Remove dried plaster from any surface.
Leave a little plaster of Paris behind on your work table, a bucket or the floor, and you will have a dried-out mess on your hands. Plaster of Paris is made from a mixture of powdered gypsum and water. The paste-like mixture can be molded into sculptures and crafts and left to harden. Removing hardened plaster of Paris will take a few days of work, but can be done easily with items that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Instructions
1. Tap the dried plaster lightly with a hammer to remove as much as possible. Avoid denting the table or other work surface with the hammer. Vacuum the small bits of dried plaster that have been knocked loose.
2. Saturate a rag with lemon juice or vinegar. Both will work similarly. Lay the wet rag over the dried plaster.
3. Roll a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the rag. Tape it to the surface with low-tack painters tape.
4. Check the plaster daily. Remove the plastic and the rag. Scrape the area lightly with a metal or plastic scraper. Choose plastic for wooden surfaces to prevent scratching the wood. Remove as much plaster as you can.
5. Add more vinegar or lemon juice as needed to continue softening the plaster. Replace the rag and plastic wrap. Let the plaster soften for another day. Repeat the process until all of the plaster has been removed.
