Paint Stripping
Our house has some lovely old hinges on the doors but over the years they have acquired quite a few layers of paint. Luckily the internet is full of useful suggestions on how to remove it.
The recipe is simple. Add enough baking soda to cover the bottom of an old pan, then fill with water to cover the hinges and simmer for 30 mins or so.
Humming a tune will help at this point.
After 30 mins, pull out a hinge (with gloves or tongs) and wipe down with a suitable scraper (such as a wooden paint stick). You should end up with some lovely paint scrapings.
Which, although quite artistic, is not as lovely as the paint free hinges.
Lovely!