How to Remove Paint From Metal Without Chemicals

Choose a Container

Decide what you will use as the container for soaking the metal. A disposable aluminum tray or pie pan works well for small items. Alternatively, you may want to treat your metal items in hot water for a longer period of time, using a saucepan or pot or a slow cooker.

Pour Boiling Water Over the Metal

Place the metal item into your container on a heat-resistant surface. Heat water in a kettle or teapot until it reaches a rolling boil. Then, carefully and slowly pour the boiling water over the hardware, submerging the item.

Let the Hardware Soak

Let the hardware sit in the tray filled with boiling water until the paint starts to bubble. Often, this will take about five minutes. If you notice that the paint isn't bubbling, drain the pan and then repeat the process with more boiling water to reheat the metal.

If you opt to use a slow cooker or sauce pan, heat the water on high until it simmers, and let the hardware soak for five to 10 minutes. Most painted items won't need to sit for longer unless there are a lot of layers of paint or there are crevices where the paint is more stubborn. 

Scrape Off the Paint

Once you notice the paint starting to peel away, carefully scrape off the loosened paint while the hardware remains in the try or pie pan. Make sure to wear gloves and be careful not to burn yourself. 

If you're using a slow cooker or pan, you can remove the hardware from the water before scraping.

When most of the paint is gone, remove the hardware from the water and continue scraping with the scraper or a soft-bristle brush. Avoid using items like steel wool or metal bristles because these can scratch the surface of the metal. 

Buff With a Lint-Free Cloth

In most cases, the metal is going to be tarnished underneath all that paint. Use a lint-free cloth to buff off as much dirt, gunk, and tarnish as possible. If you still have paint stuck in hard-to-reach spots, repeat the entire stripping process as needed. 

Remove Tarnish as Desired

After all the paint has been removed, it's up to you to decide how much you want to clean the metal. You might want to leave the old metal tarnished and darkened with age, or you might prefer to carefully remove all tarnish so the piece looks new.

Another option is to remove some but not all of the tarnish. This way, the items will still look old but will have some shine. You can leave tarnish in recessed areas by polishing only the raised sections.