A process for selectively removing an aluminide-containing coating from the surface of a metal-based substrate is disclosed. It includes the following steps:(a) contacting the surface of the substrate with at least one stripping composition to degrade the coating without severely pitting the substrate, wherein the stripping composition is selected from the group consisting of: (i) aliphatic or aromatic sulfonic acids; (ii) a solution of an inorganic acid and an organic solvent; and (iii) sulfuric acid or an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid; and then(b) removing the degraded coating without damaging the substrate.