We are just getting around to working on our "master" bath. There is tile work all through out the shower and half way up the walls. It has all been painted over with latex paint. What is the best way to remove this. Scrubbing is not all that effective. I'm loathe to use chemicals, but I would like to know what all my options are. Has anyone dealt with this before?

haven't had to do it myself - this came up on google but considering you have a lot of tile to clean it may be quite a chore/ mess.

Howstuffworks "How to Remove Latex Paint Stains: Tips and Guidelines" (http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-remove-latex-paint-stains.htm)

"How to Remove Latex Paint Stains From:
Acrylic Plastic, Bamboo, Cane, Ceramic Tile,
Enamel, Glass, Paint (flat or gloss), Plexiglas,
Polyurethane, Porcelain Dishes, Porcelain Fixtures,
Stainless Steel, Vinyl Clothing, Vinyl Wallcovering

Gently scrape up any excess spill. Wash the surface with a cloth dipped in warm sudsy water. Rinse thoroughly with clear water and wipe dry. Paint that is absorbed into fibers of some of these surfaces may be impossible to completely remove. On hard surfaces, such as glass or ceramic tile, gently scrape off the dried paint with a razor blade."

yahoo answers came up with this but it's chemical:

" There's a product called "Goof off" that is the final solution. Don't bother using anything but this product. You could easily damage tile by scraping, etc.Use all the ventilation you can. the fumes are bad news. Wear rubber gloves.

Source(s):
Painted probably 800 or more houses. "


*environmentally safe* options come up on sale pages but I don't know if any of them work or if they're as safe as they claim.

Paint Removal, Graffiti Removal, Peel Away Paint Remover (http://www.paintremoval.com/)
Non Toxic, Safe Paint Stripper-Coating Removers (http://www.ecosafetyproducts.com/Paint-Stripper-s/6.htm)

I am sorry I am not more help than this but I think there is a product that is less toxic than Goof Off that is citrus based...citru-solv or something like that?

When all else fails, you coudl always call or go into the closest Home Depot and Lowe's and ask a knowledgable paint dept employee.

Yes, there is a soy-based paint stripper that has little or no fumes. It's more expensive and you need to let it sit longer but it works. I don't know if it will damage the grout or not - you might need to re-grout. Also, oven cleaner removes paint, too. The old stuff with the bad fumes. I wonder if the new stuff that is supposed to have fewer fumes would work? Goof off does work but you'd need way too much and it is really strong fume-wise. I'd personally try the soy-based or the citrus-based strippers. Just make sure no-one needs to use the shower area for a good 12 hours or so. Also, get a plastic squeegee and some nylon scrubbing pads and rubber gloves and lots of old newspaper and plastic drop cloths because it will be messy! Good luck and be sure to post before and after pictures!

Personally, I did the scraping as I don't really like using chemicals. It was time consuming but effective.

This post is at least a year old, but we are finally re-doing this bathroom. We used citra-solve and scraped through two layers of paint (one latex and one oil) and got down to the origional 50's tile. Pink with black trim and accents. Retro baths are in again right? We've painted all the walls (not the tile) Navajo white, and we've pulled up the old linoleum and are just finishing the new tile floor. We did the grout last night. Tonight we'll put back in the newer white toilet and then a new white sink and vanity. The old blue sink matched the old blue painted tile. I think it will all come together o.k. When we finish completely I'll try to post a few pictures.