I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good for the electronics!!

On Thursday, 20 July 2017 19:49:28 UTC+1, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good for the electronics!!

You're probably out of luck. Paint stripper would kill the plastic. A long water soak would work with emulsion but with a 50v phone socket you'd need to fit a blanking plate overnight, and you can't soak intercoms as they have speakers & mics in. Let them live with their idiot decision.


NT

Murmansk Wrote in message:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good for the electronics!!


Boiling water poultice? Then scrape with wooden? tools/spatulas etc?
--
Jim K


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Do you know what it was painted with? Often it will scrape off if it was
just put on bare plastic. Might be cheaper to just fit new sockets though.
Brian

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"Murmansk" wrote in message
...
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in
a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course
they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good
for the electronics!!

BUt is the unit waterproof, if its got a speaker or switches its unlikely.
also of course its probably got legends under the paint and they will not
survive unless they are burned into the plastic as on some key tops.

I think if you panels cannot be obtained its going to be tedious.
Brian

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"jim" k wrote in message
...
Murmansk Wrote in message:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket
in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of
course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good
for the electronics!!


Boiling water poultice? Then scrape with wooden? tools/spatulas etc?
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

In message ,
Murmansk writes
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone
socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them
and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I run plastic switches, boxes etc. through the dishwasher, which works
well, but probably not recommended for a complete intercom device!
--
Graeme

On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:

I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone
socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them
and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be
good for the electronics!!

Swarfega will probably soften it after about half an hour to the point
where a sharp blade and a steady hand will remove it fairly easily. But
you must be careful not to scratch the surface or it will look even
worse. I tend to use a box cutter or wood chisel for getting paint
splashes off depending on how much resistance it puts up.

Are your sure it hasn't been painted to hide something worse underneath?

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Thu, 20 Jul 2017 11:49:26 -0700 (PDT), Murmansk wrote:

I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket
in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of
course they look AWFUL!!!

How long ago were they painted?

If less than a week, warm water with a spot of detergent added and a
*non* scratch scourer used gently after wetting and leaving for a few
minutes stands a good chance of getting emulsion off.

Is the appartment empty or occupied?

If empty remove the units, dismantle to get just the painted plastic
bits. Place the painted plastic bits in bowl/sink with a bit of
detergent and add hot water. Leave to soak for an hour or two. If the
paint is less than about a year old it may well just float off, 10
year old will need a little encouragement with something soft like a
finger nail or firm plastic scraper.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good for the electronics!!

I find methylated spirits removes emulsion with a bit of rubbing. Worth
a try - it won't affect most plastics.

OP here

In the end I got some fancy industrial grade wet wipes that I've used before to good effect on paint on my hands! Scraped and rubbed and eventually it came off after an hour of work.

Looks like it was done to mask the hideous nicotine staining judging by the colour of the phone socket when the paint came off. Intercom grey originally so not so bad!

Thanks for the suggestions

On 21/07/2017 10:26, Andrew May wrote:
On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone
socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them
and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be
good for the electronics!!

I find methylated spirits removes emulsion with a bit of rubbing. Worth
a try - it won't affect most plastics.

Either meths or nail polish remover.

--
Adam

"ARW" wrote in message
news
On 21/07/2017 10:26, Andrew May wrote:
On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone
socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them
and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be
good for the electronics!!

I find methylated spirits removes emulsion with a bit of rubbing. Worth
a try - it won't affect most plastics.

Either meths or nail polish remover.

Nail polish remover, acetone, will **** some plastics.

On 7/20/2017 8:29 PM, wrote:
On Thursday, 20 July 2017 19:49:28 UTC+1, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good for the electronics!!

You're probably out of luck. Paint stripper would kill the plastic. A long water soak would work with emulsion but with a 50v phone socket you'd need to fit a blanking plate overnight, and you can't soak intercoms as they have speakers & mics in. Let them live with their idiot decision.


NT

+1. Just repaint it. It will be virtually impossible to get it really
clean.

But if you must, scraping will often clean flat surfaces OK, and steel
wool works on curved ones, although leaving the surface somewhat matt.
Remember that it will shed conductive fibres which will get in every
orifice.

On 22/07/2017 18:24, Rod Speed wrote:


"ARW" wrote in message
news
On 21/07/2017 10:26, Andrew May wrote:
On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone
socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them
and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be
good for the electronics!!

I find methylated spirits removes emulsion with a bit of rubbing. Worth
a try - it won't affect most plastics.

Either meths or nail polish remover.

Nail polish remover, acetone, will **** some plastics.

So try it on a small spot first.

--
Adam

On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be good for the electronics!!



Go posh and cover the emulsion with gloss:-)

--
Adam

On 22/07/2017 16:37, ARW wrote:
On 21/07/2017 10:26, Andrew May wrote:
On 20/07/2017 19:49, Murmansk wrote:
I need to remove emulsion paint from an intercom device and phone
socket in a sheltered housing complex - someone decided to paint them
and of course they look AWFUL!!!

I might have tried my steam cleaner but I don't think that would be
good for the electronics!!

I find methylated spirits removes emulsion with a bit of rubbing. Worth
a try - it won't affect most plastics.

Either meths or nail polish remover.

Depending on the plastic nail polish remover is much more likely to
affect it than meths. Both seem fine on electrical accessories like
light switches but the OP is talking about an intercom device which may
be very different.