Strippers In Europe!

[iL Dottore]

Now that I have got your attention 😁, I am hoping that one of you may be able to help me.

 

I am building a plastic coach and I have done a really poor job in painting the interior (I’m using Tamiya acrylics and a brush). I want to strip off the paint – which is only a few days old – and I’m wondering what I can use.

 

Now the problem is, although a search of RM web has been productive - inasmuch as it’s turned up a number of posts and threads about removing paint - the products mentioned in said threads and posts are things that are only available in the UK or in North America. Unfortunately, Switzerland is fairly strict about what sort of chemicals you can buy without being a professional (or “in the trade“ so to speak). So the various products mentioned I can neither buy locally nor import.

 

Therefore, if any of you could suggest a suitable liquid/paste to use which I might be able to buy either here in Switzerland or across the border in Germany, it would be greatly appreciated. I can then investigate its availability.

 

Even better, if you are a modeller in either Germany, France or Switzerland and know of a reliable product, that would be incredibly helpful.

 

My thanks in advance.

Edited June 30, 2022 by iL Dottore

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

Are IPA or various types of oven cleaning products allowed in Switzerland?

I would have thought they might be a universal product.

 

Mike.

[iL Dottore]

6 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Are IPA or various types of oven cleaning products allowed in Switzerland?

I would have thought they might be a universal product.

 

Mike.

Possibly, Mike. But I suspect that they will be very tame in comparison to what you can get in the UK or North America.

Having said that, I’ll see if Mrs iD has any oven cleaner in her cupboard of tricks

[Neil]

I use Mr Muscle oven cleaner, safe to use on plastic, spray it over the model, seal in a plastic bag, leave for an hour and then scrub off the paint with an old toothbrush. Unfortunately I only use enamel paints so I don't know if it's as effective on acrylics. My thoughts on the potency of the product is that it should be the same here in the UK and the rest of the EU as until recently the same regulations on product safety applied to both here and the European mainland. While I realise that Switzerland isn't in the EU I would think it strange if its product safety requirements weren't aligned with the rest of Europe.

[Metr0Land]

I don't know if you can get Fairy Power Spray in Switzerland but that's something I've used in the past

[smokebox]

1 hour ago, Metr0Land said:

I don't know if you can get Fairy Power Spray in Switzerland but that's something I've used in the past

 

The original formulation was good but it seems it was replaced with a far milder product.  Last time I used it, it was almost totally ineffective.

Edited June 30, 2022 by smokebox

[Johan DC]

Belgian here. Bref oven spray. And the HG Oven Cleaner works too, but I haven't tried it on softer plastics like model kits, only on brass.

 

[wirey33]

iL Dottore,

 

If you go to the chemist in CH, they will supply IPA.

 

E.Leclerc or Weldom across the border in St. Louis sell something called "Alcool" which is IPA (also available in a lemon scented version!!).

 

Failing that, drop me a PM and I'll see if I can drop some to you at home.

 

As  the paint is fresh, it should come off pretty easily.

 

[Il Grifone]

Denatured alcohol should shift acrylics, especially freshly applied. This is readily available in the Household section of Italian supermarkets, but might be a problem in Switzerland?

The British product is meths which has a nasty purple dye in it.

 

IPA will work but costs rather more.

 

Caustic soda (oven cleaner/drain declogger) will shift nearly all paints, but check the ingredients as some might not be plastic compatible.  ATTENTION! none of them are skin compatible! They also give off fumes!

 

(Plenty of strippers in Europe - try an Italian beach!  Il Porco retires gracefully)

[HeeleyBridge]

Aldi kitchen cleaner in the squirty bottle, maybe the Lidl version too.

[roythebus1]

I use car brake fluid, DOT4 spec. Soak model in brake fluid, leave it a couple of days and the paint should fall off. Or brush gently with a nylon scrubbing brush after leaving the model to soak. It won't remove all paints but shouldn't damage plastics. It hasn't shifted BR blue from an MTK aluminium coach having left it for weeks to soak, but has taken off recently applied paint to etched brass kits and paint off a Kitmaster Blue Pullman.

[33C]

Mr. Muscle oven cleaner. Before and after.