In addition, as caustic paint strippers typically include corrosive active ingredients, several side effects and health risks must be taken into account in using.
Caustic aqueous solutions are typically used by antique dealers who aim to restore old furniture by stripping off worn varnishes, for example.
Solvent-base paint strippers can be complex mixtures of various organic solvents, emulsifiers, thickening agents, alkaline or acid active ingredients as well as evaporation and corrosion inhibitors.
[2] Aside from dichloromethane, some popular stripping solvents are N-methylpyrrolidone, dimethylformamide, benzyl alcohol, and dimethyl adipate.
[3] Paint strippers come in a liquid, or a gel ("thixotropic") form that clings even to vertical surfaces.
[9] Despite this, deaths from dichloromethane are extremely rare at fewer than 2.4 cases per year[10] and associated mostly with users applying large amounts in confined, poorly ventilated spaces.