How do you remove flat, latex house paint from plastic without harming the plastics finish?

I collect plastic items, for example a red plastic wallpocket. It has been painted with a flat, latex housepaint. My local museum says it's impossible. I find that hard to believe. My biggest problem is not damaging the shine of the plastic's finish.How do you remove flat, latex house paint from plastic without harming the plastics finish?
I used to be a house painter way back in the day.





If you can remove the plastic item from the wall - just set the whole batch in water for a day or so. The paint should soften up enough to peel it away. Since plastic typically has a shiny finish, the paint doesn't adhere as well as there is not much for it to ';bite'; into. The only unfortunate thing you might have to contend with is if the painter foresaw this and sanded the piece before painting, to artificially provide the ';tooth.';





If you cannot remove it from the wall or wherever, you could start peeling right away, or if the paint is too old, then use repeated pressings of a wet sponge to soften and remove the paint. You could also use goof-off as a last ditch effort.





Good luck!





PS - one last thing. If the paint or removal process did cut the finish, then use a little car polish, a 100% cotton rag and elbow grease to return the luster to the offended article.How do you remove flat, latex house paint from plastic without harming the plastics finish?
Well is is much easier than it seems. I recommend that you do nothing more than soak the item in cool water. Latex house paint is water soluable and will break down over time. Don't be in a hurry; stay away from heat since your item is plastic. Remove the item from the water after about 24 hours of soaking and gentle use a rag to clean the old paint off. This process will take several treatments but will break down the paint until it releases from the item.
your local museum is dumber than paint.





Soak your plastic item in very hot dish washing soap for a few hours, then brush with at most hard, a stiff vinyl bristle brush.





If the hot soap does not do the trick, lye will. read the label for strength. It should have no effect on the plastic at all, just a bit more of a hassle to deal with.
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I would not remove the paint. I would just repaint if you don't like the color!
i used a pressure washer if this is possable, but you must be very careful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!to give you a better solution i must know more about your piece
Do a test.





Can you find any other plastic items with the similar finish? If so, paint them and then try a few different techniques to take the paint off.





I recently saw an episode of This Old House where a guy was stripping old paint off of door hardware by soaking the hinges in a crock pot that just had water and laundry soap in it. The heat loosened the paint and they did not need to use chemicals. I will be trying this one in the future.