Say hello to my recently acquired French provincial dresser from Goodwill. All she needs is a new paint job and a hardware update and she'll be good as new. That's where my handy tutorial for removing paint from hardware comes in.
The hardware on this particular piece has a layer of paint that looks like it could be older than me. Luckily, the process for removing it is really simple.
Ingredients:
8 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda
8 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda
That's right. Two ingredients. Both of which you probably already have.
Step-by-Step Process:
1. Mix your water and baking soda together and bring to a boil
1. Mix your water and baking soda together and bring to a boil
2. Place your painted hardware into the boiling pot, cover, and boil for 20 minutes
3. After 20 minutes, remove the hardware and use an old toothbrush to brush the loose paint from the hardware
That's it! After being boiled, the paint should flake right off, leaving you with the original hardware to do with what you please.
If you want a tutorial for restoring that original hardware to its former glory, check out my Restoring Old Hardware post. I promise it's as easy as removing the paint! Oh, and it will get you one step closer to seeing that French provincial dresser makeover. It's totally worth it...