Cleaning off Sikaflex ??

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BlueSkyNick

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what started out as a simple job to mount a new GPS antenna, and pull through the cable, ended up with surgery on the back of the boat, replacing old chafed cables, Sikaflex all over the place, and my hands looking I've just come out a coal mine.

Any tips for household detergents which will help clean them up for the morning? And then there's the GRP next weekend /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Methylated spirits or acetone (nail varnish remover) then hand cream tp replace the leeched skin oils.
Hint : With surgical gloves next time around ,put 2 or 3 pairs on at once and tear off the outermost as they get progressively messy. I buy them by the 100 from Screwfix.
 
Too late now but there is a product called Sikaclean which is probably just a cocktail of the nasties mentioned above.
 
I think you are going to find that Sikaflex is pretty resistant to most solvents.

There is, as Oakum says, a Sika Cleaner, in fact there are three: 205, G&M and P. They are however cleaners for cleaning various substrates before using any of the Sikaflex sealants. There is also Sika Remover 208 but that is for removing uncured Sikaflex.

The best you can do I think is to try what ever of the solvents mentioned by others that you may have to hand as it is hardly likely to be worth going out and buying any of the Sika products specially.

Remember that they will all be to a greater or lesser extent harmful to your skin so you should wash off with soap and water and as advised apply a good hand cream afterwards.

Also bear in mind that many of these solvents can be absorbed into the blood stream and may well be injurious to vital organs. For that reason I think it would be advisable to avoid any containing aromatic compounds such as toluene (methyl benzene) or xylene (dimethylbenzene) but in any case try to keep the skin contact to a minimum and use in a well ventilated area to avoid inhalation of the solvent vapours

(Except meths of course, wallow and enjoy /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )


Next time remember to wear gloves (Diesel car owners always have gloves cos the filling stations have them for us to help ourselves to) A tin of Sika Remover-208 could be useful too.


I have now found Sikaclean Thats what Oakum refers to but I've only found it on a French website:
472 676 SIKACLEAN 100 lingettesElimine efficacement sur les mains et les outils.Les salissures non polymérisées telles que colle et mastic
but i dont speak French.

I think for cleaning uncured material off your hands. Baby wipes by another name?
 
When re-fixing some handrails last week I found that an aerosol can of carburettor cleaner (from Halfords) was able to remove old / set Sikaflex.

In fact I haven't found many things that this won't act as a solvent for...

I wouldn't recommend it for your hands though!
 
I managed to smear some silkaflex on the coach roof today - the only solvent I had to hand was white spirit (which I keep to clean the winches) - worked a treat.

John
 
you can buy cellulose thinners in any hardware/diy shop.

I have used it frequently for removing sikaflex deck caulk and it works very well.
 
Now its hard it will probably take a couple of weeks to come off your hands. ( How do I know? - Guess).
Baby wipes are pretty good when its still moist and paraffin/white spirit works well on a rag.
My guess is that paraffin is perhaps the safest of the solvents - but allergic reactions are very individual, its your hide you're risking. I'm allergic to orange peel oil but polyester resin is no problem.
 
I'd suggest you try using WD-40 and a conventional SotchBrite kitchen sink sponge/scourer. After you've scraped away a month's epidermis, stop and apply Neutrogena liberally. There will be residue here and there, which should now be left to the natural oils your skin produces, to shift. That'll be several days....

Kindly don't go mad with powerful detergent cleaners such as traditional Swarfega, for you could readily damage the sebaceous glands in your skin sufficiently to pre-dispose you to 'industrial dermatitis' for the rest of your years.

G'd luck!

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Oh, and look in here /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Swafega - the gritty one with pumice in gets it off when wet. Drop of meths on a rag with clean surfices or alchole based medical wipes if you can get them are the ultimate. Rub some vasaline on your hands before you start helps to stop it sticking (and make surgical gloves easier to get on)
 
It's a fair cop, guvnor! Me memories going. I was wrong about pumice stone being used for steps but it will get Sikaflex off.

By the way, I've looked in Google and there are several items about "donkey stone" and its use. Apparently it was so-called because each bar had a donkey logo impressed into it.
 
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