How to clean polyurethane foam from clothes

The material that is used for installation and construction work related to fixing and sealing parts is called polyurethane foam.

It is widely used by both professional builders and amateurs due to its ease of use. It has many advantages, and in some cases it is simply irreplaceable. At the same time, it has one significant drawback - getting on clothes, it is very difficult to remove it.

Why is polyurethane foam difficult to remove?

Polyurethane foam is a polyurethane sealant, in the production of which a huge list of chemicals is used: isocyanate, stabilizers, polyol, catalysts, blowing agents, aromatic isomers, thickeners, etc.

It is difficult to completely clean clothing from the sealant due to:

1. Rapid expansion of the facility. The polyurethane foam increases in size due to propylene and, getting on clothes, quickly eats into the fabric.
2. Instant solidification of the mass. The solidification period of the substance is about 15 minutes, and complete drying occurs after 24 hours.

It is difficult to remove it from clothing, but it is possible. The process is laborious and takes a long time to clean. And also some tricks that will help to cope with the problem that has arisen - how to clean the foam from clothes.

What to do if polyurethane foam gets on your clothes

If polyurethane foam gets on your clothes, it is best not to hesitate to remove it. The longer the product is on the fabric, the harder it will be to clean.

Regardless of anything (it is possible to start cleaning immediately or not), it is worth removing the top layer so that the sealant is not absorbed into things even more. And then look at the situation and choose the means and method of struggle that is most suitable in your case.

Foam removers

There are several methods that really work today. And also a lot of products for removing foam from clothes. In addition to professional, improvised means are also in great demand.

You need to choose this or that remedy on an individual basis. The choice depends on the size of the contamination, on the fabric on which the stain is, on the technical characteristics of the sealant.

Professional

Professional - these are special solutions that are designed for easy and quick cleansing.You can buy them in hardware stores. There are two types of funds:

• that remove fresh stains;
• removing already dried sealant.

They produce professional cleaners in the form of liquids, aerosols, pastes, and there are also special soaked wipes.

As practice shows, a special solvent is most often used, it is also called a liquid for flushing a pistol. The cleaning procedure is performed in the following sequence:

1. The top layer of foam ("cap") is quickly cut off, trying to do this as close to the fabric as possible in order to take the maximum amount of sealant. Any sharp cutting object or putty knife will do.
2. A cotton cloth or gauze disc is impregnated with the solvent. From the edges to the middle, the foam is gently wiped off so as not to smudge it and make the stain even larger.
3. After twenty minutes, all remnants of the sealant are removed and the thing is washed without sparing the washing powder. Washing can be done both by hand and by machine. In the latter case, it is important to select the mode of washing with soaking and additional rinsing.

Important! The chemicals in gun fluid can be detrimental to different types of fabric, so it is important to try solvent on less visible areas before cleaning.

If, when buying polyurethane foam, you also purchased a special solvent in the form of an aerosol, thanks to which you can remove old stains not only from clothes, but also from different surfaces, then the cleaning process is done as follows:

1. The top of the polyurethane foam is cut off in any convenient way.
2. The surface is covered with paper or film, stained clothes are laid on top.
3. The solvent is in the form of an aerosol, sprayed onto the contaminated area, the can is shaken vigorously beforehand. In this case, the safety regulations must be followed.
4. The required exposure time of the agent is expected (on average, half an hour). At the same time, you cannot leave the material with the substance unattended, so as not to spoil the thing.
5. Remains of sealant are removed and clothes are washed. It is best to repeat the washing procedure twice at high speed and high temperature.

Important! When cleaning polyurethane foam from clothes, it is imperative to use protective safety measures - gloves. Skin may be burned with special solvent.

When choosing a professional product, you need to pay attention to the characteristics. Take into account its aggressiveness so that it does not damage the material on which the sealant has come into contact.

Henchmen

Although special solutions cope well with dirt, this pleasure is not cheap. Not everyone can afford it. Therefore, looking for an answer to the question: "How to wash the assembly foam from clothes at home?" you can remember about the means at hand - a more budget option.

Sunflower oil

It copes very well with fresh stains, it should be refined and not have a specific odor.

Stages of the procedure:

• Remove the stain mechanically. Cut off the “cap” of polyurethane foam with a knife to the maximum, remove coarse particles with a nail file after cutting,
• Heat the vegetable oil quite strongly over low heat;
• Pour hot sunflower oil on the stained place very carefully;
• After waiting a little, remove the sealant completely from the fabric;
• Wash clothes (700-900) with dishwashing liquid and rinse with fabric softener.

If the stain is not completely cleared the first time, the procedure must be repeated, while trying to heat the vegetable oil more.

Important! This method of removal is not suitable for delicate and synthetic fabrics and should not be washed at high temperatures.

Dimexide

It can be purchased at the pharmacy and is most often used to treat joints. With its help, it is not a problem to remove both fresh and hardened stains.

You need to act like this:

• remove the top layer of foam by mechanical cleaning, trying to do this as close to the fabric as possible;
• apply the liquid to the contaminated area in any convenient way: directly on the dirt or on a cotton swab to apply;
• leave to interact for 30 minutes;
• remove the remnants of softened foam using abrasive objects (brush, metal sponge)
• wash clothes at high water temperatures at high speeds.

Petrol

To remove polyurethane foam from clothing, it is essential to use only refined gasoline. The laundering method is no different from the two previous methods. We also remove the “cap”, moisten the stain with gasoline, leave it for 20 minutes, wash the clothes and fully wash them in a typewriter with the addition of an air conditioner.

It is recommended to wash a thing in warm water using laundry soap.

Important! After the cleaning procedure with gasoline, you need to dry the thing in the open air so that the specific smell disappears.

Physical disposal methods

If the question of how you can remove polyurethane foam from clothes is still relevant, and you are worried about the state of things after cleaning or the material is very delicate, then physical methods of removal are considered the safest ways.

There are two main methods:

1. Freezing. An item with a spot from polyurethane foam must be put in a plastic bag with the spot up and sent to the freezer for a couple of hours (preferably at night). The sealant becomes brittle. After the expiration of the time, clean the contamination mechanically.
2. Ultraviolet. The sun's rays also affect the structure of the foam. To get rid of the stain, you need to put the contaminated thing with the stain up under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. In this state, the clothes should lie for several days, while every day the top layer of the sealant must be mechanically removed with any convenient object.

Important! This method is not suitable if the fabric is colored, it will fade and burn out under the influence of sunlight.

Very often physical methods help only half. Therefore, after their application, it is recommended to carry out additional chemical cleaning.

Removing old foam

How and how to remove dried polyurethane foam from clothes? What methods to use and how to act correctly?

If the polyurethane foam has long been on the fabric and has hardened completely, the cleaning process will be delayed. You should not turn to folk methods, since you will spend time, but you will not achieve a positive result.

They must be used extremely carefully and very carefully. Wear gloves and a mask before use. Read the instructions for using a particular product.Proceed only in compliance with the safety regulations.

All these funds are different in composition and pricing policy, so you need to be guided exclusively according to your situation. These include gun foam removers (flushes), aerosols and solvents.

What not to do

In order to completely remove the polyurethane foam from clothes and it was not so difficult, you need to know what not to do. Namely to use:

1. Water. The porous structure of the substance rapidly absorbs liquid, thereby penetrating deeper into the fibers of the tissue.
2. Vinegar essence. There is a high probability that the material of the garment will deteriorate.
3. Unrefined gasoline. It is by using it that you can find new stains that are even more difficult to remove.
4. Hydrogen peroxide solution. The product reacts with polyurethane foam, as a result, it breaks down and is absorbed faster into the fabric.

What to do after removing the foam

After removing the stain from the polyurethane foam, you need to soak the clothes for a couple of hours. You can use a stain remover, but it is best to rub with laundry soap.

After that, do the laundry directly. You can do it manually, or you can use a washing machine. When using the technique, the washing mode should be at high speeds at a maximum temperature (700 - 900) with the use of an air conditioner.

Important! If the fabric is very delicate, it is better to wash it with your hands.

How to keep foam from getting on your clothes

You can avoid getting the sealant on your clothes by knowing a few simple tricks:

1. Protective clothing - special gloves for construction work, face shield and goggles.
2. A special tool is a gun and cans that dose the foam output.
3. A properly organized workplace is comfortable and spacious without foreign objects.
4. Technology of use - treated surface with water for faster adhesion.

Summing up, we can say that cleaning foam from clothes is a laborious process and takes a lot of time. But you can remove the stain. Well, if, in your case, no method worked, you can always sew on an applique or make a patch.

Video: removing polyurethane foam from clothing