Is there anything I can use to remove acrylic paint from an old model to repaint it? I tried Windex but it barely did anything, even with a lot of scrubbing with a tooth brush.

Would Mr Muscle oven cleaner remove paint like it removes chrome, or is that something different?

Hisham

Hisham,
I use simple green straight from the jug it works great I leave it overnight. I also use alcohol 90% that works also but you should use good ventilation if you choose to use that. Hope this works for you.

Andy

I had some success cleaning old Vallejo acrylic with Tamiya lacquer thinner and Tamiya acrylic thinner using Q-tips. Not sure if it will work on all acrylic paints. You may try.

Paul

Thanks for the suggestions, guys

Andrew.. what is "simple green"?

Hisham

Simple Green is a brand of household cleaner. It is based on non-toxic citrate/citric acid solvents. I believe it is sold world-wide.

I too use straight 90% isopropyl alcohol to strip paint. also called "Methylated spirit".

I've used isopropyl before on some resin figures and it works great.. problem is my sister had brought for me from the States and now I've run out.. and here in Egypt it's illegal

Is Simple Green similar to Mr Muscle oven cleaner? I've never seen that brand name here in Egypt.

Another problem we have here is that there aren't any laws or regulations for companies to say what the components are on packages and things like that, so a lot of times you just find a couple of names of components on there and that's it... It's very difficult trying to find equivalents of certain products here

Hisham

Can you get fuel for camp stoves? That might be another idea.

How about Denatured Alcohol also?

Hey, Scott.. is denatured alcohol a lower grade of alcohol than isopropyl or a totally different thing?

I'm sorry, I must sound really ignorant but it's just that everything here has different names.. and some things you just can't find at all

Hisham

Try Mr. Color thinner. It removes acrylics, enamels, lacquers and even Tamiya Surface Primer if you rub it with a cotton bud and it makes no damage to styrene.

99% rubbing alcohol
Soak the model with it..let it sit. Do this about 4 x. Then do a section at a time, soak it & use a brush, sponge , paper towel & q-tips to remove paint.
Dish detergent & warm water may also take it off.

Its actually a higher grade of alcohol that has stuff added to it so you can't drink it, which might make it easier to find for you, due to your location. You should be able to find it in a hardware store, its used as a thinner for some types of paint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denatured_alcohol

Hi, if you can get revell paint remover, it works great on all types of paint.

Rich.

So you wish to strip all the paint off a model ? Is oven cleaner available where you are at ? Try that . But first on a piece of scrap . Spray the model , put it a plastic bag and let sit for a while . Another thing is brake fluid . I've never tried it . Same thing . Test on a piece of scrap .

Thanks for all the suggestions... Problem with alcohol in general is that it's illegal.. not sure if it can be used to make some kinds of home-made alcoholic drinks or what

About the only oven cleaner I remember seeing here is Mr Muscle, and I did try it once a long time ago to remove the chrome plating off some car kit parts.. I guess I'll have to buy some and try it on paints and see what happens.. I'll see about that brake fluid stuff

Thanks again
Hisham

Hi Hisham,

I use oven cleaner, works every time, yes it is formidable on chrome too!

I forgot what part of the world you at . That though had never crossed my mind .

Another idea is Pollyscale or Testors ELO...its a paint stripper, but its even hard to find in the West these days.

http://www.amazon.com/Floquil-Testor-Corp-ELO-Remover/dp/B000BQSKQE

Go with oven cleaner it's probably the cheapest method .

Hi Hisham

The active ingredient in the 'old formula' Windex/Windowlene is Ammonia. The new/UK/Europe version does not appear to have it, so is only good for windows.

I had a lab technician make up me some 10% Ammonia solution which shifts 100% dried on Tamiya acrylic. (smelly stinky, so put item/model in seal-able container & pour 10% ammonia in it, allow to soak & seal. wash thoroughly.

a 5% solution had no noticeable effect on fresh Hannants XtraAcrylix paint, so always TEST first.

Simple Green is a US cleaner, & as yet I have not found a UK equivalent.

Mr Muscle is an oven cleaner & is very CAUSTIC!
In the UK Fairy Power Spray is also used, as FPS can shift stuff Mr Muscle doesn't.

ALWAYS read instructions, always use rubber gloves, put item in sealable air-tight container & spray/pour & allow to soak, then wash thoroughly.

I always use Mr Muscle. Spray some in a plastic bag, drop in your kit, spray some more in to cover it and leave it for about 30 minutes. Fetch it out and scrub it with an old toothbrush in warm water and all the paint will disappear. I've done about 40 figures, a Tiger and a Panther this week and no problems. Don't forget to wear some latex gloves though as it's quite caustic and not at all good for your skin.

Hisham- I think rubbing alcohol is also sold in some places as 'surgical spirits'- a chemist/drug store might carry it though they don't seem to anymore here in the UK.
Can you get the Mr. Hobby line in Egypt? If so the Mr. Hobby paint thinners will remove most acrylics paints. Also the paint line Xtracrylix does a paint remover that works well on acrylics too.

Hisham,
Amazon sells simple green what I like about simple green is that it's not toxic and I reuse it a few times.
Andy

Hisham, if you can, go with ammonia. (Look in window cleaning products.). It should lift most acrylics. Oven cleaner is very aggressive and will eventually attack the plastic (it's a degreaser, and plastic is essentially oil-based) so if you go that route make sure you thoroughly soak and wash the model afterwards with plenty of water and maybe some dish liquid to get rid of all the oven cleaner lurking in the crevices. I used to use oven cleaner to strip train shells, and found with some plastics I really needed to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn't soak too long.

Another product sold in the States is Castrol Super Clean - this stuff apparently works wonders as a paint stripper with far less risk to the plastic.

Hope this helps!

Hisham,
If you are going to use Windex, make sure that it is the
original Windex with ammonia.

There are now many new Windex products that DON'T contain
ammonia and these will NOT work.
You need the ammonia to break down the acrylic binders in the paint.

You can also buy ammonia at a drug store and make your own
solution.

As suggested, Simply Green and Castrol Super Kleen also
work wonders.

Steer away from petroleum based products as they do have
adverse effects on some plastics.

Cheers,
Joe

Thanks a lot for all the suggestions, guys

I found the perfect solution and it was right in front of me, I just never thought it would work before... It's the Mr Muscle all purpose cleaner and grease remover.. at least that's what it says on it here in Arabic I remember removing some chrome plating off some car parts with it a long time ago, it just never occurred to me that it would do the same thing with paints... I sprayed some on it and left it for just ten minutes and then scrubbed it with a tooth brush under running water and it worked like a charm.. I'm sure if I soak the model in it longer, it will work even better.

Thanks again for all your help

Hisham