brake fluid to remove paint from plastic

This article has been viewed 240,403 times. Actually hydrofluoric acid or methly ethyl ketone work better. Last Updated: August 31, 2019 Paint on model glue is harder to remove, as it literally bonds to the glue, turning it black or brown or sometimes another colour. I decided to go in a different direction which required that I remove the high temp enamel spray I had just put on. Do not try to scrub these areas away, but leave them to dry with the rest of the model and then chip them off afterwards with your modeling tools. Finally, if you need to remove crazy glue from plastic you need Easy Off. Rust paints take more applications, but will come off. Besides, use any soap to wash, as it is an effective brake fluid paint remover. Dispose responsibly! Dettol, while not dangerous, does dehydrate skin and can cause peeling and discomfort on areas exposed to it for too long. When using the scraper, you should not apply too much pressure as it might lead to the scratching of the plastic surface and may even blemish it. if so what removes the brake fluid? With the help of this article I've stripped two small metal soldiers, "I haven't actually tried it yet, but this method sounds so much easier than anything else. Though its ingredients happen to have solvent properties, it's not dangerous as a disinfectant when usage directions are properly followed. Two old toothbrushes, preferably hard or medium in strength, as soft toothbrushes fail to remove as much paint. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Another brake fluid user here. methods found from searching forum messages (brake fluid, nail polish remover). Brake fluid is water soluble. Approved. So my question is how do I remove the brake fluid from the headlighs (preferably without wet sanding)? It removed the metallic paint from the wheels completely and did not . it is advisable to take a sample of same or similar plastic & throw into the fluid for a timed period to avoid possibility of damage to plastic parts of models in the event it proves damaging. Standard automotive brake fluid works like paint thinner to remove chrome layers from plastic objects. ", "Brilliant, saves a lot of work using paste paint removers, and a lot safer, too!". I wanted to clean my plastic headlights on my 99 Audi A6, so I rubbed some brake fluid on there and left it. Thanks for your help. ", hours of soaking. How do I get paint off a big statue made of plastics? I just wanted to share my experience of using brake fluid to remove paint and chrome from any plastic parts. Use oven cleaner in an aerosol can, works wonders. Rinse them off with cold water in the morning. The brake fluid to use is the glycol based fluid, such as DOT 3, but it's mostly used on plastic that would melt if you tried using anything else on it, such as polystyrene. So I saw the next day that my headlight turned very hazy from the brake fluid, and nothing seems to get the brake fluid off. Newspapers or covers for the area you will be working with, as it can get quite messy and the paint that you remove will be hard to get off any surfaces should it fall onto them. It also has a tendency to change the chemical composition of paint and plastic, making it … For this, a plastic putty knife or a razor blade would be suitable. Be especially careful when using a razor blade; it is recommended to use it only as a last resort or when dealing with thick, dried-up paint. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Aircraft grade paint stripper would have damaged the plastic but a Google search suggested using brake fluid and it worked. I was surprised by the results. Rinse. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. ", creating a miniature wrecker's yard, and thought I faced hours of sanding new die-cast cars. A well ventilated room. do not use brake fluid unless you're 100% sure the plastic is suitable, and the brake fluid brand has been tried on your particular model before I think the lesson is don't try to repaint a new £100 plus model, get a spare bodyshell from Peters Spares or Ebay and play with that. I then tried Brake Cleaner spray with good results. Silicone brake fluid — DOT 5 — is silicone-based with a high boiling point suitable for motorsports, isn’t sensitive to absorbing moisture and doesn’t damage paint. And for the most part the fluid soaks in and if you can see a color variation, that is the color it is going to stay. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Remove the parts, place them on something to catch the old dripping paint, and spray them down. Never ever get your brush with the loose paint and mixture wet under a water tap. for a styrene model the best thing to use is car brake fluid, but to be safe always wear safety glasses or a shield as some people are more sensitive to chemicals, it is safer than paint stripper and will not hurt the plastic, use q-tips to get in the small cracks and just rinse off in water also google (model hints and tips ) led reverse light, revision 3 (in progress), If this is your first visit, be sure to Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 240,403 times. I know that oven cleaner and some say bleach will remove chrome but I had painted my reflector surrounds while leaving some chrome in one of the bowls. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Again, make sure they are old and unwanted. Introducing Dettol, a model-painter's new best friend! Almost a dunk and rinse procedure, it is that fast. Rub the chrome object with brake fluid and let it set about 10 minutes before rinsing it off. Can I use a different hand soap instead of Dettol? You might give Simple Green a try. This is an automotive paint striper designed for bumper bars, moulds, mirror, door handles etc. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Remove-Paint-from-Metal-and-Plastic-Models-with-Dettol-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Remove-Paint-from-Metal-and-Plastic-Models-with-Dettol-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Remove-Paint-from-Metal-and-Plastic-Models-with-Dettol-Step-1.jpg\/aid852180-v4-728px-Remove-Paint-from-Metal-and-Plastic-Models-with-Dettol-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":305,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":483,"licensing":"