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ok so this isnt going to be another dettol paint stripping guide there are plenty of them out there!!

this is more of a cautionary tale

after searching around on the web for a while i had read a few guides on stripping miniatures with dettol and thought i would give it a go, after leaving my miniatures in the paint i started scrubbing them with a toothbrush, and this is where things all went wrong!!!

i didnt wear my gloves

Seriously guys wear your gloves when doing this i really cant emphasise that enough!!!! i have had allsorts of chemicals on my hands over the years, i even wash my hands in turpentine some days after work. BUT.... and this is a big BUT this stuff is lethal.

Oooh gak! Colour me fething warned.

after applying a ton of E45 cream it is not as sore now but still ive learnt my lesson

That's a heck of effect on your skin there. How long before it started to look normal again?

Its like you've been in the bath for months!

Sorry for saying this, And i am not trying to make light of the topic matter. But i think this needs to be said. You look like sandman from spider man. Are you a super villain?

Curious to know what out of the Dettol range you were using and how long you were scrubbing for. The original Dettol is still sold as a medical antiseptic so should't be that aggressive on skin.

Of course, gloves are never a bad choice.

Yes, but the original dettol also tells you to dilute it 10:1 for use on skin. :-)

i wish i was a super villain lol

i have applied loads of moisturising cream and antiseptic cream to my hand it is alot better this morning, i was only scrubbing them for about an hour but it seems to be going back to normal now about 12 hours later

oh and it was the dettol original the brown liquid in a bottle thats turns the water milky when you mix them

Idiot

EDIT: Sorry for my rude comment but the first thing what i thought is what a fool, just as said it's not sold as skin-friendly paint stripper..?

Didn't do much research before i started using dettol as paint stripper but i knew this stuff wasnt meant to be loaded out over skin.
I use a simple kleenex or two to hold the models and a toothbrush to brush most of the paint off and again a kleenex to wipe the model clean.

Still thinking what is the best way to strip larger models( i bought a think and pourly painted Hammerhead).

Anyone has an idea?

It puts the lotion on it's skin, or else it gets the Dettol again!

d-usa BRILL! hehehe.


got to admit tho i've never had a reaction like that to neat dettol. i've done whole armies.
still a pack of rubber gloves costs under a fiver and its a damned good investment. i always double gloved when using paint stripper for metals but even then they'd get pierced and i'd end up with some burns.

Yep - pure dettol will do that.

Hell, even absolute ethanol will do that to your skin (used to use this stuff for cleaning circuit boards - you knew when you had cut yourself, let me tell you).

I used to apply dettol straight to cuts and abrasions. Sure, it stung for a bit, but it seemed to work faster, too.

This'll learn ya to wear gloves, next time.
TREAT ALL CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS AS THOUGH THEY WERE ALL DANGEROUS. One day you'll be right, and be glad of the safety prep.

Hands fine today abit dry but otherwise fine bought some gloves today for any future paint stripping.

definitly wont be doing it again without gloves

larva_uk wrote:Curious to know what out of the Dettol range you were using and how long you were scrubbing for. The original Dettol is still sold as a medical antiseptic so should't be that aggressive on skin.

Yes is should. Medical Antiseptic is designed to be applied once in a thin layer, not for prolonged soaking. It's also supposed to kill all living matter it contacts.

Still, I think the OP needs to review the meaning of Leathal.

This is why I use isopropyl alcohol (that, and it's cheaper here and easier to find). Sure, it does suck out the moisture out of my hand too when I come into contact with it for too long, but it has the decency of evaporating on its own rather quickly. Plus I can use it to clean other stuff, like my hands, keyboards, wounds. And it smells... nice?

Ouch, that's unlucky dude!

I must have used a different dettol before, because I've never had anything as bad as that!

Spent last summer mucking around with Dettol and paint-stripping. My kitchen smelt like the local hospital, my fingernails had never been so clean and I almost passed out from fumes oen day.

Lesson; wear gloves and a face mask for prolonged exposure with Dettol.

How does dettol go about stripping FW resin ?

Bounty wrote:

larva_uk wrote:Curious to know what out of the Dettol range you were using and how long you were scrubbing for. The original Dettol is still sold as a medical antiseptic so should't be that aggressive on skin.

Yes is should. Medical Antiseptic is designed to be applied once in a thin layer, not for prolonged soaking. It's also supposed to kill all living matter it contacts.

Still, I think the OP needs to review the meaning of Leathal.

Ok maybe i exagerated abit on the lethal side of it, it was the original dettol brown liquid diluted 50:50, for use as an antiseptic it should be diluted 10:1 and like you say not left to soak in. Probably scrubbing for a couple of hours.
Hands still a bit shiny where the new skin is but other than that im ok now

 soitra wrote:
ok so this isnt going to be another dettol paint stripping guide there are plenty of them out there!!

this is more of a cautionary tale

after searching around on the web for a while i had read a few guides on stripping miniatures with dettol and thought i would give it a go, after leaving my miniatures in the paint i started scrubbing them with a toothbrush, and this is where things all went wrong!!!

i didnt wear my gloves

Seriously guys wear your gloves when doing this i really cant emphasise that enough!!!! i have had allsorts of chemicals on my hands over the years, i even wash my hands in turpentine some days after work. BUT.... and this is a big BUT this stuff is lethal.

at least it happens to other people, i literally just tryed this last night.

 heartserenade wrote:
This is why I use isopropyl alcohol (that, and it's cheaper here and easier to find). Sure, it does suck out the moisture out of my hand too when I come into contact with it for too long, but it has the decency of evaporating on its own rather quickly. Plus I can use it to clean other stuff, like my hands, keyboards, wounds. And it smells... nice?

This. 1000 times this.

Pure IPA is not as harmful as some of the "preferred" stripping methods toted on this site and I've found it to be far more effective.

Rule with working with *ANY* chemical: Like Mama's Lasagna; Don't get any on ya!

I think I will stick to nail polish remover.

zend0g wrote:
I think I will stick to nail polish remover.

Dosent that melt the plastic?

the shrouded lord wrote:

zend0g wrote:
I think I will stick to nail polish remover.

Dosent that melt the plastic?

The stuff with Acetone in will melt plastic, bit I've used the Acetone free stuff on plastic before without much problem.

If you leave plastic in to long, it will go quite soft, but not actually melt or lose any detail.

Cool.
Il have to try it