Soulsmith Reviews: Dettol Paint Stripping

[Soulsmith]

Hey there all. I have some older miniatures I am planning on including in my destruction forces, as well as some other bits and bobs. The most recent is simply stuff I know I can paint better, and I want to redo with nicer new paints and simply do a better job. The older is nasty thick teenage-can't-be-bothered paint. So I looked online and apparently dettol is the way to go. For those not in the UK, it's a brown disinfectant, the main ingredient being chloroxylenol. What I did (using a test black orc, and the smallest piece I had paint on from my FW Orc Boss - didn't want to ruin him!) was place the parts into a jar I had filled with enough to cover them. Then left over night, probably around 14 hours.

When I went to check on them, the paint on the black orc was already wrinkly and clearly separating from the model. So, old toothbrush in hand, I transferred all the dettol and the models to a larger plastic container and began scrubbing off the paint. I also used a toothpick for the more stubborn parts. I have seen people using blu-tack as well, I will have to try that.

Once the vast, majority had been removed and it was just flakes, I gave them a thorough rinse in a basin of warm, soapy water. You want to wait to use water as it causes the paint dettol gloops to get sticky. Whats left on them by that point, the tiny bits, shouldn't really pose much of a problem and won't really show at all.

Then, I simply put them on a paper towel and left them to dry. Also definitely wear gloves. This stuff dries out your skin fast. I mean they will be bacteria free, but at what cost?

Pics for evidence!

Hope this helps anyone that is interested. It did no damage to the plastic or resin at all. The resin seems a bit more malleable, I am going to leave it in for less time next time I do it and see. But it isn't wobbly or anything. Should work with metal and won't damage them, though nail polish remover is meant to be more effective (DO NOT USE ON PLASTIC).

[RuneBrush]

I've found if you put a lid on the glass jar you use, the paint comes off more easily.  Still the best feeling when you peel the paint off a models face though

[Herald of Chaos]

I have been using dettol for a while now for cleaning up old models and it works great.  I have also found I can make some older paint encrusted brushes useable again by washing them with dettol as well.

[Soulsmith]

Yeah, I've been putting a lid on the jar, mainly so the dettol smell doesn't permeate the entire house ? good idea Herald, I'll keep that in mind for any I've got a bit worn down. The proper batch are on right now, including my 1000 point centrepiece - a gargant.

 

EDIT: Proper batch done. Hopefully not too rushed but my gloves broke so I have a sore finger. Got most paint off of things anyway and I think what is left I can scrape off with a knife or won't show after being primed. It totally took apart my savage boar boy I did so IT DOES DISASSEMBLE PLASTIC.