How to Strip Paint from Plastic Miniatures

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This became a pretty popular request, after my Plague Marine repaint video. I hope someone out there will find it useful!
You can watch my Repaint of a 90's Plague Marine here: • Repainting a 1994 Plas...
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[@idanis5948]

Oh your using a starter kit model that's blue, and a ultra marine, I was like "that ain't stripping shit off!" 😂

[@Duckbomba]

Okay, so I wasn’t the only one with that thought process at first 😅

[@Mrcowboyhunter]

Lmao same thought it was from the first strike box from dark imperium

[@18Krieger]

I was also confused. :D

[@ArchHeretic1]

That's the limited edition ultramarine model lieutenant Calcius from the conquest magazine subscription a few years ago. It was the only place to get it

[@goodmoney2998]

They come in starter kits?

[@DeanxPeaceMaker]

I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone actually recommend a paint stripper that’s easy to get here in Britain

[@Kharnate4670]

Yeah agreed, White spirit is so stressful to strip mini's with😅

[@kainoctis7724]

Biostrip 20 is better, and lasts ages.

[@minion236]

​@@kainoctis7724totally agree

[@DarkMuj]

Isopropyl alcohol is the easiest, gets through Citadel Primer no problem. It helps to scrub the model in the container too.

[@JRH2385]

Isopropyl doesn’t smell anywhere near as bad as methylated spirits, which is a big plus

[@SuperEagle112]

Simple green works too and an old stiff brush. Dang I wish I had that model. One of my favorite limited edition ones.

[@fredmclovin194]

In North America, you can use LA's Totally Awesome all purpose cleaner. It's great at stripping acrylic paint and sold at many dollar stores. Simple Green works almost as well as LA's Totally Awesome.

[@chrisbeau76]

I live in the USA, and I’ve tried using several recommended or secret tricks to strip paint off of plastic models some kind of worked. Others required a good soaking for several days, which I don’t consider an effectivev Weido remove paint. For years I was told to stay away from isopropyl alcohol, 99% in one day about a year ago I watched Vince Ventura’s hobby cheating videos and I believe he was on it recommended using it stating that it doesn’t melt your miniatures like many people falsely claim and they only require a soak in about 15 to 30 minutes and then scrub with a softer medium toothbrush…done

[@acidfist4572]

This stuff is great!

[@FreelancerND]

From late 90s I was using car break fluid. Works like a charm and costs not that much.

[@mechanicalmusket976]

best thing I've found so far is Dettol here in the UK. cheap & strips paint easy.

[@tanidaocphoenix9179]

what kind of dettol? Kitchen surface cleaner? haha surely not

[@kooperativekrohn819]

@@tanidaocphoenix9179yes the kitchen cleaning stuff , it works wonders apparently

[@lucasupright]

Simple Green works really well too.

[@tnbproduction]

M. Clean does the trick, even in recesses. 15 mins and all good. Doesn't eat the resin and smells wonderful.

[@neilheppenstall6206]

Biostrip is the way

[@tallmann84]

LA’s Totally Awesome is the best I’ve found. It’s super cheap and has never harmed a miniature!!

[@PoweroutPaints]

Remember to also use brushes with firm tips! It makes things so much easier!

[@MsHashy420]

Simple green works amazing as well, plus it's organic for the people worried about using harsh chemicals.

[@BRADSFUNFACT]

thanks for the advise!

[@TheReptileisdead]

I've had good results with brown Dettol. Takes a bit longer.. 24 to 36 hours but works like a charm.

[@daethwing188]

Simple green or mean green work great for me.

[@RoozyyK]

BIOSTRIP..... nothing is better for stripping plastic minis.

[@adamdixon8213]

I was coming here to recommend it too! I did leave my tau in biostrip a bit too long and there's some damage but just looks battle worn

[@minion236]

it is hands down the best

[@CMTechnica]

Best stuff I’ve used is the GSW paint remover. Paint starts coming off before I even put the lid on to let the minis soak

[@Hiddenronin]

Bio Strip is hands down the best stuff I've used.

[@icemanshiz]

Yes yes and yes.

[@joshbriggs9217]

Yup, honestly nothing better

[@GuitarFuYou]

LA Totally Awesome works with very little scrubbing down to gray plastic.

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

Easy Off Oven Cleaner- strips acrylics and enamels from any plastic, resin or styrene. Hose it and let it sit in a sealed Tupperware bin overnight and in the morning, just use a dollar store toothbrush to easily take the paint right off and thoroughly rinse in warm water to remove any lingering cleaner. Works great on models, action figures and minis.

[@LeRomSan]

hi, my problem is that there's some paint left in the narrow zones . I'm trying to get monochrome figures (I mean, I won't paint them ever) and I need a perfect result, but it seems impossible as it remains paint in some way.

[@dangerdave1024]

I use superclean, doesnt damage the plastic or resin and all of the paints comes off easy

[@reuterss306]

I use sterilium here in Germany....works like a charm and for some reason way better than isopropanol

[@ironocy496]

I just had to strip the paint from a minis face like 10 times using isopropyl alcohol the other day because I suck at painting eyes.

[@astormofwrenches5555]

Felt this.

[@marekverescak2493]

Hi sir! I was watching your tutorial on red capes i was curious if i can use khorne red instead of blood angels red contrast

[@robertpike5670]

Dete TCP used to work for me backnin the day

[@justinslife8898]

Will this take off matte varnish??

[@jacobheller3146]

Isnt green stuff really good for paint stripping as well?

[@pocketoniofficial]

Idk about the UK but we have a household cleaner called simple green that does the job way better on the cheap.

[@rashiro]

91% isopropyl alcohol if you just want the paint gone. Simple Green if you want to remove the superglue too. I vastly prefer the alcohol because you don’t have to wash the mini to get all the simple green off it at the end.

[@a-mole6776]

Does white spirit work?

[@captainciz]

Does this also work on Resin models? Or is that going to melt them?

[@thepiratepenguin4465]

Iso needs 24-48 hours to remove the paint. If the model has been varnished, you scrub it & soak it again for another 24-48 hours to get to the paint. I have found mixing Detol with Iso gets the job done much faster but leaves a smell.

[@ImuhMusician]

I used this technique for the first time last night. The previous owner of the models seemed to use a mix of Elmer's glue and dirt for ground effect on the base plates. The paint on the figures was coming off okay but the Elmer's glue seemed to have melted and then dry over the entire figure creating a thick layer thats horrible to get off. I soaked an entire army at once too so it just made the whole process horrible. Is there a way to prevent that from happening or something better at taking off this layer?

[@theaussienurseflipper.8113]

Have you ever tried putting them in a zip lock bag and spraying a little bit of oven cleaner in there cheers Graham

[@garionsauer9299]

Legend

[@dersonsai4718]

What do I need to use if I'm in Spain? Or what to search for on Amazon, I need it badly😮

[@markshrubb]

Use a sonic cleaner with methylated spirits

[@deifiedtitan]

Better than Dettol?

[@nicholasmattiello8959]

Or ya can paint over it at least 5 times before details start going. Ifff you thin your paints

[@TacticalMetalhead]

Oven spray works best imo

[@friendly_Neighbourhood_ghillie]

Iso alcohol works great

[@SilverbackGC]

Dettol disinfectant is great for this and even cheaper than meths.

[@bryanmackie]

Came to the comments to post just this.

[@85inexact]

I left a model in metho for a full day in the late 90s and it turned to goop. Is this a different plastic or was it just far to long? No varnish on the model and i was like 12 years old at the time.

[@4nc3st0r]

Biostrip works SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER

[@warrenbentley3624]

use dettol it breaks it down to gloop

[@roguevector1268]

RookieBrushes: "With these harsh chemicals be sure to protect your skin with rubber gloves." Me: *sprays IPA directly onto my skin to get paint off* Me: "Uh..."

[@RookieBrushes]

Products used/mentioned: Methylated Spirit ► amzn.to/439SfvH Isopropyl Alcohol ► amzn.to/3qeIjT9 AK Paint Stripper ► amzn.to/3ql0Qgv

[@asenaruu8361]

where goggles too. I made a mistake not wearing one and the brush sprinkled paint stripper into my eyes and it burns like hell.

[@bushit80]

Off topic but does anyone know which specific model is this one?

[@RookieBrushes]

This model is Primaris Lieutenant Calsius. He is out of print now though, sadly.

[@XanderNotZander]

Looks like the stuff from screwfix

[@namasbouer4075]

Wont it melt the plastic if peft in too long? What about finer details?

[@RookieBrushes]

It depends upon the liquid. For Meths, I don't like to leave it longer than 15 minutes and the AK stuff recommends even less. I've never had details that need more than a tootpick to get the majority of the paint out, personally.

[@ChadHavoc]

I use Dettol leave miniature in 24 hours then use a toothbrush to get rid of any clingy paint but all will come off with ease. No water needed until all paint is off, you can pop the Dettol back In the bottle after use to save more and environment.

[@1574john]

Dettol works far better

[@leonzurek1849]

i prefer isopropyl alcohol to methylated spirits. also dont leave models in the ak paintstripper

[@simplyminipainting]

In the USA the best paint Stripper is LA's Totally Awesome. Wont harm the model and will eat the paint like a fat kid on a cake.

[@GuitarFuYou]

This!

[@LeftyRedd]

I have a mason jar filled with 91% iso alcohol. I leave my minis in it overnight and take them out, wearing gloves, and brush them and rinse them after. The rinsing after is important, to me at least.

[@LeRomSan]

hi, my problem with alcohol is that there's some paint left in the narrow zones . I'm trying to get monochrome figures(I mean, I won't paint them ever) and I need a perfect result, but it seems impossible as it remains paint in some way.

[@LeftyRedd]

@@LeRomSan tooth pick the paint out of the nooks.

[@Oldschool60]

How many times can you re use the alcohol before it loses its effectiveness?

[@cjlake5754]

Filter it and keep using it and it lasts a fair amount of time!

[@mrtreevis]

Dettol. Just leave the models in it they dont melt and the paint just falks off.

[@RUTGERMORTENSEN]

Dettol ftw

[@Phemruto]

use an electric brush - or buy a ultra sonic cleaner its better.

[@RookieBrushes]

Yeah. If stripping miniatures becomes more regular for me, I will definately be looking into an ultrasonic cleaner. An old electric toothbrush sounds like a good idea too.

[@jaysheeler2179]

Ultrasonic cleaner and simple green is how i like to do it. But im going to try this out! Thanks!

[@ghostparty2062]

Meth spirits are the best. I soak mine overnight and the paint just falls off

[@andrewbeeching1240]

Cracks me up - anytime paint-stripping gets mentioned, it just results in a kaleidoscope of options, each one being touted as "perfect". Well, either we need an unbiased comparison video, or it doesn't really matter which option you go with? :-)

[@crystald3655]

You go with whatever you can afford and works on what your working on

[@GabbieAbbie]

Dettol is a lot more effective...soak the minis in a 50/50 dettol water mix for a week... done.

[@christianarthur492]

How did you strip the arms of an already assambled miniature?

[@fallenfossl]

If it's super glue you can put it in freezer overnight and the super glue will go brittle - you can then just break off all the bits

[@RookieBrushes]

I was lucky on these and they pretty much fell off. I too would recommend leaving him in the freezer and gently prying them off.

[@goblinplaysit2289]

LA’s Totally Awesome is the mvp for stripping plastics. If you’re using something else, I’d wager you haven’t tried it. Not sure if it’s in the UK though.

[@GuitarFuYou]

This!

[@CONDQR]

How long should the minis sit in the liquid before being scrubbed? Is a toothbrush good to scrub with or is there something better you'd recommend?

[@goblinplaysit2289]

@@CONDQR - over night would be good, depends on the paint thickness, and type. A soft toothbrush is great, but I wouldn’t rush the chemical and go hard with the brush. Some folks have left plastic models in LA’s for a month or even more, but I wouldn’t.

[@CONDQR]

@goblinplaysit2289 Gotcha. Sounds good. My group of friends are just getting into 40k Kill Team. I feel like learning how to strip paint will be a thing as we get more into this hobby. Thank you very much. Happy New Year!

[@malyxxplays7949]

Biostrip 20 is the best thing you can use

[@grimmriffer]

Biostrip. That is all.

[@jimworthington449]

Super Clean is a far better paint stripper.

[@LeRomSan]

I don't understand why there's so many products but every product can't be found in every country. In Spain we don't have all of those products I'm reading in the comments. Just expensive products from hobby shops.

[@MrTumnus1987]

Just use biostrip, water soluable, litterally easy to use and less faffing around, meths is just not great!

[@goose9337]

Me using vodka before 😮

[@drop_table_46]

Just use break fluid, DOT-3 works just fine.

[@invalid3015]

acetone lol

[@jmanusmc2006]

DON'T USE DENATURED ALCHOL ON RESIN MODELS. My lemartes turned into a rubbery michillen man

[@spugggaldon361]

Can i just say; wear at least one latex glove (on the hand holding the mini) whilst doing this. Not for safety. Its because your hands will get ingrained with the paints and it takes days to get it off your skin

[@WannaBeRockStar800]

Or just prime over it

[@cable1153]

It hurt me to see a good model stripped

[@kylea1245]

If you can next time please adjust the position of your text. The SUBSCRIBE button was blocking my view of how many minutes to leave models in while watching on my phone.

[@RookieBrushes]

Ah, sorry about that. I'm still fine tuning my layout for these videos. I'll get there.

[@kainoctis7724]

IPA sucks, biostrip 20 is a god among strippers.

[@timberwolf88]

Iso works way better than metho

[@machans372]

Any chance of these chemicals melting your models if you leave them to soak to long?

[@hanemaru95]

Isopropyl alcohol 90% doesn’t melt plastic no matter how many months you leave the plastic on

[@Max-ol9qi]

Take two gloves !!....

[@369someguy]

DO NOT USE ACETONE EVER!!! lessons learned the hard way

[@garfieldwithissuez]

You realize that that's just drinking alcohol with some stuff in it to give you a headache or make it taste bad and thus not actually harsh chemicals right?

[@garfieldwithissuez]

I came here to say that but it looks like you beat me to it 6 months ago

[@lampshady5790]

If the paint on your models is thin enough, just prime over it. It saves a lot of time and won’t ruin any of your models detail as long as you painted on thin

[@Vasili456]

Be warned that brushing with a toothbrush can ware down details on a mini. To the point it looks like it's faint. I've learned that the hard way. I have had better results with biostrip personally.