals away from the area.
- 4). Spread a plastic drop cloth and set a 5-gallon plastic bucket at its center while waiting for the naval jelly to strip the paint. Flush the item with running water while scraping the paint away; a garden hose used at low pressure works well. Use a plastic scraper, rather than a metal scraper, particularly if the hinge is made of brass. Contain the chemical and paint runoff by holding the hinge just above the plastic bucket and rinsing the material into the bucket. If paint remains on the hinge, spot-treat the painted areas with naval jelly, following the same procedure as before.
- 5). Dispose of the runoff in an approved manner: Contact the city or county government offices for their disposal recommendation. Coat the hinge with a sealant--lacquer for brass, paint for iron--as soon as possible.
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