Recommendations for removing paint from MUSCLE men

[Mesa]

I just dug out some old MUSCLE men I had from when I was a kid. For some reason, I thought it would have been cool to paint them with red latex paint.

Now I'd like to remove it and restore them to their original flesh color. What do I use to do that?

I was thinking nail polish remover, turpentine, or maybe even gasoline, but I don't want the plastic to get eaten away. Anyone ever try to do this or can recommend a product or method of how to remove the paint without ruining the figure?

 

[EVILFACE]

soak em in easy off oven cleaner.

 

[Mesa]

Thanks for the tip.

Is that an aerosol spray? If no, obviously I should dilute it some, yes?.

To be honest, I don't think I've ever cleaned an oven; I've always just moved instead.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Try Brasso or Goo Gone available at your local Target. Oh and test it on one of the crappier figures first.

 

[Devil_666]

WD40 or even Lighter Fluid.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I wouldn't undo what you did as a kid, personally.

 

[Mesa]

Sorry Prog, I didn't like it. The paint was all tacky, and as sentimental as these figures may have been, I don't like them with sloppy and tacky red paint on them.

So, I purchased the "Goo Gone" (at Target of course), and it hasn't done anything. I put them in a bowl in order to save the overspray, sprayed, tried to scrub with a tooth brush, and little progress. So, saving the spent Goo Gone in the bowl, I then added some WD40 and tried scrubbing, little progress. They are now stewing in a WD40 / Goo Gone mixture, my whole place smells like someone is cooking meth in the bathtub, and I'm pretty sure I've lost a few brain cells in the process; I currently have perma-grin and I don't know why.

I will let them stew tonight, hpefully tomorrow the paint will come off more easily.

I was going to try the easyoff oven cleaner, but after googling it online, someone did that on their car engine to remove paint, and they complained that it ate their rubber hoses, so I passed.

 

[The Ringer]

I don't know how the mm are composed but make up remover always does the trick for me when removing paint.

 

[Darth Cruel]

I have had a great deal of success with "Easy Lift Off". It is very mild and I have never had any issues with damaging plastic when I used it. But use a very small amount on whatever you need to use to clean them off (i.e. rag for big figures, Q-Tip for small). I will see if I can find my picture of it.

Here it is.

P.S. - I have a buddy who told me that he soaked a Hasbro Clone Trooper's chest in this stuff over night and he claimed it made the plastic brittle and it broke. But I always use a Q-Tip and have gotten good results.

I cleaned the gold "battle damage" off of these Hasbro Clones with zero issue.

I am also currently using it to remove the paint apps from a 1:6 scale Hasbro Speeder Bike and it is working great.

 

[Mesa]

Where would you buy such a product? Craft/Hobby store?

I'm not kidding, my house seriously smells like WD40/Splooge be Gone/Meth now, I think I need to move this stuff outside or open the doors. I've since transported it to tupperware and put a lid on it. I am seeing the paint slowly starting to lift as I keep shaking the bowl every hour. The mixture is turning reddish.

Now I'm starting to wonder, I don't think the effort was worth the attempt on the ~20 MUSCLES I'm trying to renew.

 

[Mesa]

I've since transported it to tupperware and put a lid on it.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/VdAt4qWvz_8?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/VdAt4qWvz_8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

fans, anyone, anyone?

 

[Darth Cruel]

Where would you buy such a product? Craft/Hobby store?

I'm not kidding, my house seriously smells like WD40/Splooge be Gone/Meth now, I think I need to move this stuff outside or open the doors. I've since transported it to tupperware and put a lid on it. I am seeing the paint slowly starting to lift as I keep shaking the bowl every hour. The mixture is turning reddish.

Now I'm starting to wonder, I don't think the effort was worth the attempt on the ~20 MUSCLES I'm trying to renew.

I got it at a hobbie/modeling store. I could not find it at Michael's, so I am guessing no on the craft stores. I also failed to find it at Hobbie Lobbie, but they are more craft, to me. Mom-n-pop hobbie shops had been good for me when I look for it. You can also get it online. There are a lot of places online to get it. But if you have a modeling store (trains, RC cars, etc...) try there first.

 

[Darth Cruel]

By the way, Mesa...if you are using a product that might be harsh on plastics...don't use tupperware to soak them. That is a mess waiting to happen.

 

[Devil_666]

I'm notifying the authorities about your little illegal massage parlor for bodybuilding men Mesa.

 

[smc100]

I don't know what material MUSCLE men are made of but here are some options modelers use to remove paint.
Simple Green, full strength sealed in a bag for a few days, Westley's Bleche-Wite and Purple Power. These are the least caustic.

Castrol Super Clean, Easy-Off oven cleaner, or brake fluid work also but might cause damage, although I have used Easy-off with no issues.

 

[Mesa]

I don't know what material MUSCLE men are made of but here are some options modelers use to remove paint.
Simple Green, full strength sealed in a bag for a few days, Westley's Bleche-Wite and Purple Power. These are the least caustic.

Castrol Super Clean, Easy-Off oven cleaner, or brake fluid work also but might cause damage, although I have used Easy-off with no issues.

Funny, that's exactly what I read when I googled at Target today in the cleaner isle. Someone said easy green did nothing, but I don't know if they gave enough time. Brake fluid (not brake cleaner) was also mentioned as being a good option that had results, and the easy off, except it might damage plastic.

I've heeded the advice, move from tuperware to corning ware and set outside, and will leave soaking overnight. I can already see the paint start to peel using my WD-40 and Goo Gone mixture.

Like I said, it's maybe $15 worth of MUSCLE men, so not a big deal if a loss, but thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[Deak Starkiller]

Well no ____ man. Of course you put it outside! Don’t let Quatro or Westside near it. Post pics.

 

[King Darkness]

Why does Mesa know so much about meth and meth labs?

 

[Devil_666]

Because his full username is "Mesa sella Meth".

 

[The Ween]

Where would you buy such a product? Craft/Hobby store?

I'm not kidding, my house seriously smells like WD40/Splooge be Gone/Meth now, I think I need to move this stuff outside or open the doors. I've since transported it to tupperware and put a lid on it. I am seeing the paint slowly starting to lift as I keep shaking the bowl every hour. The mixture is turning reddish.

Now I'm starting to wonder, I don't think the effort was worth the attempt on the ~20 MUSCLES I'm trying to renew.

I HATE the smell of Goo Gone!