Removing paint/ink from plastic signs

[kerick]

As my subject line suggests, has anyone used a solvent to remove the paint or ink from plastic signs? I know I can sand it off but its a pain to do a large area. I was thinking of trying oven cleaner or degreasing detergent in the same way as enamel paint. I'm hoping someone has an easier method.

[TazMan2000]

Superclean
I've never tried it on signs, but I have tried it on plastic models and this works great.

TazMan2000

[kerick]

Is this like Simple Green we get in the US?

[Rogviler]

SuperClean used to be Castrol SuperClean, AKA Purple Power. It's essentially a sodium hydroxide solution, same as oven cleaner or drain cleaner. You could try it, but in my experience most of the signs seem to be printed with almost like a styrene paint, so the only thing that dissolves it is something that dissolves styrene. I'm interested to know the results, as I've never thought to try removing the printing.

-Rog

[Andrew Gorman]

if the print is really recalcitrant, just sand it off. Water on a glass sheet will usually hold the plastic in place and sand away!

[Wug]

SuperClean is not sodium hydroxide.

http://supercleancanada.com/MSDS/EN_Sup ... -23-11.pdf

[Rogviler]

SuperClean is not sodium hydroxide.

http://supercleancanada.com/MSDS/EN_Sup ... -23-11.pdf

Wow, that means I have a rare factory-error label on mine. This sucker's going on eBay!



Regardless, not the point. Someone try it and report back. I might if I remember to do so.

-Rog

[Kylwell]

It helps if you have the MSDS for the degreaser/cleaner not the tire cleaner https://www.superclean.com/wp-content/u ... S-v2.0.pdf