Many years ago, before I ever thought about living in a historic home, I was watching an episode of This Old House when they demonstrated a simple method for cleaning years of paint off hardware. I stuck that little nugget in my long-term memory — just in case. Fast forward about 20 years and here I was, faced with a set of hinges with at least 8 coats of paint on them, and I decided to try the This Old House method. Guess what? It worked like a charm! So here is the process for you, along with photos — Enjoy.
Important note: Keep in mind that you may be working with lead-based paint. If you do any scraping or sanding, use the wet method so you don’t create dust and paint chips. Clean all the residue up with a wet cloth so no dry dust is released into the air. Once you remove all the paint from the hinges, wrap the paint up in a plastic grocery bag and throw it away while it is still wet.
Step 1: Take the hardware off your door. This was not very easy for me since the screw heads were completely filled with paint. I had to use an X-Acto knife and an ice pick to dig the paint out so I could unscrew the hinges.
Step 2: Find an old sauce pan that you don’t mind ruining (something from Goodwill, maybe?) and place the hardware in the pan and cover with water.
Step 3: Bring water to a low boil and let the hardware “cook” for one to two hours, depending on how much paint is on them. Keep your stove vent on to prevent fumes from filling your house. Check frequently to make sure the water hasn’t boiled away, (add more as needed).
Step 4: When you see the paint bubbling up on the surface of the metal, it’s done. Take the pieces out of the hot water and let them cool.
Step 5: Once cooled, the paint should slip right off the metal. If there are some stubborn areas, put the part back on the stove for additional softening of the paint.
Step 6: Wipe the hardware clean and let dry. At this point the metal can be cleaned with brass polish, but keep in mind that it will likely never look new again. I liked the antique look, so I didn’t attempt any further cleaning.
