How to Remove Paint Off Door Hinges Without Removing Them

If you’ve ever had to remove a door, whether it be an exterior entry door or an internal door, you know just how difficult and tedious the process can be.  That’s why when you get paint on a door’s hinges, you’re probably left wondering if you can remove the paint without painstakingly removing the entire door.  Fortunately, you can remove the paint off the door’s hinges and there are a few ways to do so.

Cleaning Eraser

A cleaning eraser is, well, magical! While not actual magic, the chemicals in a cleaning eraser can easily help remove paint from door hinges. The secret ingredient is melamine, a nitrogen-rich organic compound that acts as a powerful abrasive in its solid state. Melamine isn’t strong enough on its own to strip dried paint but works well for cleaning smudges, stains, and dirt from painted surfaces without removing the underlying paint. So, can you use a cleaning eraser to remove paint from hinges? While it won’t work on dried paint, it’s effective for removing fresh paint stains. To use a cleaning eraser for fresh paint stains on door hinges, dip the pad in water, wring out the excess, and scrub the affected area. Repeat the process until the paint stains are gone.

Stain Remover

A stain remover designed for tough jobs can be a DIYer’s best friend. It removes various substances like dried latex, acrylic, enamel paint, varnish, shellac, tape adhesive residue, oil spills, old caulking, and tar. These products are easy to use—simply apply to the affected area and use a dry rag or microfiber cloth to wipe away paint stains. Depending on the type and age of the paint, you might need to reapply the remover and use a more abrasive scrubbing pad for thorough cleaning. There are also alternative stain removers with varying levels of strength and toxicity. You can choose a stronger formula if exposure to kids or pets is not a concern.

Mineral Spirits

If oil-based paint is staining your door hinges, then try using mineral spirits.  Mineral spirits and paint thinners dissolve oil-based paints.  Mineral spirits is a clear solvent that will work against wet and newly applied paint.  You can pick up a canister at your local hardware store (or online).

Acetone

What if the paint on the hinges is dry?  Most of the methods to remove paint relies on the paint being fresh for easy removal.  Acetone is highly effective in removing dried paint.  It’s a paint thinner and remover that can clear away epoxy resins, ink, lacquers, and dried latex paint.  It evaporates quickly, which means that it doesn’t leave behind a residue.

Razor

When chemicals fail, there’s the good old-fashioned razor blade trick.  Nothing takes off dried paint like the sharp edge of a razor blade.  With the door on the hinges, carefully use the razor blade to scrape off the paint from the hardware.  You can then follow up with a secondary paint-removal method like Goof Off, a Magic Eraser, or some mineral spirits.  Clean off the hinges with a dry rag once you’re finished.

If You Do Remove the Hinges…

You could be facing too many paint stains to effectively remove them while the door remains on its hinges.  Should that be the case, you’ll need to take the door off with a power drill and plenty of patience.  Try this method to take off the paint: Take all of the door hardware that is stained with paint and place them in an old cooking pot that you do not plan to use again.  Fill the pot with water and immerse the stained door hinges and bring to a gentle, rolling boil.  Let the hinges remain in the boiling water for about ten minutes.  The hot water should break down the paint particles and after a few minutes of exposure, the hinges will shed the layer of paint and appear brand new.


For stubborn paint stains, remove the hinges from the pot after some time with tongs (careful, as they’re hot), place them on a dry towel, and allow them to cool.  Use an additional method of paint remover like Goof Off, a razor, or mineral spirits to help remove the remaining paint.  At this point, the paint should come off rather easily as the water has broken down the paint particles. You could use the boiling water method while the door remains on the hinges, but it will be messy and tricky.  This method works best for extremely stubborn paint stains, paint that’s difficult to reach while the door is on the hinges or ones that have long since cured. Feldco has high-quality doors in many shapes and sizes to perfectly fit your home. We also have professional and experienced installers to make sure the job is done correctly. We provide homeowners with great local services and showrooms so they can customize their homes with a variety of styles and colors. Get a free quote today to start your project.