First: does it need stripping?
Stripping is for finishes that are cracked, peeling or failing. A finish that is only dull or lightly marked may be restored instead — Howard, for example, describes its restorer as blending light damage without removing the finish — or recoated. The options are in refinishing furniture, and the methods in stripping wood. On old painted pieces, EPA lists refinishing old furniture as a lead risk: check before choosing any method.
Four kinds of stripper
| Type | Example | Wait | Cleanup | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow gel stripper | Citristrip Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel | Stays wet and active up to 24 h | After Wash or odorless mineral spirits on a pad | Chemical-resistant gloves; not on composites, plastic or fibreglass |
| Fast stripper, non-methylene-chloride | Klean-Strip Premium Stripper | Scrape a 3 × 3 ft test area after 15 min | After Wash or odorless mineral spirits on a pad | Goggles and chemical-resistant gloves; use at 65–85°F; not on floors, large areas or fibreglass |
| Alkali (caustic) stripper | — | Slow; often left overnight, covered (FPL) | Neutralise and wash out salts (FPL) | Pulps the wood surface; not to dry on lead paint |
| Methylene chloride stripper | — | — | — | Not sold to consumers since EPA's 2019 rule |
Products from their makers' directions; types and cautions after the Forest Products Laboratory and EPA. Neither product page states the stripper's chemistry, so none is assigned here.
Choosing
- What you are removing. Klean-Strip lists paint, epoxy and polyurethane among what its Premium Stripper removes, and says it will not remove a sealant; Citristrip describes its gel as for paint and varnish.
- What it is on. Both makers rule out fibreglass, and Citristrip also composites and plastic; Klean-Strip says not to use its stripper on floors or large areas.
- How long it can sit. A gel that stays active for hours softens several layers at once but is slow; a product scraped at 15 minutes is faster. The Forest Products Laboratory's observation is that the faster a stripper works, the more hazardous it tends to be.
- Where you can work. Klean-Strip gives a 65–85°F range away from wind and hot sun. EPA reports indoor VOC levels during stripping up to 1,000 times outdoor levels — work outdoors or with strong ventilation.
- Protection. Klean-Strip says a dust mask gives no protection against vapours, and the Laboratory agrees; use the goggles, gloves and respirator the label specifies.
- Removing stain colour. A stripper takes off the film; colour soaked into the fibres may stay, so sanding usually follows.
Safety— One product, as labelled
Do not mix strippers, add solvents or improvise a stripper. The Laboratory warns that strippers made without methylene chloride are not safe just for lacking it. Dispose of leftovers as both makers here direct — at a household hazardous waste site.
Before buying a stripper
- The finish really needs to come off, and lead has been considered
- The stripper's maker lists your finish and your surface
- A wait time that suits the job and the workspace
- Temperature and ventilation within the label's limits
- The goggles, gloves and respirator the label specifies
- A plan to clean, wash, sand and dispose of the residue
Sources
Products are described from their makers' own directions; neither page reviewed states the stripper's chemistry, so none is assigned. Cautions are the Forest Products Laboratory's and EPA's. No stripper was tested and none is ranked. Do not mix strippers or add solvents to them.
- 1.
Christopher G. Hunt. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 16: Finishing Wood. USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, 2021.
Used for: Strippers' speed and safety inversely related; solvent strippers other than methylene chloride not safe merely for lacking it; alkali strippers slow, pulping the wood, needing neutralising and washing, often left overnight under cover; using less and reapplying; respirators, and dust masks not blocking fumes; sanding after any stripping.
- 2.
Citristrip Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel (directions). Citristrip.
Used for: A gel that stays wet and active for up to 24 hours, applied thickly, scraped with a plastic scraper, cleaned with After Wash or odorless mineral spirits on an abrasive pad, used with chemical-resistant gloves, not for composites, plastic or fibreglass, and disposed of at a household hazardous waste site.
- 3.
Learn More about Klean Strip Premium Stripper. Klean-Strip (W.M. Barr).
Used for: A non-methylene-chloride stripper for paint, epoxy and polyurethane on wood, metal and masonry: a thick coat on a 3 × 3 ft test area scraped after 15 minutes; 65–85°F away from strong breeze and hot sun; chemical splash goggles and chemical-resistant gloves, and a dust mask giving no protection against vapours; not for floors, large areas, sealants or fibreglass; After Wash or odorless mineral spirits; household hazardous waste disposal.
- 4.
Final Rule on Regulation of Methylene Chloride in Paint and Coating Removal for Consumer Use. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2019.
Used for: Methylene chloride paint and coating removers no longer sold for consumer use since EPA's 2019 rule.
- 5.
Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Used for: Indoor VOC levels during and after paint stripping reaching 1,000 times outdoor background levels; ventilation and label precautions.
- 6.
Reduce the Risk of Lead Exposure at Home. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2026.
Used for: Refinishing old furniture as a source of lead exposure.
- 7.
What is Restor-A-Finish? (product FAQ). Howard Products.
Used for: A restorer that blends light damage without removing or softening the finish.
About this buying guide
Written by BenchRoot Editorial. How BenchRoot sources, checks and corrects its pages is set out in the Editorial Policy. If something here is wrong or unclear, the contact page explains how to tell us.