Chrome plating is the application of a thin layer of chromium on a metal or plastic surface in order to give it a more attractive appearance, enhance the strength of the metal and increase its resistance to corrosion. However, during operation, physical wear and tear of the chrome coating occurs, due to which it loses its aesthetics, so many people think about how to remove chrome from plastic at home. Today, there are several basic ways to do this, each of which involves the use of certain equipment, special solutions or other improvised means. Regardless of which method you want to remove chrome spraying, you must follow certain rules and precautions.
Removing chrome spraying using specialized equipment
If you are looking for an answer to the question of how to remove chrome from plastic, then the most simple and common way is to use specialized equipment. At the same time, there is no need to use various chemical solutions and contact with them, but it must be understood that such equipment is quite expensive.
Such equipment includes:
- abrasive installation;
- ultrasonic cleaner.
Using abrasive installation
An abrasive plant is equipment that uses special powder. Under the influence of high air pressure, this powder gradually erases the chrome spraying. Such installations can be found in specialized stores or in many enterprises whose activities are related to construction.
Depending on the thickness of the layer, a powder with a certain grain size is selected. In the process of working with the installation, it is recommended to use protection for the face and respiratory tract, since small particles of chromium that will enter the air are dangerous to human health.
Modern ultrasonic cleaners
How to remove chrome from a plastic part in other ways? Other equipment is ultrasonic cleaners. They remove the chromium layer through the action of sound waves. The chrome-plated part is placed in a basket, which is lowered into a special solvent that enhances the effect of ultrasonic waves on chrome. Further cleaning of the part is carried out in full accordance with the instructions for the equipment.
Use of chemicals
If you are interested in how to remove chromium from plastic very quickly, then in this case you should resort to using special chemical solutions. They are very powerful and effective and are able to remove even the thickest and highest quality layer of chrome spraying. However, when working with such tools, you must be extremely careful and follow all safety measures, since they are very toxic.
Chemicals include:
- hydrochloric acid;
- sulfuric acid
- sodium hydroxide.
How to remove chrome from plastic with hydrochloric acid? You will need to make a 40 percent acid solution. To do this, dilute hydrochloric acid in water in a ratio of 1 to 3. Also, ready-made solutions are on sale, the instructions for which describe how to remove chromium from plastic. Mole is one such remedy.
The chrome-plated part is placed in a solution of hydrochloric acid until the chrome-plated spraying is completely removed, after which it is thoroughly washed under running water with soap and sent for drying.
The principle of using sulfuric acid to remove chrome plating is completely identical to that with hydrochloric acid.
"How to remove (remove) chromium from plastic using sodium hydroxide?" - you ask. Similarly, as described above. However, there is one important nuance. When working with this substance, its contact with water and aluminum should be excluded, since when it reacts with them, sodium hydroxide emits toxic and flammable gas.
To prepare the solution, you will need a plastic container in which you need to mix 8 to 12 ounces of sodium hydroxide and add 3.8 liters of water. Next, the chrome part is placed in the solution until the spraying lags completely. It is immediately worth noting that this can take quite a long period of time. After completion of the removal process, the part is also thoroughly washed in clean water with soap.
Which method is not recommended?
Some experts recommend one tip on how to quickly and accurately remove chrome. It consists in reversing the galvanization process. This method is very effective, but it is not recommended to use it on your own at home, since it is based on the use of electric current, and in the process of removing the binding of chromium elements to metal, some very dangerous and toxic substances are released. Therefore, if you are looking for a way to remove chrome from plastic, then you should not experiment with this, but it is better to choose another method described above, or seek help from a qualified specialist.
Removing a thin layer of chromium using improvised tools
Before talking about how to remove chrome from plastic using improvised tools, it’s worth noting that the methods discussed below will only help in the case of a very thin layer of chrome spraying, and in many cases will be extremely ineffective. Most of these methods are based on the personal experiments of some innovators, so in your particular case they may be useless. In most cases, they will help in removing fake chrome from plastic parts.
Removal of chrome by improvised means
How can I remove chrome from plastic at home? A great option would be to use an abrasive. You can make it from ordinary baking soda or cleaning powder, which must be diluted a little with water to a paste-like state and then rubbed into a chrome-plated coating until it starts to peel off. This method will only work if you are dealing with very fine spraying. In this case, you should be very careful not to damage the base material.
Another tool for removing chrome spraying, which certainly is in every home, is a cleaner for a stove in the form of an aerosol. It has excellent degreasing properties, so it can help to quickly remove light chrome plating from plastic. Such products are applied to the part for ten minutes, after which they are simply wiped off with a cloth along with the spraying itself. It is worth noting that some cleaners can have a negative effect on the main material, so it is recommended to remove chromium with their use in several stages with small intervals. When working with household chemicals, be very careful not to get it on the skin, eyes, or airways.
Chrome bleaching
Another effective method is to soak the part to be sprayed off in bleach. The part is completely immersed in the solution for approximately 24 hours. The removal process may take a longer time. It all depends on the thickness of the layer and the quality of the spraying. The advantage of using bleach is that it acts solely on chrome spraying, without causing any harm to the base material. An important nuance: the bleach in which the chromed part was soaked should not be reused, since it will contain chromium, which is toxic to humans.
Removing the chrome coating with brake fluid
The last way to remove the chromium layer is perfect for car enthusiasts. Since it is based on the use of brake fluid. The thing is that it has a similar effect on light chrome spraying as a solvent on paint, so brake fluid can help remove the chrome coating from a plastic part. However, it is immediately worth noting that this method cannot be called fast, since the process lasts several days.
The chromed part is wiped with brake fluid and left for 10 minutes, after which it is washed under running water. It is not recommended to leave liquid on the part for a long time, since it can dissolve not only chromium, but also the main material. Repeat this procedure until the chrome finish has completely come off.