Removing Spilled Tung Oil

[Greg Esres]

I spilled Tung oil on my countertop (plastic laminate) and I want to remove it (it's dried). Suggestions?

Thanks

[Duane Bozarth]

Paint thinner....test an inconspicuous spot .

[nailshooter41]

I would be very careful about using any kind of solvent in the top. Low pressure laminates found in most kitchens are not chemical resisitive at all, and they will be radically affected by using a solvent.

Try using a heat gun on a low setting to warm the stuff up, then scrape it off with your plastic windshield scraper. With it warm, you should be able to get the rest of the stuff your scraper didn't pick up with a strong soapy mixture of household cleaner and elbow grease.

Do not use ANY kind of abrasive on your laminate top.

Robert

[Duane Bozarth]

Hence the suggestion to test... :)

Most "Formica-like" will stand up to a damp rag w/ a solvent such as suggested quite nicely. Some, as you note, may not. Hence, a test first is always worthwhile.

If OP has a "suede" or similar finish, somewhat more iffy perhaps, but most are pretty tough as long as one doesn't flood the surface or use really strong solvents such as naptha.

[Greg Esres]

Thanks for your reply. I had already tried Turpentine and, as far as I can tell, it had no effect on the dried Tung oil. Maybe if I heated first, as the other poster suggested?

Thanks!

[Greg Esres]

Interesting idea, I'll give that a try.

Oh, yes, I knew better than that.

Thanks for your help!

[Duane Bozarth]

You could try...if it's a thick blob you might gain something.

You could try one of the citrus-based solvents. Again test first, obviously.

I'd suggest looking at the manufacturer's page and seeing what is used as a solvent for the particular material. If it doesn't have any cleanup suggestions/recommendations, you could probably contact them.

Can't say as I've ever actually had the problem...

[Tina]

Laquar thinner very carefully on a rag

Tina

[dadiOH]

Maybe lacquer thinner. Paint remover for sure.

[George M. Kazaka]

Pour all the lacquer thinner or turpentine you want on it will never hurt it, If you use heat be careful this could blister the laminate and or lift the adhesive holding it down.

Good Luck, George

[Ba r r y]

I'd use a sharp card scraper to remove the blob, and carefully use solvents to remove the residue.

Test the solvents in unseen areas first.

[Baron]

When you say dried, I interpret that to mean cured. You are not going to be able to redissolve it in mineral spirits once it has cured. I can't say for certain if methylene chloride (paint stripper) or an ATM stripper (lacquer thinner) won't damage the plastic laminate but I bet they do. Your best bet is to make a tiny scrapper from a razor blade and go at it. I have successfully used very fine abrasives with a pad on a random orbital sander to polish plastic laminate but you must be very careful.

Good Luck.

[Greg Esres]

Ok, I was successful by

1) scraping, then 2) using lacquer thinner

Yuck, I hate handling chemicals that warn of death, blindness, and neurological damage.

Thanks to all who answered.

[Andy Dingley]

You'll never get those problems from lacquer thinners.

The liver damage will get you _way_ before.