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    Dykes With Drills: How to Remove Paint from Antique Door Hardware

    By Julie Peri–

    Antique door hardware can be beautiful and ornate. But when you move into an old home, sometimes that hardware has been painted over, hiding the beauty and craftsmanship. Here is an easy fix to clean up your antique hardware to its full ornate beauty again.

    First, you will need a crockpot or pot (that is no longer being used for food), baking soda, tongs or pliers, a soft bristle cleaning brush, a plastic scraper, fine steel wool (grade 0000), and clear lacquer spray.

    To start, heat water in your pot on low and add some baking soda. Then place your hardware in the pot. Let the hardware sit in the hot water for at least 15 minutes. Use the tongs to pull the hardware out of the water. Use the scraper and/or cleaning brush to remove the paint from the hardware. Get off as much as you can, put back in the water to soak longer, if needed, and repeat the process again. Once the paint is off of the hardware, you can use the steel wool to clean up the metal, then apply the clear lacquer spray to protect it from rusting in the future.

    We hope you enjoyed this tool tip! Join us for more fun tips at our workshops!

    Introduction to Tools Workshop, December 11, San Francisco
    More to come in 2022!

    For more information about this and other events, go to: https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/workshops

    Julie Peri is the Founder and Director of Dykes With Drills. https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/

    Published on December 2, 2021