The Best Paint Remover

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Murray
Published on
February 26th, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Ben’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the ASD (Advanced Structural Drying), AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician),
WRT (Water restoration technician), CCT (Carpet Cleaning technician), and bio hazard cleanup, as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Ben has managed teams involved in cleaning projects around the United States. Ben’s passion for cleaning dates all the way back to keeping his rugby gear tidy while a young lad. Ben holds an undergraduate degree from Oxford, a Master’s degree from Oxford, and a mountain of hands on experience at the school of hard knocks.

The Cleaning Institute

Whether you’re a DIY expert getting ready to tackle a big painting project or a professional painter, having a quality paint remover can save you a lot of time and hassle. Just take a look at the shelf the next time you go into a home improvement store and you’ll see there are dozens of different types and brands of paint removers. It’s easy to just blindly select one without knowing the differences, but we are here to help you make a more educated selection.

What you want to look for in a paint remover is whether it will remove paint from different surfaces. You may get some paint dripping on hardwood floors, wooden decks, concrete or possibly even carpet. And removing spray paint overspray can sometimes be different than removing drippings from a paint brush. In our evaluations, we found plenty of effective paint removers, but we were able to narrow down our selections to just two.

We have more than 35 years of experience analyzing, testing and evaluating different cleaning products. Paint removers are some of the easiest products to test, since they either work as advertised or they don’t. Some work best on hard surfaces, while others work best on soft surfaces. Others can strip off multiple layers of paint, while some may only be effective on one or two layers. It’s difficult to know this on your own just by reading the label, so we’ve got you covered.

Based on our testing categories, we’ve narrowed down our paint remover options and labeled Goof Off FG653 Professional Strength Remover as our Top Pick, while Dumond Chemicals 3332 Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover gets our Green Pick. Both of these products were effective in their own ways and had many more benefits than disadvantages compared to the dozens of other paint removers we evaluated.

Testing Categories

To determine our Top Pick and Green Pick for paint removers, we looked at three main testing categories: power, application and odor. Not only are these three categories the most important for people in general, they also correlate directly with how effective the product is. Each of these categories were weighed heavily when determining the overall score, and ultimately allowed us to feel confident with our selections.

Power: A good paint remover should rip through paint with ease and without damaging the surface or other surrounding surfaces. We tested paint removers on single layers of paint and increased the amount of layers to see exactly how effective it would be. As we got into 10+ layers of paint, the high quality paint removers started to separate themselves from the pack. The easier the product removed paint, the higher the score it received. This category weighed heavily in our final score calculation, since it’s a direct reflection of the effectiveness of the product.

Application: Most paint removers are easy to apply, but some of them require more time than others to be effective. With this category, we evaluated how many times you have to use the paint remover in order to have a clean surface free from paint. We also took into consideration how many layers of paint was on the surface. The application and power categories produced similar and somewhat expected results when compared to one another, as the most powerful products typically took fewer applications.

Odor: Paint removers are known for having a pretty strong smell because of the chemicals contained in the product. This was an important category for us to put a score on each product, but it was not weighed nearly as heavily as the other two categories. We based our score on how strong the odor was with the initial application and how long it took for the smell to go away in a ventilated area.

Top Pick

Goof Off
FG653 Professional
Strength Remover

This Goof Off remover simply removes paint with ease that your average paint remover will not. Most of the time it only requires one application to have a smooth area free of unwanted paint.

Price Check

Most notable upside: There aren’t too many things this Goof Off remover can’t clean. It has earned our Top Pick and the one we suggest you buy because it removes paint with ease and can be used for other purposes as well. Any DIY painter needs to have this remover handy to clean up spills and remove any overspray. Even professional painters trust the Goof Off brand to clean up messes, so if it’s good enough for them, it’s definitely good enough for the average homeowner.

Biggest downsides: One of the worst things about this product is it can be too strong for its own good. If you aren’t careful with how you apply it and accidentally get it on other surfaces, you could potentially cause damage to those areas. It also has a very strong odor, so be sure to ventilate the area very well prior to using it and keep it ventilated until the smell is completely gone.

Green Pick

Dumond Chemicals 3332
Smart Strip Advanced
Paint Remover

This Dumond Chemicals paint remover is safe for anyone to use and does not have harmful chemicals often found in other paint removers. And the best part is you don’t have to sacrifice quality.

Price Check

Most notable upside: Stripping paint has never been safer, easier or more environmentally friendly, which are the reasons why this Dumond Chemicals product gets our Green Pick for paint removers. Since it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, you can use the product in any area and not have to worry about having an excessive amount of ventilation. It’s effective at removing up to 15 coats of just about any type of paint when used as suggested.

Biggest downsides: You have to be patient when using this product. Depending on the surface, the age of the paint, how many coats are present and the type of paint, you may have to let it set for 24 hours or more and apply it multiple times. People who don’t see the best results often don’t use it how it says to on the label, which is critical with a product like this.

All Our Picks

Tips for Effective Paint Removing

The best way to make the most out of any given paint remover is to clean the surface as much as you can prior to using it. Paint removers are more effective when they only have to rip through paint, rather than dirt and grime. It’s also important to allow the affected surface to dry completely prior to applying the paint remover.

Before using your paint remover, be sure to make the surface as smooth as possible. If old paint has chipped or is flaking off, take a paint scraper and remove as much of it as you can. This will give you the best surface to work with and will increase the effectiveness of the paint remover as well.

A Note About Safety and Storage

Many paint removers contain harsh chemicals that can cause irritation if it comes in contact with the skin. Be sure to wash your skin thoroughly after using a paint remover to ensure no residue is left behind. And if you get some in your eyes, flush them out for at least 15 minutes with water and contact a medical professional if irritation persists.

It’s also recommended to use a paint remover in a well-ventilated area if you’re using it indoors. Outdoor use is preferred so you don’t expose yourself, pets or kids to potentially toxic fumes. And when you’re applying the paint remover, be sure to cover the surrounding areas with old cloth or plastic. Any messes or spills outside of the affected surface could cause damage to floors or anything else it touches.

As far as proper storage goes, it’s best to keep your paint remover cans on a high shelf where children cannot reach it. Your shop or garage are the ideal locations for storage, since you don’t want it to accidentally fall in your house and spill. When stored properly, paint removers can maintain their quality for several months or years and will always be ready when you need it for your next project.

The Best Paint Remover

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Murray

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Goof Off
FG653 Professional
Strength Remover

Dumond Chemicals 3332
Smart Strip Advanced
Paint Remover

All Our Picks

Goof Off
FG653 Professional
Strength Remover

Dumond Chemicals 3332
Smart Strip Advanced
Paint Remover

Tips for Effective Paint Removing

A Note About Safety and Storage

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

The Best Paint Remover

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Murray

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Goof OffFG653 Professional Strength Remover

Dumond Chemicals 3332Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover

All Our Picks

Goof OffFG653 Professional Strength Remover

Dumond Chemicals 3332Smart Strip Advanced Paint Remover

Tips for Effective Paint Removing

A Note About Safety and Storage

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Goof Off
FG653 Professional
Strength Remover

Dumond Chemicals 3332
Smart Strip Advanced
Paint Remover

Goof Off
FG653 Professional
Strength Remover

Dumond Chemicals 3332
Smart Strip Advanced
Paint Remover