Duo-Stripper No. 200

Once upon a time, the only way to remove paint from an old piece of furniture was to use a fast-working chemical stripper containing methylene chloride sometimes called dichloromethane or DCM , which can only be used outside or in areas with proper ventilation because of their harsh fumes and high VOC content. Though chemical strippers using safer ingredients have been on the market for more than 15 years, they're more popular than ever thanks to growing interest in green building. And there are more of these products on the market, too. Here we highlight three options for safer strippers. Remember, even though they're less harsh than the traditional methylene chloride strippers, you should still wear safety glasses and gloves to avoid eye or skin irritation, and it's always a good idea to open a window.