common product that will dissolve polyurethane

Try swiping with solvent toluene. This way it would remove base paint too.Allow it to soak for some time before you attempt to clean it.

"Is anyone aware of a common hardware store product that will dissolve polyurethane."

Commonly Available Solvents for Polyurethane

More Power Solvents For Polyurethane.

Be aware that IF the polyurethane is cross linked it will not be dissolved but swell up as it absorbs some solvent.

If the areas are small you may be better to use a sharp chisel, although the surface texture left will probably be different from the background texture.

This is a tough one and while I am not an organic chemist, I have tried with a little success to "glue" or melt polyurethane. No commonly available organic solvent worked. I needed to glue the Nike polyurethane that is used in the air bladders of the their shoes- they RF weld it. We used the material for a blood reservoir for a CardioPulmonaryBypass unit we were creating. The only thing that worked for me was THF (tetrahydrofuran) and even it did not work very well. If is fairly hard to obtain and, note this, I was told that it will deteriorate, after time, if undiluted, into something that will spontaneously explode! So when you are done, if you have any quantity at all, don't just put it on shelf and forget about it. Dilute it in water and send it off for hazardous waste disposal. Good luck.

Sure sounds to me like you want to put your label on somebody else's product! That is totally unethical and, at least in the US of A, illegal. Don't try selling that product here!

If it's a linear, not cross linked, polymer methylene chloride may work. Wear gloves and work in a well ventilated space.

Bob

Carburetor cleaner, "STP", "Berryman", and others, available most anywhere; Autozone, Ace, NAPA, etc., will certainly disolve it. Be careful though or your air filter will become a wad of goo.

-John

You might try Meythl Ethyl Ketone. This solvent is used to clean equipment used in spray-on polyurthane foam insulation. It may take a few minutes but it should work. Be aware that it is HIGHLY flamable, so be careful - also use only in an outdoor environment.

g scott

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When I ponder,I sits and thinks, but sometimes I just sits.

If this is a one time only task or very few will be done, you may can sand it down gently with wetsanding paper. Use 200, 320, 400, and 800 grit to get the right surface smoothness. Car parts stores sell a small variety pack of 3M brand with the various grits. I used that pack and 2000 grit to polish my car's aged taillights ('88 Trans Am with the bubble-looking taillights). A lot of people would use the 200-320 grit to sand down the small date codes/part numbers molded into the plastic for a "cleaner" look.

Dissolving it to remove 1 mm from the surface of raised lettering and such is probably not the easiest way, and could damage it. You might be better off to just take a small rotary sander, and grind the lettering down to where you need it.