Remove Paint from Metal

OK. This is technically not cooking - but it does involve a stove, boiling water and baking soda.

When we painted the exterior of the house this summer, we decided to change the door from bright orange to a more dignified deep green. We noticed the hinges were starting to look rough with multiple coats of paint on them, but they were really good quality. They just don’t make hinges like that any more.

Was it possible to remove all that paint without scraping or nasty chemicals? The internet said yes, use baking soda. I wasn't 100% convinced when I started, but I am now.

Here's what I did. It was pretty awesome.

Use a pot or pan that you will never, ever again use for food. Use something old, or go get a pot from the thrift store. I had an old chafing dish in my garage so that's what I used.

This is what it looks like when it's done. Seriously. Don't use this for food after.

1. Fill pot halfway with water.
2. Pour baking soda into the pot to fully cover the bottom. (Could be a box or two, depending on the size of the pot.)
3. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer.
4. Place your hardware in the pot and simmer in the water for half an hour.
5. The paint will magically pull off when you take the hardware out of the water.

Notes: 
- You may have to scrub the last bits off with some steel wool or knife edge. But effort will be minimal.
- I have done this a couple of times. Once, when the custom vent cover was too long to fit on my stove, I simmered it on the barbecue.
- For these hinges and screws, I set the pan across two gas burners to keep the heat constant. The pan I keep for this purpose is very long so I need two burners.

 

These hinges need help.

Ready to go.

Simmering in the baking soda.

Bubbling away.

Paint just peels off!

You can even clean the screws.

So pretty. Right?