How to get rid of unknown adhesive? Help! Suggestions please

[CarinaPDX]

The 3M stuff is very good, and very expensive. I have been using Goo Gone gel spray with very good results. Goof Off also has a following. All of these dissolve or soften the glue; it is necessary to remove the resulting mess with something like Simple Green then rinse well.


Greg

[jmschmidt]

Start with a mild solvent like plain mineral spirits (aka paint thinner which is not paint remover) and work to more aggressive solvents. In addition to paint thinner, I have MEK, Acetone, Toluene, Xylene, & Naphtha plus Allgrip, Interlux and auto motive reduces in my shop. Test them in an out of the way location on a small area before diving into it.

[RobinScurr]

My go-to solvent of choice is Naphtha. It removes 3M 4000, 4200, (5200?), butyl rubber and silicone!

A decent alternate is (believe it or not) WD-40! It worked 2nd best when removing silicone.

[hellosailor]

Naphtha may be the most common and useful "mineral spirit" but it sure as hell won't remove *cured* silicone or 5200. Whatever he has on the hull, cured long ago. If it was a simple rubber-cement based adhesive, naphtha will soften it. It it was something better...nogo.

[RobinScurr]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Naphtha may be the most common and useful "mineral spirit" but it sure as hell won't remove *cured* silicone or 5200. Whatever he has on the hull, cured long ago. If it was a simple rubber-cement based adhesive, naphtha will soften it. It it was something better...nogo.

Here's what I can tell you from my experience ... on the new-to-me boat, the PO had used clear and white silicone EVERYWHERE. Under AND on top of chain-plates, etc ... what a mess. It had been on for years and I figured I would never get rid of it.

I tried about a dozen different things ... paint thinner, acetone, lacquer thinner, low-odor mineral spirits, naphtha (aka lighter fluid) and vinegar (both 5% and 30%) Lots of Googling said vinegar would work ... it smells like vinegar when using it, so vinegar would dissolve it? Nope, not one bit. I even soaked it in 30% overnight with no effects. (The 30% does a great job of removing soap scum in the bathroom, however! Use gloves and turn on a fan - the order is powerful and it will burn your nose and skin)

Of all the things I tried, naphtha was a clear winner, followed by WD-40. Everything else was basically a waste of time, having little or no effect.

So, for the benefit of Google searchers everywhere, here is what I found ...


How to remove silicone sealant:

1. Use a razor scraper to remove as much as you can.

2. Wet it with naphtha. The naphtha seems to both soften and cause the silicone to swell?

3. Scrape it again. When you vaguely think your razor isn't working as well as it was, it's time to change to a new blade. It must be very sharp.

4. As a final step, use a piece of a green scrub pad soaked in naphtha to remove the final residue. Use an old pad on gel-coat or part of a basic sponge. A new green pad can scratch the surface.

5. When you need to seal something and decide silicone is the right choice, ask someone you consider an expert and find out what the right stuff is ... you're probably wrong. Sorry.


My chainplates, mast step plates, deck, etc, are all now (as best as anyone can tell) completely free of silicone ... and will remain that way.

Naphtha liquefied 4000/4200. It dissolved butyl sealant. For butyl, use a terry cloth rag with the naphtha. When it dissolves, the terry will catch the butyl and carry it away. If you let the solvent evaporate, the butyl will be on the surface and sticky again.

I encourage folks to give this a try and see what happens.

[ozdigennaro]

In tough cases, I use an escalating strategy. Always test the solvent first on a safe place. Clean to dry surface between steps!


1) soap and water
2) paint thinner
3) acetone
4) ethyl acetate


Acetone is Very Flammable. If you are not sure of safety, do not use it!
I'm not familiar with 3M adhesive remover, but it sounds promising. Probably step 3B)


Oz

[ebisucapt]

Sometimes WD40 works too. It’s real good if glue is soft.

[DavidMRea]

Thank you all
Yes, I plan an escalating strategy, using test areas first. I've a huge area to de-glue - both aft cabin walls where the panelling has started to come unstuck.
Thanks too for the advice on safety and ventilation. Good job I'm in no huge rush to sort this all out!

[burntheships]

Try "Goo Gone", wd40, acetone, paint stripper and I agree with one of the other folks try coconut oil for all natural.
Suzan - boattransportpros.com

[Sailorlady323]

I have had success with DESOLIT with residue from stickers and the like.
May take a couple of applications but worth a try.
Goop off?

[s/v Jedi]

Really, the last time I removed some vinyl from a bulkhead (glued with contact cement) I used the Fein Multimaster with it's blade attachment and could skin the vinyl off with most of the glue on the old vinyl. Clean the blade regularly with a solvent when it starts gumming up and keep blade pressure on the bulkhead.

Solvents are great for finishing after mechanical removal and I have mostly used the 3M adhesive remover for that. It's advantage over acetone is that it doesn't evaporate so quick, providing more time to get the adhesive off.

[sail sfbay]

Try Goo Gone. That is what I use to remove adhesive from metal and fiberglass.

[Rorzech]

Originally Posted by DavidMRea

My GibSea's interior panels are coming away from the hull.

I need to clean off the old adhesive (as it's clearly not adhering!) before refitting the interior. Any suggestions / recommendations as to how to remove this sticky stuff (not sticky enough stuff)?

Id try Goo-Gone It easily removes any adhesive I've ever run into that is left by labels on jars i want clean. Smells good too wether that matters or not.