A method of removing a coating made of an organic material, in particular an organic lacquer or a polymer coating, which adheres to the surface of tin-plated sheet steel. In a first step, the tin layer of the tin-plated sheet steel is completely or incipiently melted by exposure to electromagnetic radiation with a predefined wavelength, to which the organic coating is at least primarily transparent, with the organic coating becoming detached from tin layer, and in a second step, the organic material of the coating which detached from the tin layer is removed.