With us all having to spend more time at home, I thought you may like to check out some of the smaller DIY projects we’ve been undertaking since lockdown. Today’s little DIY won’t cost you a penny, just a little time and a little bit of elbow grease!
How To Remove Paint From Hinges – Naturally – DIY Lockdown
The Hubs is a bit of a stickler for detail when it comes to decorating. And whilst I’ve been painting the doors in our new home for the aesthetic, he’s been tackling the door hinges. They’ve basically seen years of action with the paintbrush and were more paint than hinge.
The great thing with today’s little DIY project is you won’t need any nasty chemicals to remove the paint. I thought I’d share the Hubs quick and easy method with you.
How To Remove Paint From Hinges Naturally…
To make your hinges look like new and save yourselves from replacing them, you’ll only need a few key items.
- An old saucepan
- Wire wool and/or wire brush
- Scraper
- Pliers/Pinchers to remove the hinges/screws (after boiling)
- Protective gloves which the Hubs failed to use but I would for health and safety reasons
Step 1 – Remove Hinges
Remove your hinges and screws from your door. This may proof a little tricky if they’ve never been off and if, like ours, were caked in years of paint.
Step 2 – Boil Them Up
Place all your hinges and screws into the old saucepan and immerse in water. You then need to place this on your hob and bring to the boil for about 20 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the water level as you don’t want the water to boil away. When you start to see bits of paint come away in the water, you should be ok to take off the hob and be ready to move on to the next step.
Step 3 – Remove Carefully
Carefully remove one hinge using pliers/pincers being careful not to burn yourself! The hubs should have worn gloves and so should you. Place on a workbench or protected surface.
Step 4 – Scrap off the Layers
Begin scrapping off the paint. Boiling the hinges will make the paint more pliable/softer and easier to scrap off.
Step 5 – Get Scrubbing
You’ll probably end up with some paint residue if they were heavily painted like ours.
And finally, a little wire wool and some elbow grease and you’ll end up with a hinge that looks brand new! And if you happen to have a wire brush and drill you’ll get the job done even quicker!
TahDah!! – The End Result
So what do we think? For us, it’s definitely been worth the effort. It’s also been rewarding at the same time. Sometimes, it’s the smallest of detail, that can add to the overall aesthetic of your home. The bonus is you’ll have no need for chemicals, or having to buy new, you’ll save money and help our environment at the same time. A win-win if you ask me!
How To Remove Paint From Hinges – Naturally – DIY Lockdown
Don’t forget you can always pin the image below to Pinterest if you’re already tackling other lockdown projects.
Until next time, stay safe and well!
Maria xx
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