Hello All
I accidentally allowed silicone spray to drip onto the fibreglass deck of my boat. The deck is now extremely slippy and therefore extremely dangerous. I hope you can help by letting me know how to remove/clean it away.
Many thanks!
Ronnie
I don't really know, maybe rough it up with a belt sander?
Ronnie,
Get a mop and swab the deck with ammonia.
Dave M.
You're an asshole .
Undiluted Pine Sol may work.
I haven't tried it, but the paint thinner xylene may work. I don't know if it's safe for fiberglass. Somebody who runs a body shop would probably have first-hand knowledge of the problem of silicone lubricants.
Acetone works on windshields and wiiper blades to get rid of the silicon.
DO NOT use acet> Hello All
Degreaser.
Greg
Thanks Greg, are all degreasers the same, or should I go for one in particular.
I have a spray can of DuPont Teflon Silicone lubricant; there are no instructions on the can for removal of inadvertent application. Did a Google search and found DuPont's FAQ's for general groups of lubricants, which suggests using a "mild degreaser" and a scrub brush, as long as it is safe for the surface. The can gives ingredients, acetone and isopropyl alcohol, and I'm thinking those would work. Don't know what is safe for your fiberglass, but a call to the company would probably be a good idea.
I'd try this in a small spot and see how it works: apply a thick layer of talcum powder to the surface, rub it gently with a dampened cloth or sponge, then wipe it off. Ideally, the talcum powder should be able to absorb and remove the silicone spray. Since this is a messy cleaning job, test a smallish area first and see if it works well enough to use for the rest of the job. Flour might work, too, but talcum powder is very slightly abrasive, so it would probably do a better job getting the silicone off the deck. Baking soda might work, too, but it is less absorbent and it might be too abrasive.
That's good enough for me. I would think any of the common general purpose household cleaners, like Fantastic, Simple Green, anything that's targeted to cut grease, should work. Spray it on, scrub a bit with a brush, hose it off.....
Many thanks Moe, well thought out response. I'll try that. I appreciate you taking the time to write. PS: greetings from Ireland. Sláinte!
You're right, baking soda is harder than talc. Who would've thunk it!
Baking soda can saponify some oils. Rubbed with a rubber glove, a thin paste of baking soda will saponify soap scum on a shower wall so it will rinse away.
That doesn't prove baking soda would work on silicone lubricant, but if it happened to me, I'd try it. Rubber gloves, something to sprinkle baking soda, perhaps a spray bottle to apply small amounts of water, and a way to flush the surface with water.
Baking soda hasn't harmed my plastic shower. Maybe the tiny size of the crystals and the presence of water prevent scratching.
I think this is the right approach. I was going to recommend using clay cat litter. I use this for oil drips on my garage floor.
I do not know which is the least abrasive. Whichever you use, I would apply it without scrubbing. Just let it absorb the silicone.
Now, how do you get rid of the (flour/talcum/clay powder) without scrubbing? Perhaps a vacuum cleaner would pick up most.
Fred
Presumably a boat deck can withstand gasoline and/or diesel so I would try wiping it down with one of those.
Milder like 409, fantastic. Harsher greased lightning, mean green.
Greg
Ronnie Cronin posted for all of us...
Go to a *good* auto store and get 3M silicone remover, body shops use it.
Amazon doesn't seem to have that, but they have Swiss Navy Toy and Body Cleaner. It removes silicone lubricant from toys and sensitive body tissues.
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