As a result of repair or construction work, you have to cope with the consequences: take out the garbage, get rid of dust, remove paint or silicone sealant residues. If many people know how to wash off the paint, then practically nothing is known about how to deal with the remnants of the sealant, which after two or three months become yellow spots that spoil the appearance of a newly renovated room. Here the question arises of how to wash off the silicone grease, because an inaccurately formed seam not only looks ugly, but also collapses faster, starting to let water through, which will force a premature restoration of the structure.
What is the material
Silicone grease is a white translucent mass that is widely used not only in everyday life and industry, but also in aviation. It is actively used to preserve rubber parts and consumables and lubricate them, to prevent the destruction of various parts.interior and electrical equipment. This is a heat-conducting material that can withstand temperature fluctuations in the range of -40 … +250 ° C, which means it is suitable for electrical elements.
How to wash off silicone grease: scrub, dissolve, cut off?
A universal remedy suitable for all types of surfaces, unfortunately, has not yet been invented, therefore combined methods are used, which can be applied to the sealant:
- soften (dissolve);
- cut;
- scrape;
- wipe off;
- wash.
If you don't know how to wash off silicone grease from linoleum, you can remove the sealant mechanically by preparing a set of tools:
- scraper;
- spatula;
- sandpaper;
- abrasive compound;
- knife.
The most convenient way to work with silicone is by taking a cobbler's knife. During mechanical removal, first they get rid of a thick layer of the agent, and then an abrasive substance (table s alt) is applied, the residues are wiped off with a scraper. Another option to wash off silicone grease is to take a silicone solvent. After using the product, all that remains is to wash the remaining traces.
Effective tool to help get rid of sealant
A special liquid is sold in construction hypermarkets. The species diversity of products is quite wide, so the question arises: how to wash off silicone grease from metal and how not to damage the surface? What kind of washeswill be the most effective?
First, find out what kind of silicone grease was used to seal. They are one- and two-component. The latter are often used in industrial settings, so it would be appropriate to consider household one-component sealants.
According to the type of vulcanizing agent, they are divided into neutral and acid. Neutral include:
- amine;
- amide;
- oxide;
- alcohol.
To safely soften acidic silicone on a stainless metal surface, use concentrated vinegar (70% essence). To dissolve the alcohol sealant, medical alcohol is suitable, and for the remaining neutral silicones, acetone, white spirit or gasoline.
From commercially available speci alty products, you can choose Antisil or Penta-840, which are suitable for surface cleaning regardless of the type of vulcanizing agent used to produce silicone grease.
How to wash off silicone grease? It is better to purchase a special tool to be sure that the surface will not deteriorate during cleaning.
How to remove sealant from enameled surfaces or tiles
Mechanical effects and abrasive cleaners leave for other surfaces. Acrylic and tile are sensitive to such things, so follow the concise instructions to get the surface in order.without damaging it:
- Using a knife or razor blade, remove thick layers or layers of silicone, being careful not to touch the surface of the tub or tile.
- Apply solvent to remaining sealant and leave for 2-3 hours.
- After waiting for the silicone to soften and acquire a jelly-like consistency, try prying it with a sharp object and completely remove it from the tile or acrylic surface.
- Wash off the cleaned areas and wipe with a dry cloth, making sure there is no silicone left.
Silicone grease doesn't lag well
In some cases, the sealant is not removed by a whole strip. The reason for this may be the wrong choice of silicone softener or poor quality sealant. In this case, the treatment is carried out again, wiping the surface with a cloth or sponge soaked in the solvent. It is worth repeating the procedure until the grease begins to curl, after which it should be removed with a dry cloth.
Not an easy task for those who need to clean the old layer of sealant from a porous, non-enamelled tile. In this case, the adhesion of the substance and tiles is much stronger. Therefore, in order to wipe off the grease, in addition to the solvent and the sponge, you will have to use a pumice stone or a scraper to erase the softened sealant.
Removing sealant from plastic surface
Plastic or rubber surfaces are the easiest to remove grease, since the adhesion of the substance with this material is the weakest. Do not know,how to wash off silicone grease from plastic: from a shower cabin, an acrylic bathtub, a pallet? The answer will surprise you. Moisten the grease with solvent, leave for 30-60 minutes, then wash off the remaining traces with a degreaser. Thus, it will be possible to remove the sealant only if the "Primer" was not used during application, since its use significantly complicates the task.
A special sealant is used for car rubber seals. Using the same substances as for conventional silicone compounds, you can wash the silicone grease from the rubber. The better you study the composition of the cylinder, the sooner you will find a way out of the situation and successfully clean the surface.
As you can see, it doesn't take much effort to wipe silicone sealant from a surface, regardless of its type, and it can be done even without the availability of purchased options for silicone solvents, which will help save the budget.
