Editing Paint stripper (section)

{{Short description|Chemical product that removes paint, finishes, and coatings}}

[[File:USMC-120605-M-YE163-007.jpg|thumb|Paint remover is applied to an aircraft's landing gear during an inspection looking for cracks in the aluminum]]
'''Paint stripper''' or '''paint remover''' is a chemical product designed to remove [[paint]], [[wood finishing|finishes]], and [[coating]]s, while also cleaning the underlying surface. Chemical paint removers are advantageous because they act on any kind of geometry and they are cheap.  They can however be slow acting.<ref name=Ullmann>{{cite book |doi=10.1002/14356007.o18_o04 |chapter=Paints and Coatings, 5. Paint Removal |title=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry |date=2010 |last1=Molz |first1=Thomas |isbn=978-3-527-30385-4 }}</ref>

Paint can also be removed using mechanical methods (scraping or [[sanding]]) or heat ([[heat gun|hot air]], [[infrared heater|radiant heat]], or [[steam cleaning|steam]]).