How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

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Lumpskie
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How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by Lumpskie »

So, we hired a painter to repaint some trim on our house. Apparently, he set a paint can behind the Jeep. My wife hopped in and backed out, crushing/exploding the paint can. When this happened, the wheel and tire became covered in white house enamel primer/paint. When I got home, I used carb cleaner on a spong to try to pick up the paint. I got a lot done but started worrying about the finish of the wheel itself. Are these wheels coated in a clear coat at all? Any ideas on the best way to get paint off without hurting the wheel?

Here is the current state. What do you guys think?

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1989 Grand Wagoneer - Rebuilt 360, 2" Alcans, 10" travel Gabriel Guadian shocks.
1996 Land Cruiser - 1HD-T Diesel, Gturbo (23psi), Wholesale Automatics 442f, F/R ARBs, 35" Duratracs, ARB Rear Bumper, OME 2" lift, home built sliders and aluminum belly skid
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Stuka
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by Stuka »

Not sure if the wheels still have a clear coat or not. Enamel reducer (or similar) should allow it to come off. But it will also remove any clear coat.

Make sure to wear quality gloves. Worst case an sos pad, but if will leave some swirl marks.
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SJTD
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by SJTD »

Latex paint? I'd have used soap and water first. Might still work.

You keep your wheels waxed, right? Should come off pretty easily.
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REDONE
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by REDONE »

SJTD wrote:Latex paint? I'd have used soap and water first. Might still work.

You keep your wheels waxed, right? Should come off pretty easily.
HAHA! Who doesn't wax their wheels? Too Funny!

In that same vein but more serious, I'd probably try one of those nasty squirtbottle wheel cleaner products with some elbow grease first. I reluctantly admit that I use Armor-all wheel cleaner on my various Jeeps alloy wheels 2-3 times a year. It smells nasty enough that I know it's got some of those bad chemicals that actually do something. If it removes road tar, it'll probably get latex paint too. And you can be reasonably confident that it won't hurt the wheels.
:-bd
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mx71
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by mx71 »

What about degreaser soaking in and a pressure washer? Should blast it right off as house paint isn't intended to stick on metal and rubber.
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Lumpskie
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by Lumpskie »

Thanks for the input guys. I tried the soap and water and that didn't work. I used a nylon scraper to get the wheel to the point you see above. I'll try some of Armorall type stuff next. If that doesn't work, I might move on to some careful application of an enamel reducer...

But, to be sure... these wheels did originally come with some form of clear coat on them, right?

EDIT:

I tried a no name engine degreaser but only let it soak for a few minutes... maybe try that again?
1989 Grand Wagoneer - Rebuilt 360, 2" Alcans, 10" travel Gabriel Guadian shocks.
1996 Land Cruiser - 1HD-T Diesel, Gturbo (23psi), Wholesale Automatics 442f, F/R ARBs, 35" Duratracs, ARB Rear Bumper, OME 2" lift, home built sliders and aluminum belly skid
2000 Honda Civic - Integra GSR engine, transmission, shift linkage and axles, 200hp, 33 combined mpg
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 - 437hp/447ft-lb
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REDONE
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by REDONE »

I'm pretty sure they came with a clear coat.
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.

SJTD
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by SJTD »

Hey, the pressure washer sounds like a good thing to try first.
Sic friatur crustulum

'84 GW with Nissan SD33T, early Chev NV4500, 300, narrowed Ford reverse 44, narrowed Ford 60, SOA/reversed shackle in fornt, lowered mount/flipped shackle in rear.
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tgreese
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by tgreese »

Try Xylene. If that does not work, soak underwater for a couple of weeks and the latex paint should soften so you can rub it off.
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kansasboy001
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by kansasboy001 »

The earlier chromed steel wheels were clear coated so id assume the aluminum ones would be too
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Re: How to get house paint off wheels without hurting them

Post by candymancan »

Alluminum wheels are clear coated.. but after 20-30 years its usually gone. My wheels had so much grime baked on thrm nothing worked so i ssid f it and used s metal brush on thrm to scrape it all off.. Yea i know but in the end it didnt look too bad much better then the rims being brown from 27 years of none of the owners cleaning brake dust.

As for what to use to get it off the tire. try this stuff.. black magic bleach white


https://youtu.be/ITpE7v1b0Q0
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)
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