Water-based paint is a quality material widely used for exterior and interior work. The composition is odorless, dries quickly and is completely harmless. Despite the fact that the paint is made on the basis of water, it is very resistant to moisture. Therefore, if necessary, remove the old coating, many ask the question: "How to wash off the water-based paint?"
Do I need to remove the old paint
In some situations, the old coating can be left alone, but in the following cases, it is simply necessary to remove the paint:
- The appearance of exfoliated places.
- Air getting under the paint.
- Subsequent application of paint of a lighter shade. No matter how many layers are applied, the dark color below will still show through, and the desired tone will not work.
- Incompatibility of the new finishing material with water-based paint.
Expert advice: before you startpaint removal, it is necessary to determine the type of surface. Since the answers to the questions: "How to wash off water-based paint from a tree?" and "How do I remove the coating from glass or concrete?" - will be completely different. Based on this information, a withdrawal method is selected.
Preparation for work
It is better to remove paint in a completely empty room. Unfortunately, it is sometimes impossible to remove all the furniture and things from the room, so they must be covered with a layer of cloth, and on top with a film of polyethylene. This measure is necessary to protect against contamination. Even if the room is completely empty, it is recommended to spread the film on the floor. This eliminates the need for time-consuming cleaning at the end and removal of stubborn stains.
You should also prepare yourself for work, this will require special equipment - protective clothing, goggles, a hat or scarf on your head and gloves. In addition, it is advisable to wear a respirator to avoid getting dust and paint particles into the lungs.
It is desirable that there are no other people in the room while working. They will only interfere with unnecessary advice and drag the dirt around the apartment. If you are interested in the question: "How to wash off water-based paint from the ceiling?" - then first of all you should take care of having a stepladder or at least a stable table on which you can stand.
Directly for work you will need the following:
- Natural rags that absorb moisture well.
- Capacity withliquid (bucket, basin, etc.).
- Soft roller for wetting the surface.
- Sandpaper with varying degrees of grit.
- Metal spatula.
- Scraper.
- Brush with metal teeth.
- Paint remover, such as building thinner 646.
- Acetone.
To remove water-based paint, different options are used - washing with water, heat treatment, the use of various solvents. The choice of method depends on what surface you have to work with, how many layers of paint have been applied to it and how long ago it was done. You can also get rid of old paint with a wire brush or grinder.
Washing off old paint with water
Many are interested in the question: "Is it possible to wash off water-based paint with water?" The answer is yes! The process is as follows:
- It is necessary to wet the desired surface with water using a soft roller.
- Wait about 20 minutes.
- Remove paint with a spatula.
If the paint does not come off, then you need to repeat the wetting process. The problem may be that the surface was poorly wetted or the paint was laid in several layers. In these cases, one wetting is not enough, it may take two or even three times.
Expert tip: You can prepare a soap solution for removing water-based paint. Experienced repairmen claim that this method works.
As you can see, everyonevery simple, but there are situations when water is simply not absorbed during application. This means that the surface has been treated with a protective coating. In this case, it will not be possible to do with one roller and water; more serious formulations will be required. You can purchase a specialized solvent 646, which is able to cope with varnish-containing materials.
Mechanical method
This method includes two options:
- Using a wire brush.
- Using a grinder.
First, the surface to be cleaned is moistened with a soft roller with water and left to soak for 15–20 minutes. Next, a spatula is taken, and the paint is peeled off in one direction. The remaining areas from which the paint could not be removed are processed with a metal brush.
How else can you wash off water-based paint? A more efficient way to remove paint is to use a sander. If there is no such tool, then you can use a drill with a nozzle to get rid of the paint. It can be in the form of a metal crown or a round brush with metal bristles. You can buy the product on the construction market and in a specialized store.
Algorithm of actions:
- Connect the instrument to the mains.
- Clean the surface. Movements should be consistent, should work with small areas.
- Wipe the surface with a wet cloth to get rid ofdust.
- After working, the room must be vacuumed and any dirt removed.
- Finish with wet cleaning and ventilation.
Paint removers
Old water-based paint or multiple coats can be removed with a high solvent content. Safe for humans are formic acid and isopropyl alcohol. The consumption of funds is calculated from the ratio of one liter per five square meters. In specialized stores you can buy more concentrated solutions. If you decide to opt for them, then do not forget about the observance of security measures.
The work process consists of the following steps:
- Use a brush to apply the solution to the surface.
- Leave to absorb for about 20 minutes. The exact time period is indicated on the package.
- Scrape off coating with a spatula.
- Rinse the surface with clean water or other product recommended by the manufacturer.
Vapours given off by the solvent settle not only on the lungs of those who worked with it, but also on everyone who lives or is nearby. If the work is carried out in an apartment building, then all the nearest neighbors will inhale them.
In addition, the manufacturer also recommends washing off toxic compounds with special liquids. They have extra fumes that won't benefit your he alth.
Smell aftercarrying out this kind of work is stored indoors for quite a long time. Skin contact may result in chemical burns. Waste after removal of water-based paint with a toxic solvent is prohibited to drain into the sewer, special disposal is required.
Liquid glass
Don't know how to quickly wash off water-based paint? You can also use liquid glass as a chemical method. This is a great way to remove paint from a ceiling. A layer of mortar is applied to the ceiling, dried, and removed along with the paint. After drying, liquid glass turns into a silicate film, which easily leaves. The disadvantage of this method is that the complete removal of the old paint will require repeated repetition of the procedure. Plus, it won't come cheap.
Thermal method
Don't know how to wash off water-based paint? This method involves the use of a building hair dryer. First, a small area of the surface is heated. The cover should puff up. After that, the paint is easily removed with a spatula. Movement should be directed in one direction. Adhering paint must be removed with another spatula. At the end of the work, you will need to vacuum and wet clean.
Expert advice: if there are marks left on the surface being cleaned, you can remove them with a brush with metal teeth or an emery sheet.
The old way
Thinking how to wash off water-based paint? There is a very old but safeand a proven method is to use a paste made from starch and flour or glue to remove paint.
The welded composition is applied to the surface, and newspapers are glued on top of it. Everything must be done very quickly, until the paste has had time to harden. After half an hour, the dried layer can be removed with a spatula. As a rule, the paper comes off with the existing ink.
This method may seem ancient and laborious to many, but it is completely safe and leaves no dirt.
Conclusion
Removing water-based paint is not difficult at all, the main thing is to choose the right method. It should be borne in mind that removing old paint is not always an indispensable condition. For example, when installing a stretch ceiling, there is no need to clean the surface.
If, however, any kind of facing work will subsequently be carried out on the cleaned base, then it is necessary to wait a while and let it dry. After all, after removing the paint, the surface should always be washed, and this adds moisture.
With skillful hands and with certain knowledge, any work can be done quickly and professionally. The main components of success are desire and optimism.
