Silicone - how to remove clothing?

Silicone sealant is often used for small repairs, for example filling slots and joints between a bathroom and a wall, restoring shower cabins, sinks, aquariums and much more. However, with inaccurate handling of building materials, he can leave stubborn stains on clothing. Due to the peculiarities of its composition, the sealant differs in its high viscosity and quickly freezes, and therefore it can be difficult to get rid of contamination. In this article, we will tell you what to do if an unnecessary thing has got a silicone - how to remove this building mixture from clothing, windows and other items.

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What is silicone?

Before you look for effective ways how to remove traces of silicone material from clothes, you should understand what the composition is and what its characteristics are.

General properties of the sealant

Silicone is a modern sealant related to rubber compounds, perfectly penetrating even the smallest cracks and pores. Due to this property the substance is famous for its adhesive and adhesive qualities.

Also this construction material is known for the following advantages:

1. Rapidly hardens at room temperature.
2. Is a versatile tool with moisture and heat resistance.
3. is elastic and easy to use.

Important! Thanks to these qualities, silicone compounds are used in many spheres of human life - construction, aviation, dentistry, repair, household, etc.

Types

In the current market, several types of sealant are presented:

1. Acidic compounds that can be recognized by the characteristic vinegar smell.
2. Neutral chemical compounds that do not have a strong odor.

Important! Type of silicone sealant you can always check with the seller or read on the packaging of the tube. This information is definitely useful to you, if you need to remove silicone from clothing or other things.

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Cleaning clothes from silicone

As silicone enters the silicone, it hardens in the open air. Therefore, the longer the chemical substance is on the surface, the more it glues to the surface, respectively - it will be more difficult for you to get rid of it.

Important! Try to start cleaning up things with a cut after spotting spots on the textile surface.

There are several effective ways to remove silicone from clothes at home:

Mechanical cleaning

If the drop just gets on your clothes, then it can be removed mechanically simply, for this you should follow the following recommendations:

1. Stretch the fabric in the place wherethe silicone has got, as a result of which a thin film forms on its surface.
2. Punch it with any sharp object and it can be easily removed.

Important! Exercise extremely carefully, so as not to damage the structure of the fibers of the tissue.

Chemical cleaning

Most often it is necessary to deal with a sealant, which has already decently dried.

For the removal of silicone, modern building chemistry companies offer special washings.

Important! When using these tools, do not forget about precautions, because such mixtures are quite toxic, can trigger allergies of the skin or mucous membranes.

The following compositions are most popular:

• "Antisil";
• Penta 840.

Important! How to remove silicone from clothing or interior items by such means, is detailed in the instructions from the manufacturer. Carefully study it, do not violate these tips, and then the purity of the desired surface is assured to you.

Folk Methods

If at hand for any reason there was no industrial means, then you can try to wash the sealant from the clothes in one of the following ways:

1. Remove the acid silicone with acetic acid. Be very careful. Toxic vapors can damage the skin, as well as mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes and respiratory tract. Wet the soiled area and leave for 30 minutes. Then rub with a cloth. After removing the construction sealant, wash the affected area with soap and then send it to the washing machine.
2. Oxyme( neutral) silicone sealant can be tried to remove with acetone, gasoline or white spirit. Wet the place with alcohol and leave in such condition for 30 minutes. Next, use a sponge or brush, wiping a dirty place. Silicone at the same time rolls into lumps and is removed. Before the main wash of cloth, walk on the stain with a dishwashing liquid.

Important! Before using one of the above methods, be sure to check on the wrong side or undetected area the tissue reaction to the selected remedy. On delicate fabrics, do not use these products to avoid damage.

If the clothing has a large sealant residue

It happens that the silicone layer is very thick. Then, in order to remove the silicone from the clothes, try first to clean it mechanically, scraping it with a plastic scraper or cutting it with a knife. Remain what remains, as described.

Important! Be very careful when performing this procedure, so as not to damage the fabric.

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Handle

If the rubber sealant gets on your skin, the most effective way to remove it will be the kitchen salt and warm water:

1. Hold your hands in brine for several minutes.
2. Try wiping with a pumice stone or a stiff washcloth.
3. If you can not get rid of it immediately, repeat the procedure several times until completely cleared.

Important! If there are cuts or wounds on the skin, replace the salt with laundry soap. It, of course, copes with the task worse, but will not corrode cuts, as in the case with salt. You will have to repeat 3-4 times.

Another way to remove silicone from the skin is vegetable oil. It is necessary: ​​

1. Lightly heat the oil and moisten the hands in it.
2. After waiting a few minutes, rub the contamination with detergent.
3. Repeat the action several times, you will get rid of stains on the hands.

Important! After coping with the sealant, always lubricate the skin with a regenerating cream.

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How to wash the silicone grease from the glass and tiles?

We told how to wash the sealant from clothes and remove it from the skin. We'll figure out how to clean other surfaces from silicone:

• In time, the spilled sealant can be easily removed from the surface with a rag and vinegar.

Important! It should be understood that with prolonged contact with the surface, the setting density increases. The substance penetrates into the surface and they become one. Therefore, it is necessary to act very quickly.

• If you need to remove silicone from the surface, the appearance of which is not so important, you can try to get rid mechanically by using a sharp knife and a piece of pumice stone. With a knife you cut a layer of silicone, and grind the remnants with pumice stone.

Important! Instead of pumice, you can use a salt bag( pour salt into two layers of gauze and tie it in a knot). A greasy stain that remains after cleansing can be removed with a dishwashing detergent or washing glass.

• Surfaces that are visible can be cleaned with a white spirit and a blade. Wet the silicone with white spirit and after a few minutes, when it is much softened, gently cut the mixture with a sharp blade. Repeat the procedure several times until you completely get rid of contamination. Fat stain is removed, as in the above method.

Important! All the methods proposed in this article suggest the use of active chemicals. Be sure to use protective gloves, respirators, glasses when working with them, so as not to cause harm to yourself.

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How to remove traces of sealant from an acrylic bath?

Acrylic bath is not very resistant to chemical attack, so if you need to clean it exactly, we offer two methods:

1. White Spirit. The principle of operation is similar to the previous one, but it is very important not to mechanically damage the layer of acrylic paint.
2. Use a special liquid to remove the hardened compound - Dow Corning OS-2, which greatly dilutes the building sealant and allows you to remove it without risk damaging the bath itself and without using sharp objects.

Important! The surface structure of the bathroom is not disturbed by the action of the agent. The product is absolutely safe for health and is allowed for use in living quarters.

And yet, to prevent the appearance of stains is much easier than to wipe them after the repair. Be responsible for the process of using the sealant. Prepare the surfaces in advance, cover with polyethylene or scotch the places you need to protect. Work with gloves. Protect clothing or use a work that you are not afraid to stain. In this way you will spare yourself extra work. We hope you have figured out how to wash the sealant off your clothes, and you have succeeded.