Removing Auto Paint from Rubber/Plastic Trim

[smriddler]

In a previous thread I asked a question about painting door-jambs. I wanted to start a separate topic about re-moving auto paint from rubber exterior trim. A customer purchased a fleet of used rental vans and repainted/re-purposed the vehicles from construction. The vehicles were yellow at one point and some were repainted yellow again. When they were repainted, the body shop did a real crappy job masking the trim, and yellow marks are present on the black trim in certain areas. Now that the vehicles are white, the yellow marks on the black rubber trim are more visible. What process can I use to remove the paint from the rubber trim?

[MarkD51]

I had to work on a vehicle that was like that once, where the door weatherstripping wasn't even masked.

I masked off all the door rubber, gave a good margin, in order to not have any paint be affected, and used a paint stripper. I applied the stripper with a small welder's acid brush, let it sit a short while, and then wiped with a damp towel. I then simply rinsed, and wrung the towel as I went, and accomplished getting it all off, and the rubber looked quite good considering. I finished with a protectant.

But with vinyl trim, I cannot honestly say how such will work? Try a small test spot first perhaps?

[smriddler]

Sounds like a great idea. What paint stripper would you use? Would mineral spirits or Acetone work? I already have those items.

[Evan.J]

Mineral spirits will work as well

[MarkD51]

Sounds like a great idea. What paint stripper would you use? Would mineral spirits or Acetone work? I already have those items.

I'm no chemist, to tell you what's in Paint Stripper, versus other products like Acetone.

While Acetone is a great Glass Cleaner, and being in the Astronomy Hobby since 16, many have used, or needed to resort to products like Denatured Alcohol, and Acetone to clean Optics, and things like Smudges, or something else stuck to Eyepiece Lenses that conventional cleaners won't budge.

But Acetone will eat-melt the bejesus out of plastics like you wouldn't believe. Any contact with Plastics must be avoided. Some found that out with cheaper Telescope Lenses, and Eyepiece Lenses that were retained by Plastic Rings.

As well, many Eyepiece Lenses are often combinations of doublets, and triplets glued together with optical coupling adhesives, so one can't just liberally soak down the surface of the lens, the acetone can creep and can act upon such coupling adhesives.

Acetone as well is a mighty nasty chemical, not to be breathed aither.

As for the Paint Stripper, most of these products are Gel-like, can be gotten in small quantities like quarts from the home improvement stores, and they stay put, sort of just like a paint when applied in thin coats. When I used such as I mentioned in my first response, the stripper did all the work, loosened the paint nicely, and if in any areas it wasn't fully removed, a second, or third application got all the rest. A pair of Nitrile-Rubber Gloves, and good ventilation are also aids.

Any vinyl moldings that are perhaps surrounded-bordered by chromed plastic, I would avoid getting any product on, and perhaps in that instance one might have better luck remvong paint from such with a small piece of clay bar.

It will be important to do a correct masking off of such parts, any lack of proper/precise masking will of course have stripper going onto areas which you didn't wish to be effected.

Hope this helps. Mark

[Ubushaus]

Reviving an old thread here, but I have a question about removing paint that was actively applied to plastic trim that I would like to remove since it is peeling.

I saw a YouTube video of a guy who says he used Lift Off Graffiti Remover to take the paint off without damaging the textured plastic.

Here is his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-krb_F6qITE

Looks like this is the newer version of Lift Off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VYqlVdWDl4

Has anybody used this stuff? Will it work?

Thanks in advance,
Joe M.

[Crispy]

My body shop suggested trying to scrape off with plastic razor blade. Do not use lacquer thinner on rubber as it will swell the rubber. This worked very well but I only had a small section and I masked off extremely carefully as it was fresh paint. Now the hard plastic is a different thing. Acetone will definitely remove paint from plastic and almost on contact. I have used mineral spirits with mixed results. Steam cleaning same deal. I usually just repaint as I have exact match paint foru car.

[Ubushaus]

Thanks for the response Crispy.

I was thinking about trying to scrape, and I probably will have to on the front and rear bumpers that are one-piece where the textured trim meets the smooth bumper that should be painted.

I ended up using Kleen Strip Aircraft Paint Remover for Flexible Plastic. It did an amazing job very quickly.

Now the part is back to black as it should be!