Paint Work In Need of Attention Aug 28, 2015 Auto News SuperUser Account Is your car ready for a makeover? Do you want to learn how to properly remove old paint from your car? If so, please read our 3 tips below. This article will inform you on 3 different options that will help you remove your old paint, so you can go ahead and do new paint work on your vehicle. 1. Remove Paint from a Car by Sanding Before starting to paint your car, or undertake paint removal, make sure you are wearing the proper equipment (such as gloves, face mask, etc.), to ensure you don't breathe in any chemicals. Once you are prepared to do some paint work, you first need to start by sanding your car. Sanding your car will make sure the surface is smooth and even for the paint to go on evenly and look great. Make sure when you are sanding auto paint, you use the largest sanding board (or block) for the area that you are sanding. To get the best result, you should always sand in different directions, changing your sanding direction every few strokes. This will ensure optimal results. 2. Strip Paint From a Car With a Chemical Stripper Once you figure out where you want to use the strippers and how you will use them, make sure the car is well prepared. Make sure the parts you don't want the chemical stripper on are covered. You can do this by using newspaper and tape to cover up any vulnerable areas (engine, wheel ends, etc.). Make sure anything that can be damaged by the stripper is properly protected before continuing. Once the car is prepared, you can go ahead and apply the stripper. You can use any kind that suits your liking, or go with ___ which does the job well. Once you've decided on your product of choice, you can go ahead and put the stripper onto the car. Most strippers come in a spray can but are difficult to control. Instead, use a tin of stripper with an old paintbrush, as it is easier to control and apply. Apply the stripper in even coats and then leave for about 20 to 30 minutes before continuing. Once the time has elapsed, strip off the paint using a paint scraper and then wash over the surface of the area with a damp sponge or rag. This should help to remove any lasting traces of paint from your car. 3. Remove Paint from a Car by Blasting Media blasting can strip paint without damaging the base material, even if it's plastic and wood, and can also smooth out pitting on the hardest metals. Media blasting uses pressurized air to shoot tiny pieces of material (media) out of a nozzle to strip off the surface of a target. The most commonly used media include plastic beads, ground-up walnut shells, glass beads, and aluminum oxide.