Content

• Method 2 of 2: Get rid of the finish with a special tool
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

1 Wear a respirator and safety goggles. Removing with sandpaper will leave a lot of varnish or paint dust in the air, which can irritate your eyes and lungs.

2 Use coarse sandpaper for good cleaning. Use a sanding pad or disc to get the smoothest surface possible.

3 When you notice wood grain through the lacquer or paint, or the surface fades, change the coarse sandpaper to medium.

4 Finish the job by sanding the surface with fine sandpaper. This will smooth the surface of the wood and remove any remaining finish.

Method 2 of 2: Get rid of the finish with a special tool

1. 1 In addition to existing protective clothing, use chemical protection gloves.
2. 2 Place a piece of cardboard under the piece of wood. It will protect other surfaces, on which the wooden object is located, from droplets of harmful reagents.
3. 3 Decide which product you will use - liquid or semi-paste. Mortar with methylene chloride (MC) acts faster and removes almost all finishes.
4. 4 Pour the product into an empty paint can or metal bucket.
5. 5 Apply the product with a brush to the surface you want to clean. You can also spray the product if you have the right equipment.
6. 6 Try scrubbing the surface with a metal or plastic scraper to make sure the paint or varnish is soft and ready to be removed. This usually takes about 20 minutes, but the time may vary depending on the product used.
   • Once the surface is ready, the finish can be removed with little effort. If not, then wait a little more or add more funds.
7. 7 Clean the entire surface with a scraper. For cleaning carved surfaces, you can use a stiff natural bristle brush or a special sponge.
8. 8 Wipe the wood surface with lacquer thinner. Then wipe with a cotton cloth. This process may need to be repeated a couple of times.
9. 9 Allow 24 hours to dry before recoating wood surfaces.

Tips

• If the piece of wood is carved or hard to reach, it is best to use a chemical cleaner to clean it.
• If the product dries out too quickly, you can add more during the cleaning process.
• Read the label information carefully to ensure you are choosing the right wood cleaner. Read all warnings on the label.
• You can use a sander disc and similar tools to clean large areas with multiple coats of paint. It will be faster and easier than hand sanding.
• It is also possible to clean the surface with several coats of varnish or paint with a heat gun. However, this method is dangerous as it can lead to fire.
• If you are cleaning a large, horizontal surface, you can simply pour the cleaner onto it instead of brushing it on.

Warnings

• Beware of toxic fumes when using cleaning chemicals. Remove paint or varnish in a well-ventilated area.
• Do not use MC if you have heart disease, as it can cause heart attacks in people with a predisposition.

What do you need

• Dust mask
• Glasses
• Coarse sandpaper
• Sanding sponge or sanding block
• Medium sandpaper
• Fine sandpaper
• Chemical Resistant Gloves
• Cardboard
• Chemical cleaning agent
• Paint can or metal bucket
• Paint brush or spray
• Scraper
• Stiff cleaning brush or special sponge
• Lacquer thinner
• Cotton rags