A door knob is not just something you use to open and close doors; it adds glory to the house as it is a piece of art and design. Many households install different kinds of door knobs to add an aesthetic look to their house. However, they are well suited only if they are maintained, and one way to keep them up to date is to remove the paint that has been applied to them over the years.
If you want to know how to remove paint from door knobs? You have landed in the right place. This article will briefly list some of the best methods to remove paint from them safely. There are paint removers on the market, but mostly, they have chemicals that leave smears on the metal and also prove to be dangerous to human health as they release toxic fumes.
So, what are you waiting for? Join us in this article and learn how to safely remove paint from door knobs.
What Would You Need To Remove Paint From Door Knobs?
It is important to have the required essentials before removing the paint from door knobs. It would make the process easier and faster. Following are some of the things you would need when doing it:
- Screwdriver
- Old pot (for boiling water)
- An old toothbrush and a small brush
- Soft cloth
How To Remove Paint From Door Knobs? 5 Steps
Door knobs with paint stains on them not only ruin the aesthetics of your house but also get worn out with time, which affects their functionality. Therefore, it is always recommended to maintain them with time. Following are some steps you can follow to safely remove paint from them:
Step 01: Remove The Door Knobs
In most cases, the paint gets into the door knobs, and it is pretty hard to remove it having it on the door. Therefore, it first needs to be removed from the door to make sure that you remove the paint from every corner of it. They are fixed to the door with majorly two screws; thus, unscrew it from the door using a screwdriver.
On the other hand, if you want to know how to remove paint from door knobs without removing them, then the best thing to do is to clean it with a soft cloth soaked in warm water. If it doesn't work out, the paint cleaners available in the market could be used to make it easy and properly clean the brass door handles (how to clean brass door handles) or door knobs.
Step 02: Boil Water And Add Baking Soda
Boiled water not only helps the paint on door knobs to loosen but also cleans other dust particles from it. However, you should make sure that you boil enough amount of water. They should be properly soaked in water so that it can reach every part of the door knob.
Then baking soda is mixed in the warm water. It is the best household ingredient that is used for cleaning the household hardware. But some materials of door knobs are sensitive to the baking soda. So, make sure that the door knobs you want to remove the paint from are compatible with the baking soda and don't get damaged with it.
Step 03: Soak The Door Knobs
Once the mixture of hot water and baking soda is ready, it is then time to soak the door knobs into it. If they are pretty dirty and have a lot of paint stains, then it is recommended to let them sit there for at least half an hour. This would loosen up the paint, which could then be scrubbed away to obtain the spot-free door knobs.
An important thing to keep in mind is that there are times when the paint doesn't even come off with the boiled water. It is when the paint is on them for years and has hardened with time. In this case, a paint scrapper can be used first to remove them, and afterward, the above procedure can be followed to remove the other minor paint stains.
Step 04: Rinse And Polish Them
After around 30 minutes of door knobs sitting in the mixture of hot water and baking soda, only then you can remove them. Now, you can either rinse them with clean water or scrub them with a wet, soft cloth. Let it try before moving on to the next step.
The dried door knobs are already paint-free, and if you want to maintain their shine and provide them with a new look. You can polish them with the polishes that are compatible with the metal used on the door knobs. Protective coating on them is yet another thing that you can do to keep them clean for some time.
Step 05: Attach Them Back To The Door
This is the final and easiest step; the removed door knob can now be attached to the door with ease. If the screws are worn out, then it is preferable to use the new screws so that they are attached to the door tightly and don't loosen up with time. Use a screwdriver to fit them back into the door.
A bonus tip for removing the paint from them with paint strippers would be to work in ventilated areas. These products contain chemicals that emit fumes, which are hazardous to health and can cause allergies.
Conclusion:
Are you wondering how to remove paint from door knobs? Using a home-based mixture of boiled water and some baking soda would be the best thing to do. The door knobs, after removal from the door, can be soaked in it, making the paint loosen up; it can then be rinsed off with water or some brush. It is an easy method and requires no chemical-based paint strippers that might be hazardous for the health and also damage the metallic surface of the door knob.
FAQs
How to remove dried paint from rubber door knobs?
It is pretty easy to remove dried-up paint from door knobs made out of rubber. Warm, soapy water and a soft cloth can be used to clean it, or gently scrape the paint with a plastic scraper. It would not damage the rubber and would make sure that it is free from the paint stains. Another paint cleaner for rubber can be used to remove it from them.
How to get paint off door knobs naturally?
The best homemade solution to removing the paint from any kind of door knob is to soak them in a mixture of hot water and some baking soda. It will loosen up the paint from them, which could later be rinsed off with either clean water or a wet towel. Another ingredient, like vinegar or lemon juice, can be used to remove the paint from them, but they might damage the door knob's metallic surface.
Does latex-based paint come off of the door knobs?
Yes, if the paint is latex-based and flexible, then it would easily come off. But if it is some other type of paint that dried up on the doorknob and is harder to remove, then a paint scrapper or other baking soda-soaking method can be used to remove it with ease. These methods are easy to follow and don't require any chemical-based paint cleaners from the market.