|
Cleaning cured silicone
|
| ibikeak |
Posted on 04/13/09 - 9:06 PM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 27
Comments:
3
Joined: 02/04/07
|
Sold my 1990 22' Outrage and purchased a 1986 Revenge 22WT. I am in the process of cleaning her up, relocating down rigger mounts and reinstalling the bow rail. Any suggestions on cleaning cured silicone from the deck.
Once I have her cleaned up and ready to fish I will try to post some pics.
Thanks for you help!
|
| |
|
|
| ioptfm |
Posted on 04/14/09 - 6:20 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 1533
Comments:
3
Joined: 10/28/06
|
I would carefully scrape off as much as possible and then use a solvent like goof off for the remainder
Tom
1979 Sport 15' |
| |
|
|
| Tom W Clark |
Posted on 04/14/09 - 7:00 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 4280
Comments:
7
Joined: 09/30/05
|
Use a sharp razor blade. Goof-Off (or any other solvent) will not touch cured silicone caulk. Only mechanical means will remove silicone caulk.
For the non-skid, you can try rubbing it with your hand while wearing a rubber coated "gripper glove," that will sometimes (depending on the silicone used) tear or peel the caulk free in little bits.
Edited by Tom W Clark on 04/14/09 - 7:00 AM |
| |
|
|
| ibikeak |
Posted on 04/14/09 - 8:47 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 27
Comments:
3
Joined: 02/04/07
|
Thank you for the help...I have tried just about every cleaner and solvent possible on the stainless and chrome parts..nothing seems to phase it. I'm thinking the gripper glove is the means of last resort.
|
| |
|
|
| MW |
Posted on 04/14/09 - 9:06 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 1827
Comments:
10
Joined: 01/08/06
|
I'm wondering if "Pure silicone spray" would work ? Basic chemistry has taught us that "Likes dissolve likes" right ? Just a thought.
Matt |
| |
|
|
| Binkie |
Posted on 04/14/09 - 9:33 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 2012
Comments:
0
Joined: 12/19/05
|
Like Tom says, a razor knife and a razor blade in a handle are your only means of getting it off.
Rich |
| |
|
|
| coopgraphic |
Posted on 04/15/09 - 3:28 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 63
Comments:
1
Joined: 07/13/08
|
I had silicone caulk stains around my rail bases from the previous owner. I used a plastic putty knife to remove the caulk but I still had dark stains. After trying every cleaner I could think of, I resorted to wet sanding them. It did the trick...took the stains right out. Didnt take long to remove them so its not too much work.
Chris Cooper |
| |
|
|
| Guts |
Posted on 04/15/09 - 7:41 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 612
Comments:
8
Joined: 11/21/08
|
I cut a piece of Plexiglas (with a chop saw) on a 45° an use it like a plastic chisel, then lacquer thinner to wipe the area down.
|
| |
|
|
| tommy mc |
Posted on 04/16/09 - 4:47 AM
|
Member
Posts: 30
Comments:
2
Joined: 05/29/08
|
i used a narrow stiff older metal scraper and it worked fine. i say older because it was duller and had less chance of gouging...which it didnt.
there is a removal spray that they sell at the home depot that i used on my tub surround. it worked pretty well on that. never tried it on the boat though.
a good cleaner for the boat is watered down acetone, or watered down PVC cleaner.
|
| |
|
|
| theo |
Posted on 04/16/09 - 1:56 PM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 252
Comments:
0
Joined: 08/26/08
|
MW wrote:
I'm wondering if "Pure silicone spray" would work ? Basic chemistry has taught us that "Likes dissolve likes" right ? Just a thought.
So Matt, you paid attention in Chemistry class didn't you? Go ahead and admit it. We won't laugh. Much!
To take it a step further, the curing process for silicones is a series of chemical reactions that form a network of crosslinks throughout the entire mixture, so cured silicone is kind of like a single "mega-molecule". Silicone spray I believe is made up of smaller, uncured silicone polymers. The two are not enough alike to be able to dissolve together. Plus there are hundreds of variations of silicone polymers so the issue gets complex quickly.
The "mega molecule" way of understanding cured silicone also helps explain why solvents won't touch it.
(I guess this kind of makes me a science nerd!) 
|
| |
|
|
| regentsbay |
Posted on 04/16/09 - 5:45 PM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 60
Comments:
0
Joined: 04/02/07
|
Well, let me say this, TWC's advice was right on. The only thing I would add is this, PLEASE go to an auto body shop and buy a pkg. of plastic razor blades so you dont't damage the gel coat. Now this comes from somebody that didn't take Chemistry and they didn't teach it at the Law school I addended, but after many repair patches on messed up gel coat jobs from metal razor blades you learn.
|
| |
|
|
| MW |
Posted on 04/17/09 - 1:01 AM
|
Member
Personal Page
Posts: 1827
Comments:
10
Joined: 01/08/06
|
Actually I never took chemistry, I saw it written in the bathroom of the "F" train so I figured it must be true.
Matt |
| |
|
