How can you wipe off the remains of polyurethane foam from different coatings? Removing polyurethane foam: removing stains from doors How to remove dried polyurethane foam from plastic

When installing a door, window or other construction work, you cannot do without using polyurethane foam. This product, popular in repair work, very effectively and reliably holds together various building elements, but removing the foam remaining after construction can be quite difficult, especially if we are talking about hardened material. Even if all measures to protect against the sealant have been taken in advance, its particles can remain anywhere - on the floor, walls, doors, windows, clothes and hands. The question arises - how and with what to wash polyurethane foam at home?

How to remove fresh sealant stains from the surface of a door, window, floor

Fresh polyurethane foam can be removed best. It is easier to quickly remove excess residues than to wipe off already dried material. There are various ways to remove fresh stains:

For a metal door, the process of removing polyurethane foam is somewhat simpler than for a wooden door. If various solvents were used to clean a wooden door, then immediately after rubbing, you need to wash this area with soapy water so that the aggressive substances of the solvent do not damage the paintwork.

You can also use solvents to clean foam from clothing. If everything is done quickly, the fabric will not be damaged. After cleaning, clothes should be washed with plenty of washing powder.

How to wash foam from hands

To avoid questions like how to clean polyurethane foam from your hands, it is better to wear thick leather gloves during construction work involving the use of this product. If you still cannot avoid getting the sealant on your hands, you can remove it using the following means:

• Medical alcohol
• Petrol
• 3% vinegar solution
• Acetone.

You need to moisten a regular cotton swab with one of these products and gently wipe the skin of your hands. Then you need to wash your hands well under running water using liquid soap and rub with baby cream.

There are other methods for removing sealant from your hands.

• Using table salt. Pour warm water into a small basin, add a teaspoon of salt, lower your hands and hold them a little in the saline solution.
• Soapy water is suitable for fresh stains on hands. Place your hands in a warm soapy solution; for a faster effect, the remaining foam can be wiped off with a sponge or washcloth.
• Heated vegetable oil. The oil needs to be slightly heated and rubbed onto areas with remaining sealant. Then fill the areas stained with foam with a small amount of washing powder, foam it and rinse the entire solution from your hands with plenty of water.

How to remove dried polyurethane foam from various surfaces

It is quite problematic to completely remove already hardened and dried foam from the surface the first time. The procedure for removing old stains will have to be repeated several times. Lumps and stains are easier to clean from metal, glass or stone surfaces than from other materials. In these cases, there are also methods that will help solve the problem partially or completely.

No matter what means you have to use to remove the remaining sealant, this task is tedious and not always as effective as you would like. Experienced builders use protective film during the repair process and work in gloves and special clothing designed for construction work.

There are two ways to remove the product from any tools: mechanical and chemical.

1. Mechanical. To do this, you just need to use your hands and any piercing and cutting tool. Naturally, at the time of removing the foam, it must be dry, otherwise you will stain other tools. You just need to scrape using a knife, screwdriver, drill or any other device depending on the diameter and type of contamination of the tool. Most likely, traces of substance and mechanical damage will remain.
2. Chemical. Suitable for even the most difficult task – cleaning the “gun”. It consists in using a chemical cleaner to remove the mounting filler. For something that has not yet hardened: Penosil, Foam Cleaner or OPPA. If the foam has already dried: PENOSIL Premium Cured PU-Foam Remover. To use this product, screw the bottle onto the gun adapter and press the gun until the cleaner begins to release. Then wait for the substance to begin to dissolve and pull the trigger again. You can ensure that the gun is clean if the cleaner comes out without any foam residue.

How to remove polyurethane foam from windows and doors

Depending on what material the doors are made of, the cleaner is selected. As with tools, the same names of tools are often used.

1. For PVC doors and windows. Suitable for final cleaning of plastic surfaces or minor stains. The following products dissolve the mounting filler: Cosmofen 5 and Windows System Cleaner pro 5. These two products contain strong household chemicals, so they must be used extremely carefully so as not to damage the plastic. This chemistry can dissolve it if the liquid is not removed from the surface in time!

1. For hardened substances on surfaces. They also use various cleaning liquids, which were previously called: Penosil Foam Cleaner, Ultima Professional and OPPA. In order to treat the surface with them, you must first cut off the protruding “lambs”, and then rub the remaining substance with a sponge and cleaning agent. It is enough to apply a little force and mechanical friction, and the hardened foam, having dissolved, will begin to be removed.

Removing polyurethane foam from the floor

1. Medicine "Dimexide". It is sold in any pharmacy and can remove a certain amount of the substance after you scrape it off with a knife. You need to wear gloves when working with the product.

1. Cleaning agent. First, the frozen foam is removed with a spatula, and the residues are removed using Penosil Foam Cleaner and Ultima Professional solvents.
2. Strong cleaner. It has already been mentioned earlier, and is used to clean tools. These are Cosmofen 5 and Windows System Cleaner pro 5.
3. Any liquid. It has been tested in practice that, for example, foam can be removed from linoleum using only water. The principle of operation is simple: cut off everything you can, and put a wet cloth on the rest. After a while, everything can be removed without difficulty. Please note that after you carry out this manipulation, there may be stains on the coating that can only be removed by rubbing. Varnish and gloss coatings cannot be cleaned at all, but only replaced.

Dried foam on clothes

Cleaning foam from clothing is an extremely difficult task, as it is necessary to use complex solvents that can damage the fabric.

1. Stain remover. Treat the stain with a cotton pad in the liquid and wait for the substance to dissolve. You can also use gasoline. Be sure to wash your things. But there will probably still be stains on the fabrics.

1. Low temperature. The item can be placed in the freezer, and after it freezes, cut off with a knife, and the remains can be dissolved with acetone. You need to be careful not to ruin your clothes.
2. Foam solvent. If the filler has not hardened, you can use the solvents mentioned above. Remove the piece with a knife and remove the remaining residue with solvent. For hardened foam, accordingly, use the means provided above. Also cut off the foam, apply the product, wait 30 minutes and brush. Be sure to wash the item.

How to remove polyurethane foam from the body

If your hands are dirty, the situation is not so dire and there is no need to use complex cleaners. There are two most effective means:

1. Mechanical friction. That is, you need to remove the foam by rubbing it with your hands. If it’s not all removed at once, it will still come off after a while.
2. Sponge, scrub and water. An excellent option that can clean foam from the body. In addition, you can use acetone, solvent, salt solution. Directions for use: wipe with a sponge and a cleaning agent, or soak your hands in it for a while.

In the video you can see how easily any amount of foam can be removed with your hands and effort.

However, in any case, before cleaning the polyurethane foam with any substance, check its effect on a surface area hidden from view. For example, you can use a special foam cleaner only on a surface that is resistant to acetone.

Let’s make a reservation right away that the removal of polyurethane foam largely depends on the surface being cleaned and how much it has had time to dry. First of all, let’s find out how to remove polyurethane foam if it got onto the surface relatively recently and has not yet hardened.

Obviously, you need to try to remove it mechanically as soon as possible, i.e. using a knife or staple. But this should be done extremely carefully so as not to scratch the surface. Of course, in this way it will be possible to remove only the upper part of the contamination and then you need to decide how to dissolve the polyurethane foam for its final removal.

How to remove already hardened polyurethane foam?

To remove all residues, a polyurethane foam solvent is needed, such as Reiniger, Cosmofen or Phenozol. Conventional solvents are completely unsuitable, since under their influence the traces will penetrate even more intensely into the depths of the surface, and in the future it will become impossible to remove the stain.

Yes, and a special solvent with prolonged exposure can also have a negative effect, so it should be promptly removed with a damp cloth.

Now let’s try to figure out how to clean the polyurethane foam after it has completely dried. The first step, as in the case of incomplete drying, is to remove the upper part of the contamination mechanically. But only that part of it that does not have direct contact with the surface!

The drug is applied to the layer remaining at the base. Dimexide, which can be purchased without a prescription at the pharmacy. Under its influence, the residues will soften and can be removed without damaging the surface.

How to clean various surfaces from foam?

It is already clear from the purpose of polyurethane foam that it is a substance of high penetrating power, and therefore removing residues is always fraught with difficulty and with the risk of damaging the contaminated object. Sometimes white spirit, gasoline or ordinary acetone helps to cope with the task.

However, there is always the possibility of surface damage. You can reduce it somewhat by using a foam cleaner. Good results are often obtained by using ordinary vegetable oil, which is applied to the remaining foam for 30 minutes, after which it softens and is easily removed from the surface.

You should try to remove polyurethane foam from linoleum with plain water. After removing the frozen part with a knife, place a wet cloth on the remains and leave for several hours. After softening, all traces are easily removed. The laminate is cleaned using the drug mentioned above Dimexide.

And finally, we’ll find out how to clean the mounting foam if it gets on your skin or hair. First of all, let us pay attention to the fact that under the influence of substances secreted by the skin, the contamination will disappear on its own in a few days. You can try to remove it with vegetable oil. Sometimes a remedy is used Reiniger. If foam gets on your hair, the only solution is to cut off the contaminated strand. As a rule, it cannot be removed from clothing without leaving a trace. You can try using Dimexide, but the likelihood of completely removing the stain is very small.

This is understandable, such windows are not only better than wooden ones from an aesthetic point of view, but also surpass them in technical characteristics. Plastic windows retain heat better and do not allow unnecessary noise and dust into the house. In general, some advantages. So if you don’t have plastic windows yet, then think about installing them.

When installing plastic windows, as well as any structures made of glass, plastic, concrete and even metal (for example, doors), polyurethane foam is used. This excellent sealant can rightfully be called an indispensable assistant! It gets into even the smallest and narrowest cracks, seals seams, and glues parts together. In addition, high-quality polyurethane foam has heat, sound and moisture insulation characteristics.

However, as is usually the case, among all these significant advantages, comparable to a huge barrel of honey, there was a small drawback. The fly in the ointment is the difficulty of washing off the foam that gets on surrounding objects during its use.

We will tell you how you can wash non-dried and dried polyurethane foam from your hands, clothes, doors and other surfaces.

If the polyurethane foam has not yet dried, i.e. completely harden, it is very easy to wash with various solvents, acetone, special cleaners and, of course, White Spirit. That is why, before using polyurethane foam, prepare something from this (for example: “Sol-Off”, “Soudal Pu Remover”, “solvent 646” or “Cosmofen 10”) to remove drops of sealant.

What to do before the polyurethane foam has hardened

If you came to your senses in time and decided not to complicate your life by scraping and wiping off the hardened polyurethane foam, then arm yourself with some kind of solvent and a rag and carefully wipe off the foam that has not yet had time to harden. It will take you literally a few minutes to do everything.

Important! However, not every surface can be safely removed with uncured sealant using a solvent. For example, varnished and painted surfaces are afraid of such “execution.” In the first case, there is a high probability that you will erase the varnish layer along with the mounting foam, and in the second case, you can leave unsightly whitish or yellowish spots. Therefore, before you start washing off the polyurethane foam (or better yet, before using it at all), check how the surface reacts to the solvent you have chosen. Rub a small amount of the product in an inconspicuous place and wait; if everything is fine, you can begin installation; if not, then first select a suitable cleaner.

Advice!

If you are faced with what seems to be an insoluble dilemma: what to choose between two “evils” - scrubbing off fresh mounting foam, knowing that a LITTLE amount of damage will be done to the surface, or literally “gnawing off” and scraping off the hardened mounting foam? It is more rational to choose the first option. However, if the damage is still significant, or alternatively: you could not find a suitable solvent or did not notice drops of polyurethane foam that got into the wrong places, then use our tips on how to wash dried polyurethane foam.

How to clean dried foam

How can you wash hardened polyurethane foam?

There are several ways to remove cured foam. However, no matter what method you choose, a small trace will still remain. This is connected, so to speak, with nature, or rather with the characteristics and structure of polyurethane foam, with the principle by which it works. Namely: the foam is in the can under very high pressure; when released outside, it expands tens of times. At the same time, the polyurethane foam tightly holds the necessary items together, because it penetrates the material at the molecular level (in scientific language this is called “adhesion”). This means that no matter how you try to scrub or scrape off the polyurethane foam, know that it has managed to penetrate inside the substance and “spoil” its structure.

Now all that remains is to choose the method of cleaning the polyurethane foam that will “cover up traces” as much as possible.

Method No. 1

Take several sharp blades and very carefully cut the foam right down to the spine. Then apply sunflower oil or solvent to the remaining foam particles. Wait 15-20 minutes, during which time the remaining foam should soften. After this, use a double-sided sponge to begin wiping off the foam, alternating the soft side with the hard side. When you wipe off the foam, prepare a warm soapy solution and wash the area where the foam was.

Method No. 2

Using sharp blades, we try to carefully and as much as possible cut off the frozen polyurethane foam. Then, using gloves, apply the joint gel “Dimexide” (or any other analogue), again leave for 20 minutes so that the remaining foam softens. We wipe off the foam with a double-sided sponge, and then wipe the area with a damp cloth.

Method No. 3

If the mounting foam needs to be removed from a non-smooth surface or from a surface that you are going to paint or varnish, then it can literally be scraped off using blades and sandpaper.

How to wash foam from hands

It is best to wash off the polyurethane foam, we repeat, when it has not had time to completely harden using acetone or various solvents. What to do if the polyurethane foam has dried on your hands? Stock up on hot water, a rag, pumice stone, hand cream (any other nourishing cream or regular oil will do), and a lot of patience. Steam your hands in a container of hot water (hold them for about 30 minutes), dry your hands, apply a generous layer of rich cream and begin to wipe off the foam from your hands using a piece of pumice. And, of course, help yourself with your nails - some pieces can be removed by prying them up with your fingernail.

How to remove polyurethane foam from clothes

It is clear that no one makes repairs to their weekend clothes. For this occasion and any other work around the house, simpler clothes are chosen, from the category “you can wear them at the dacha” or “you don’t mind throwing them away.” However, cases can be different, for example, you came to visit a place that had recently been renovated and accidentally got into uncured sealant, or you came with an audit to check how things were going with the employees, son, etc. and so on. and again they accidentally stained their clothes with foam. What to do in such cases? Should we really resign ourselves and throw the thing in the trash?

In such cases, one rule works: the faster you come to your senses and run to wipe the foam from your clothes with acetone, solvent, or cleaner, the better. Once the sealant has completely hardened (this takes several hours), the item can no longer be washed or saved.

However, there is a pitfall here: some things begin to bleach under the influence of a solvent, especially those whose tags show off. So choose what is better: wearing clothes without drops of polyurethane foam, but in their places there will be faded or yellowish stains, or wearing clothes with frozen drops of polyurethane foam. We agree that the choice is not so great in any case.

How to clean polyurethane foam from a door

When installing a door, polyurethane foam often ends up on the surface of the door itself.

It is best to wash off the mounting foam when it has not yet dried and with the help of special cleaning agents, then there is a high chance that there will be no trace of the sealant left on the surface.

How much impact the foam will have on the door depends on the quality of the wood and whether it is painted or varnished. If yes, then wipe off the foam with a solvent; if not, then scrape off the foam, and clean off its remains with fine-grained sandpaper, and then cover the door with varnish or paint.

How to prepare a room before working with polyurethane foam

The golden rule that it is easier to prevent a problem than to deal with its consequences also works with polyurethane foam. Therefore, before you start installing windows, doors and anything else using polyurethane foam, prepare the room for work.

Take out all valuable and expensive items.

Wear work clothes, gloves, and a hat. It is necessary to cover your skin as much as possible, and most importantly your hair, with something you won’t mind throwing away or ruining.

Cover with oilcloth all surrounding objects that could not be pulled out. The same applies to floors, batteries, etc.

Anything that could not be covered with film or anything that is in close proximity to the work area, grease it with oil or rich cream. This is especially true for varnished surfaces.

Believe me, it is much easier and cheaper to prepare a place to work with polyurethane foam than to then scrub and scrape it off without the certainty that not a trace will remain of it.

When carrying out construction or repair work, installing doors and windows, polyurethane foam is used. It firmly fixes various elements. But besides this, it sticks firmly to surfaces on which there should be no foam: glass, plastic, wood or linoleum. Most often this happens with windows. You can wipe off polyurethane foam from a plastic window using special solvents or folk remedies.

How to remove polyurethane foam from a plastic window

When working with polyurethane foam, it leaves marks on the window that need to be removed.

The easiest way to remove the fresh substance is when it begins to drain. Remove excess with a plastic scraper, but under no circumstances use your hands. Scrub the surface as best you can, trying to remove as much residue as possible without smearing it. After this, wipe the stained area with a sponge or rag soaked in solvent.

There is another option for removing foam that is stuck to the plastic. You need to wait until it hardens completely. Apply vegetable oil to the stains and leave for 30 minutes. After this, remove with a scraper or rag. This procedure will make the scrubbing process easier.

It is much more difficult to clean the surface of PVC window frames from long-hardened excess sealant. Delicate material will not withstand aggressive solvents, and therefore you will have to work very carefully.

You need to start cleaning with a simple mechanical action: rub the adhering polyurethane foam with a plastic scraper. The tool should be softer than the surface that needs to be cleaned, but harder than the hardened sealant. This condition must be met so as not to damage the plastic. Remove residues with solvent.

After removing the foam, the window sill and frame should be washed with soapy water.

How to remove polyurethane foam from glass

Polyurethane foam must be removed from glass with a plastic spatula.

If sealant gets on the glass surface, cleaning is carried out in the following order:

1. Allow time to dry completely.
2. Clean off the sealant using a plastic or wooden spatula.
3. Wash off remaining stains with soapy water or nail polish remover.

Foam that has not yet dried can be washed off the glass with any solvent. Gently wipe the stain with moistened cotton wool.

Foam removers

There are a lot of special removal products sold. Based on their mode of action, cleaners are divided into 2 types: those used to dissolve fresh sealant and those used to remove hardened foam.

Company Bau Master produces two types of solvent:

• Ultima - for washing off fresh foam and cleaning the construction gun;
• Hobbi - used to clean sealant stains from fabric and leather.

Firm Tytan produces mounting sealant and cleaner included. The products of this company can be used when working with plastic, a rather capricious material. This indicates the good quality of the composition.

Brand cleaners Dail universal. They have a low cost and are the most popular drugs.

Remedies for “ Macroflex" and "TechnoNIKOL".

These substances must be used according to the instructions, strictly following their instructions. Before use, it is recommended to test the effect of the drug on a remote site. Wipe the stain with a rag soaked in the solution and immediately wash off with soapy water. This is done to ensure that the solvent does not spoil the PVC profile and to remove unpleasant odors. If during testing the product has a negative effect on plastic, its use should be discarded.

Solvents act on dyed fabric, and when working with them, the rags should be white. Otherwise, the fabric may fade, and indelible multi-colored stains will remain on the light plastic.

Folk remedies for cleaning windows

One of the best folk remedies for removing polyurethane foam from windows is dimexide.

When working with polyurethane foam, sometimes annoying surprises occur in the form of drops and drips. In this case, you can wash foam from plastic windows and other surfaces using some substances available in the kitchen:

• Vegetable oil. You need to heat it to 60 °C. Quickly pick up fresh marks with two spatulas, and wipe the remaining stain with a rag soaked in oil. This product is always available at hand, is inexpensive, and is not dangerous to the health of others. You can also try to wipe off dried stains with it. Place a rag soaked in oil on them. Wait half an hour. After this, the remaining sealant will be easier to wipe off. If the stain does not budge, this compress can be repeated.
• Vinegar. A good product for removing foam from glass, tiles, and countertops. You need to moisten a napkin with undiluted vinegar and clean the stain with force.
• Dimexide. A medicine sold in pharmacies will help remove the foam. Before applying the product, it is necessary to carefully cut off drips and stains with a knife or blade. At the same time, try not to get hurt or scratch the plastic of the window and window sill. Place cotton pads soaked in Dimexide on the remaining stains. Wait 5-10 minutes and you can clean it up. Polyurethane foam caulk will come off easily even with slight friction. This medicine will help clean not only plastic windows and window sills, but also laminate, metal, and linoleum. As well as hand skin, hair and fabric. It cannot be used on wooden or varnished surfaces.
  
• Homemade solution. Will cope with sealant stains of any complexity. Recipe: 50 ml of liquid for washing the mounting gun, 10 ml of acetone, 10 ml of solvent A-649, 20 ml of acetic essence, mix and the composition is ready. Before using the solution, it is necessary to test it. It may turn out that it is not suitable for this type of profile and will do more harm than good.
• Acetone. You need to be extremely careful with this substance. It dissolves many types of plastics and is not suitable for plastic lining and vinyl siding. They will simply peel off from such a strong product.

Safety precautions when removing polyurethane foam

When working with chemicals, you must follow the following safety rules:

• use aggressive substances with gloves;
• ventilate the room;
• do not use flammable compounds near open flames;
• Do not allow solutions to get into your eyes, nose, or mouth.

It is better to remove adhering foam from a plastic window before it hardens. Use a spatula to remove the cap, and wipe off the remaining traces with a rag moistened with one of the listed substances.

The choice of cleaning products for plastic windows is very wide. You can use drugs from well-known manufacturers, or you can try folk remedies. The main thing in this matter is the result.