Before painting or wallpapering, you must prepare the surface. Several commercial products can aid in the process. Paint stripper helps remove paint or finish from a surface. It comes in grades suited to various levels of stripping (figure A). Always wear gloves and a mask when using paint stripper to protect your skin and lungs from harmful chemicals. Tack cloth works like a debris magnet for cleaning off surfaces (figure B). Before you paint or finish a surface, it's crucial that it be clean and free of debris. A wire wheel brush attached to a drill is good for removing rust (figure C). If you don't have a power drill, use a handheld wire brush (figure D). A wallpaper steamer works like a clothes iron without a hot plate (figure E ). It releases steam onto the wallpaper to melt the glue and allow the user to peel off the paper. The heat gun is used like a hair dryer to melt paint. Hold the tool close to the surface, and the paint will start to bubble off (figure F). Then use a paint scraper to remove the softened paint. This tool should not be used on lead-based paint.
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