Period doors make a beautiful accent to any property, but restoring them can be troublesome. Removing paint from door hinges, locks, handles and even door knockers is something that must be approached with care. It is not a good idea to use harsh chemicals on antique door hardware. The good news is there are some effective paint removal techniques which use standard household cleaning products. These techniques are better for the environment, and for your door hardware too.

A Simple Water Bath

Oil and latex paints can be removed simply by putting the painted hardware in a slow cooker filled with water. Let the hardware “cook” overnight, then scrub the paint off and polish the hardware. Note that this method should not be used on steel, because it may cause a small  amount of rusting. However, brass, copper and aluminum hardware is safe to clean in this manner.

Be aware that copper or brass coated steel can be damaged through soaking.  If the coating is already starting to crack or peel, then water may get into the cracks and cause even more of the plating to peel away. It may be worth getting the hardware professionally re-plated.

Removing Paint With Bicarbonate of Soda

One good way to remove more stubborn kinds of paint is to soak your old hardware in a pot of boiling water with some bicarbonate of soda, then scrub the hardware with a toothbrush. This cleaning technique requires patience. You mix up the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water, and then leave your hardware soaking in the mixture for a week (or longer, if possible). When you pull the painted hardware out of the mixture, you should find that the paint simply sloughs off the hardware in large chunks. If your initial cleaning attempt does not remove all of the paint, simply prepare a fresh mixture and let the hardware soak a little longer.

Using a Paint Scraper

Large, smooth surfaces such as doorknobs can be cleaned by simply scraping the paint off with a flat blade. Start by cutting around the outer edge of the item with a utility knife to break the seal of the paint. If the paint is a latex based flexible one, it will just peel off. If the paint will not come off easily, use one of the soaking methods and try to scrape or pull the paint off again.

Some Warnings

Many older paints contain lead, and you should be mindful of this when you are trying to remove paint. Always work in a ventilated area, especially when putting painted hardware into boiling water. In addition, catch any paint scrapings and dispose of them carefully. If you used a pot or pan to soak the hardware, make sure that pan is never, ever used to prepare food. Paint, especially older kinds, contains a lot of highly toxic chemicals, and simply rinsing the pan out may not be enough to get rid of any contaminants.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joe56/