Tip for Removing Paint From Metal Hardware

Somewhere (I want to give credit due but I don't remember) maybe it was on a TV show like HGTV or in a magazine I read that an easy and non toxic way to remove paint from hardware was to soak it in hot vinegar. They used a pot with simmering vinegar and added their antique doorknobs and hinges to get the paint off.

I'm painting my bathroom right now and I painted the sliding door lock to match the door. Latex on metal just didn't look good. So I decided to remove the latex and use a metal spray paint like Rustoleum.

The latch is small so I took a small bowl of white vinegar and heated it to a simmer in the microwave and dropped the latch in it. I came back about 5 minutes later and there was some kind of action going on as there were minute bubbles forming on the surface of the paint. I took a spoon and moved the latch around and the latex fell right off. No scrubbing!

I'm always a skeptic, though. I don't know if this only works with latex but it sure is nicer than having to use stripper or steel wool to get it off. I guess I should have tried it in just hot water first to see if that is the reason it came off or if the vinegar is the thing that made it come off so easy.

I'll have to test further.