Self expanding foam: messy stuff

[mike004]

My first experience with self-expanding foam. Luckily it was the DIY-friendly "expand by 2 times" from Unibond. But I still made a right dogs dinner of filling a gap round a window frame. This stuff is messier than silicone!

*I didn't wet the area enough before applying it. So it did not adhere well and dropped down all over the place.
After it had cured for an hour I pulled off most of the large bubbles and tried to trim it with a Stanley knife. It still looks awful. Tips please for doing a tidy job...
* I spilt some on a deep pile rug. Got most of it off with kitchen towel and damp cloth. Any tips for cleaning?
* My fingers are covered in it! I thought it would come off if I left it overnight...

Mike

 

[joe-90]

You can get a product to remove it. I think it's called 'foam eater'.


joe

 

[Chantel]

My first experience with self-expanding foam. Luckily it was the DIY-friendly "expand by 2 times" from Unibond. But I still made a right dogs dinner of filling a gap round a window frame. This stuff is messier than silicone!

*I didn't wet the area enough before applying it. So it did not adhere well and dropped down all over the place.
After it had cured for an hour I pulled off most of the large bubbles and tried to trim it with a Stanley knife. It still looks awful. Tips please for doing a tidy job...
* I spilt some on a deep pile rug. Got most of it off with kitchen towel and damp cloth. Any tips for cleaning?
* My fingers are covered in it! I thought it would come off if I left it overnight...

Try applying loads and loads of moisturiser to your hands as it helps to lift the foam, you can aslo start trying to remove it with a nail file.

Mike

 

[Softus]

After it had cured for an hour I pulled off most of the large bubbles and tried to trim it with a Stanley knife. It still looks awful. Tips please for doing a tidy job...

I feel for you Mike - it's hideous stuff. My top tip is to not use it except in a cavity space that's almost completely enclosed. Too late, I know, but maybe you won't be tempted again.

I spilt some on a deep pile rug. Got most of it off with kitchen towel and damp cloth. Any tips for cleaning?

Use acetone.

My fingers are covered in it! I thought it would come off if I left it overnight...

Sadly not - do your hands now resemble those of Freddie Kruger?

Forget the moisturiser - use more acetone.

If you can't find a plentiful supply of acetone, ask an industrial printer. If you can't find one of those, then buy some non-environmentally-friendly nail polish remover from a chemist.

And, for the benefit of joe, "nail polish" in this context is not an instruction to harm people from Poland.

 

[Slogger]

omg softus stop the joe thing ok

 

[Softus]

omg softus stop the joe thing ok

Wake up Slogger - that was nearly a week ago.

However, only joe can stop "the joe thing".

 

[theruebster]

If you want to remove expanding foam from your hands the most effective and safe way to do this is a simple procedure.

rub hands with a liberal amount of olive oil or vaseline.
put on some rubber gloves surgical type.

leave these on for the entire day if possible this will break down the
compound on your hands and it will start to lift.
final hot bath and scrub. the foam should come away easily.

Mathew Smith

 

[Symptoms]

If you want to remove expanding foam from your hands the most effective and safe way to do this is a simple procedure.

rub hands with a liberal amount of olive oil or vaseline.
put on some rubber gloves surgical type.

leave these on for the entire day if possible this will break down the
compound on your hands and it will start to lift.
final hot bath and scrub. the foam should come away easily.

Mathew Smith

Some people would pay quite a lot to have this done in Soho and prices will have gone up dramatically in the 3 years since to original post.

 

[madamdiy01]

I got my hands covered in it. I had some Screwfix No Nonsense silicone sealer remover handy. Brused it on....five minutes, worked the foam from skin with a stick, it came off very easily. once all loosened I just wiped away with an old cloth.

 

[skotl]

I got my hands covered in it. I had some Screwfix No Nonsense silicone sealer remover handy. Brused it on....five minutes, worked the foam from skin with a stick, it came off very easily. once all loosened I just wiped away with an old cloth.

Good to hear! If the original poster (from 2005) still hasn't got it off his hands, I'm sure this will be a great relief to him

 

[HERTS P&D]

Skotl, you post made me lol.!

Andy