Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Seems that every week a new thread pops up with someone asking how to remove paint or glue. Hopefully we can get this sticky-ed. I am going to post what has worked well for me and where to get the stuff here in the states.

The photos came out huge so I used spoiler to be able to hide them.

Also my blog in has more Hobby articles and reviews http://warfrog.blogspot.com/

Cheap and Effective option


This is Super Clean, buy it at Wal-Mart for around $8 a gallon.
It eats the following, Paint primer superglue and Green Stuff

It has been safe on the following (in my experience)
Armorcast resin cleaned at least 13 big resin items without hurting the model
GW plastics removes paint and super glue with no softening of the plastic, IT DOES NOT DEBOND PLASTIC CEMENT
Metals once again it eats paint, glue, greenstuff.
Forgeworld resin not tried yet
FineCast not tried yet

With this I usually soak 24+hrs and then use a toothbrush to remove paint, multiple soakings may be required.
Warm Super Clean seems to work its magic quicker.

This stuff has warning labels read them, it really dries my skin out, so I use gloves.


Upgraded Option (less work, better results, & quicker)



I picked this Ultrasonic Cleaner (heated) up on eBay
I use Super Clean in it as the cleaning solution.
It quickly removes the paint that a toothbrush and regular soaking seems to miss.

Tech specs on the cleaner



This one is a Spaulding & Rogers tattoo equipment cleaner, retails around $400.00 us got mine on ebay for $65.00. These are used in the to clean medical / dental equipment, I have seen some made for people who reload ammunition, as well as jewelry cleaning models. Heated is a must in my opinion.


Lets keep this going someone in the UK please post your best results and where to get the chemicals

Also if someone has stripped Forgeworld & Finecast with Super Clean let me know how it worked for you.

i also have gone for the Super Clean with Ultrasonic cleaner route and it does work wonders.

My cleaner is larger than yours as i wanted to be able to strip large vehicles (mine can handle landraiders and baneblades).

The cleaner i have also has a heated option but i have found that it is not really needed and in some cases (FW or Finecast) not desired. the ultrasonic heats up the liquid quite well on its own.

I have used Super Clean on FW models and it did clean some rather thick and persistant mold release from my models. i did have some other FW models i tried to clean not have the mold release come off but i think that was due to my fluid being black from stripping many black models and i did not have them soaking as long as my first batch nor did i run it as frequently.

if you only intend to clean infantry models then definately spring for an ultrasonic, they do all of the work for you.