Someone has painted the mother-in-law's wall-hung boiler to match the walls - a girlie thing. The gas man is not impressed and I would like to remove it. It appears to be lilac vinyl silk emulsion on the original (1983) stove enamelled white casing (which I doubt I can get off easily).
Any ideas for an agent that will strip it? I expect a scourer and some water retaining compound (like wallpaper stripping solution) might work bit someone will know.
Geoff
I'd try a window scraper first. The paint almost certainly isn't well adhered and, once you get the blade behind it, it should flake off easily
I'd be inclined to try Swarfega or similar hand cleaning compound to soften the emulsion paint first then a sharp blade and a steady hand.
There is a car paint shop in Blackpool called Martin Browns. Any connection?
A metal scraper or blade is quite likely to damage the enamel. As you say the paint isn't likely to be well adhered. I think I'd try a steam wallpaper stripper to get the paint hot and wet, it may well just wipe off in sheets. A soft plastic scraper for stubborn bits.
I know methylene chloride strips the original baked on powder coating. I've used soaking overnight to remove emulsion before.
NT
You can't buy methylene chloride any more (at least retail). Nitromors has been emasculated in the cause of Europe - these days it would struggle to lift wet emulsion.
I use methylated spirits to remove small amounts of splashed emulsion so might work where larger areas have poor adhesion. Failing that I have removed larger areas - a whole wall - with a water based paint stripper. But test first that it won't affect the enamelling.
Andrew
re emulsion on a boiler
AIUI the restriction is on it being sold labelled as paint stripper
NT
Thank you to everyone who thought about this. In the end I applied soapy suds to get the emulsion soft and then scrubbed it off with a scourer - half expecting to leave big scratches. But no, the emulsion and detergent lubricated the process and 20 minutes later it was all gone and the boiler is a brilliant white again.
So who sells methylene chloride not labelled as a paint stripper?
If it really is the same substance as dichloromethane as various references seem to suggest then decent model shops. Used as a solvent type adhesive for constructing plastic models as might be seen on a more elaborate model railway or an Architectural model for a building. EMA plastic weld is one of the most common brands.
G.harman
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