How To Remove Paint with Acetone

Your guide to removing paint from virtually any surface using bulk acetone

Acetone as paint remover

Acetone is a powerful solvent for both oil-based and latex-based paint, and can be used to remove uncured paint from a wide variety of surfaces. Acetone is a low cost, organic compound that expertly removes paint from wood, glass, metal, and concrete.

Whether you’re painting a house or a model train, a solvent like acetone is great for removing unwanted paint drips and cleaning old brushes and is a great DIY paint remover. This solvent works very well at removing oil-based paints, enamels and acrylic paint. It can also be reused several times when stored properly. Acetone works equally well on dried and fresh paint. Often, it is the only solvent available to dissolve and remove these types of dried paints

First, some technical background. Acetone is a highly flammable petroleum distillate used to make many different materials. Acetone is highly reactive, making it suitable as a general solvent. Acetone is the simplest ketone solvent, a group of chemicals that are highly effective in dissolving plastics, acrylics, and glues — including epoxy and cyanoacrylate. It’s less toxic than tetraclorethane, benzene, and methanol and is frequently used in paint thinners and removers in combination with toluene and methanol. Although acetone is flammable, it’s one of the less toxic solvents you can use. The vapors aren’t deadly, but you should still ensure good ventilation, use of eye protection, and be careful not to inhale or ingest any solvents you use. Check out all of our safety guidelines here.

Will acetone remove paint?

Acetone dissolves paint from the top down. Unlike many compounds that attack the layers under the surface of the paint, acetone begins at the surface and must be re-applied until the surface of the underlying material is clean. Because it works from the top down, the wood surfaces underneath the paint aren’t continuously soaked with solvent until the job is finished, minimizing damage caused by the raising of the grain in repeated applications, making Acetone an excellent DIY paint remover. Acetone can be used to remove paint from wood, metal, glass and other surfaces. Here’s some tips on using acetone as a great DIY paint removal tool.

Here’s some tips on using acetone as a great DIY paint removal tool:

How to clean a dried paint brush:

Things You’ll Need:

• Rubber gloves
• Safety Glasses
• Metal or glass containers
• Acetone
• Newspaper
• Clean rags
• Soap
• Water

Step 1 Remove as much paint as possible with regular soap and water. If the paint has already dried, large flecks may not be possible to remove with soap.

Step 2 Put on the protective gloves and safety glasses. This helps keep the acetone off skin and out of the eyes.

Step 3 Pour the acetone into a metal or glass container. Pour enough into the container that you can easily dip paint-covered bristles into it, but not so much that it reaches the handle.

Step 4 Scrub the bristles against the bottom of the container or between gloved fingers. If a large amount of paint is hardened on the bristles, leave the brush in the paint for a couple of hours.

Step 5 Remove as much softened paint as possible. Dry the brush on old newspaper to absorb remaining acetone.

Step 6 Wash the brush with soapy water again. Squeeze the water out of the bristles by hand. Shape the brush and set down to dry.

Removing Paint Drips with Acetone

Step 1 Scrape up as much of the paint as possible with a paint scraper. Thick layers of paint may be easier to remove with the scraper.

Step 2 Put on a pair of protective gloves and safety glasses.

Step 3 Pour a small amount of acetone onto a clean rag. You may also pour a small amount of acetone onto dried paint. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to soften the paint drip.

Step 4 Rub the paint with the acetone-soaked rag. Within a few minutes, the paint will dissolve. You may need to switch to clean sections of the rag as more paint comes off onto the fabric.

Step 5 Wash the area with clean soap and water to remove acetone residue.

How to remove paint from glass

Paint is very difficult to remove from any surface, and glass is no exception. Once the paint has dried, you cannot just wipe it off with a rag and water. If graffiti has been sprayed onto the glass, then the job is even more difficult. To remove paint from glass windows or any other glass surface, place some drops of acetone on a microfiber cloth. Rub it onto the glass with paint drips and let it sit for a while. Then clean it off with a dry clean cloth and the paint should be removed.

How to remove paint from metal

Use a lint-free cloth and soak it acetone and squeeze out any excess–.Rub the spot you want to remove (or the whole piece, if you want) until the paint rubs off.

Here’s an interesting video about how to remove paint from a stainless steel bottle.

How to remove paint from concrete

Acetone is one of the most potent solvents, so it can remove paint from concrete. However, it is stronger than mineral spirits or other types of paint thinners and if you use it incorrectly, it can strip away too much of the concrete. If your stain is stubborn or has been there too long for other types of paint thinners, acetone paint thinner is your answer for concrete paint remover.

Step 1 Scrape away as much paint as you can

The first thing you should do is to scrape away as much of the paint as you can by using a paint scraper. Aim for any pieces that are already peeling or chipping and go from there.

Step 2 Clean the area

Next, thoroughly clean up any excess dirt, debris, or scraped paint in the area. The goal is to remove obstacles that will keep the acetone from reaching all of the paint.

First, use a broom or shop-vac to sweep up the large, obvious pieces, including the paint you’ve scraped away. Then, use warm soapy water and a sponge or rag to wipe down the surface. You might notice some of the paint being washed away in this step. Depending on how gritty the concrete is, you also might want to use a firm brush to get the soapy water into the crevices.

Rinse the soap away and let the area dry thoroughly. This might take a couple of hours.

Step 3 Apply acetone

Acetone is a chemical product that contains potentially harmful fumes and materials. Because of this, it is important to wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as a respiratory mask, gloves, and long sleeves. Always follow the directions on our safety guide. Apply the acetone by pouring it into a bucket, bowl, or some sort of tray. Use an old paintbrush to spread the acetone onto the paint. Use a generous amount of acetone, making sure that all the paint gets touched by it. We do not recommend pouring the acetone directly onto the spill, since this doesn’t let you control the amount you’re pouring. Let the acetone sit on the paint for 30 minutes.

Step 4 Remove the paint thinner

Using a wire scrub brush or paint scraper remove the paint and acetone. You might need to use an old rag to rub away some stains, but remember not to contact the acetone with your bare skin.

Once you’re content that you’ve gotten enough of the paint off the concrete, use a pressure washer, garden hose, or pitcher of water to rinse the acetone toward a drain.

Step 5 Repeat as necessary

If you are unable to remove all of the paint, repeat the third and fourth steps.

Acetone is a powerful and cost effective paint remover. Save money and time by keeping a supply of bulk acetone in your home workshop or business and use it every time you have unwanted paint to remove from any surface.