Foam for installation is so often used in the construction industry that it is difficult to imagine how it was dispensed with before. She copes with cracks, joints when installing doors. But very often, the product falls onto the product and adheres firmly to it. Those who faced a similar situation often wondered how to clean the door from mounting foam.
Precautions
Foam is a substance with a high degree of adhesion. This means that foam molecules penetrate deep into the material and firmly bind to it.
During the installation of the door structure and blowing out the cracks, apply a protective film to the areas where the product can get. This is better than then standing for hours and trying to wash the frozen mass.
A protective film is not a 100% guarantee of cleanliness. Droplets can still get in some places, and even those who have been working with the substance for installation for far from the first year are not immune.
Removing fresh foam from doors
If during the work you find foam getting onto the product, try to remove it as quickly as possible. With your bare hands, this is not worth it. Take a plastic scraper or other material that will not scratch the door.
When removing the remaining foam, do not smear it on the surface. Dampen the cloth with a few drops of solvent and wipe the contaminated area. Before using the solvent, it is advisable to check in an inconspicuous place whether it will damage the top layer of the door covering.
The most inexpensive and effective means of combating the "installation" is considered acetone.
But due to its potent composition, it is used only for surfaces that are difficult to damage. Getting on vinyl or plastic elements, it will only exacerbate the situation. When using acetone, it is important to remember that it is powerless against hardened foam.
When cleaning the surface from traces of foam, do not use water, as it contributes to its rapid hardening.
Prepare in advance - choose a substance that can wash foam
The hardened substance is primarily mechanically affected. When choosing a tool, be careful that it does not damage the door. With a blade, knife or sharp spatula, they clean the surface of wood, as well as metal and varnished products. A wooden spatula is used to clean the veneered surface.
To permanently remove the remaining traces of foam, use specially designed products that can be bought at the store. These include:
- Solvents, acetone. If everything is clear about acetone, then you must be picky when choosing solvents. To eliminate the foam, numbers 646 and 647 are suitable. The first is more aggressive, therefore it is suitable only for very rough surfaces. For example, metal doors. It is strictly forbidden to clean PVC, MDF products with these products.
- White Spirit.
- Cosmofen 20, 10, 5. The numbers show the strength of the substance: the smaller it is, the stronger it is.
- Tools used to clean mounting guns. Choose formulations that cause minimal damage to your surface.
Fighting dried foam
The mounting material dries within half a day. Depending on what surface it came to, resort to various means of struggle.
How to clean lacquered woodwork and MDF
Knowing how to remove the mounting foam from a wooden door, you will quickly and efficiently cope with this task. The substance is most easily removed from this type of product when the foam resembles rubber. Pulling at her, she easily comes off. However, if time was lost, you will have to use a cleaner.
Dimexide acts destructively on sealant molecules. Before you run to buy, see if you have it in your home medicine cabinet. Dimexide purification is as follows:
- Remove the foam with a sharp object so as not to touch the surface of the canvas made of wood or MDF.
- Dampen a cloth or soft sponge with a cleaner and rub the stain for about two minutes.
- Once the foam has softened, remove it with a toothbrush or hard sponge.
When working with Dimexidum, wear gloves, as it can corrode the skin of your hands. In addition, apply pre-cleaner to a surface in an inconspicuous place and leave for ten minutes. If everything remains unchanged, you can use it without fear.
How to wipe eco-veneer from dried foam
Ecointerline is used to simulate wood products. In appearance, it is not much different from natural material. It consists of compressed wood fibers and a synthetic binder component.
It is strictly forbidden to clean the eco-veneer from foam with dimexide, as it is able to destroy the fibrous structure of the material. Therefore, if you get a mounting tool, try to remove it mechanically. Then wipe with a damp cloth and treat with soda. In this case, do not worry that the food additive will spoil the veneered surface.
If the above method does not help, experiment with white spirit. After leaving the product for half a minute, wipe the stain on the product with a dry rag.
How to remove foam residue from a metal door
Metal is a material quite resistant to mechanical damage. Therefore, the question of how to clean the iron door in the apartment from mounting foam is easy to answer. Solvents, acetone or dimexide are the correct solution to the problem. Apply to lumps of foam and leave to soak. After 15 minutes, wipe off the substance with napkins.
Cleaning glass and decorative inserts of interior doors
The fantasy of designers is limitless. This can be seen by looking at the decorative design of interior doors. Products with numerous elements made of transparent and frosted glass not only catch the eye with their beauty, but also cause a lot of trouble when they get mounting foam.
It is advisable to remove the substance as soon as possible. For a surface of this kind, ordinary vegetable oil is used..
Having cut off the top of the hardened mass with a blade, apply it and leave it for 15 minutes. The sealant will become softer and removed with a sponge. A trace of oil is removed with a soapy solution.
If the stain is not very fresh, the oil method will not help. Vegetable oil is not recommended for cleaning wood products, MDF, veneer. They only disfigure the foam stain.