How to Remove a Chrome Finish From Chair Legs

The chrome finish on chair legs will provide an attractive shine to a home bar set or retro-kitchen table. Unfortunately, after years of abuse the chrome plating on these chairs will begin to chip and fade. Patching the chrome plating with paint will provide a temporary fix, but eventually this paint will also chip. A more long-lasting alternative is to replace the chrome completely. This process cannot occur until you remove the original chrome.

Rubber gloves
Safety goggles
Face mask
Newspaper
1/2 gallon chlorine bleach
Plastic bucket
Painter's tape
Heavy brown paper
Household sponge

Instructions

- 1
  Slip on a pair of rubber gloves, safety goggles and a face mask to protect yourself during the cleaning process.
- 2
  Set the chrome-legged chair on to a pile of newspapers. Choose a well-ventilated area, such as a garage or outdoors.
- 3
  Pour 1/2 gallon of chlorine bleach into a plastic bucket. Pour the bleach slowly to prevent any from splashing onto your skin or spilling onto the ground.
- 4
  Cover any areas on the chair that you do not want exposed to the bleach with painter's tape and heavy brown paper.
- 5
  Dip a household sponge into the chlorine bleach. Wring it out partially and rub the bleach onto the chrome legs. Cover the entire surface of the legs with a healthy coating of the bleach.
- 6
  Allow the bleach to remain on the legs for 10 minutes before covering them with an additional coating of the bleach.
- 7
  Continue to coat the legs with more bleach every 10 minutes until the chrome plating begins to rub off. Eventually, the bleach will eliminate the chrome plating from the legs completely.
- 8
  Rinse off the chair legs with water to remove any small chrome plating chips and chlorine bleach.

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