silicone

norseman · 30 Sep 2020

Hopefully a straightforward enquiry folks.

I've had to run a narrow bead of silicone to fill a slight gap between 'screen & the shell of the car, a task has been accomplished without drama, but due to my general ineptitude there are traces of (cured) silicone on both the paintwork & rubber seal.
I wiped off most of the residual with a damp cloth directly after the application, but how best to remove the remaining smears ... do I use products such as meths/acetone/ white spirit etc ?
Obviously damage to the (silver) paintwork needs to be avoided.

Any advice will be appreciated
Stay safe all.

Burnerman · 30 Sep 2020

Modern paintwork is amazingly resistant to many chemicals, including what you have mentioned here with the possible exception of acetone.
Naturally enough, if the car has been resprayed at some time with cellulose - highly unlikely these days - we may have to think again.
Anyway - see if you can rub the residue away first with your finger, but if that doesn't work, try some white spirit on a cloth such as shop towel.
John

johnny2007 · 30 Sep 2020

Done the other day for an internal door cart.
Use white spirit generously on a cloth, rub the silicone and then use a plastic tool to take the silicone off (i used a plastic knife).
The silicone will probably come off in layers, so repeat the process until clean.
I have done it on an old VW, where there's proper paint, a more modern car might just be stripped, so test the white spirit first.

Peter.N. · 2 Oct 2020

I find meths is about the safest all round solvent - except on french polish.

Peter

jj4091 · 2 Oct 2020

Petrol works for me ( on a cloth of course ).

EFLImpudence · 2 Oct 2020

Why not use the proper adhesive?

norseman · 2 Oct 2020

Burnerman said:
Modern paintwork is amazingly resistant to many chemicals, including what you have mentioned here with the possible exception of acetone.
Naturally enough, if the car has been resprayed at some time with cellulose - highly unlikely these days - we may have to think again.
Anyway - see if you can rub the residue away first with your finger, but if that doesn't work, try some white spirit on a cloth such as shop towel.
John

Thank you John.

norseman · 2 Oct 2020

johnny2007 said:
I have done it on an old VW, where there's proper paint, a more modern car might just be stripped, so test the white spirit first.

Should be OK on mine then, 1998 car … not exactly modern.

norseman · 2 Oct 2020

EFLImpudence said:
Why not use the proper adhesive?

Why would I use an adhesive to seal a narrow gap

norseman · 2 Oct 2020

Peter.N. said:
I find meths is about the safest all round solvent - except on french polish. Peter

Thank Peter, I'll give it a go … like the smell as well

norseman · 2 Oct 2020

jj4091 said:
Petrol works for me ( on a cloth of course ).

Trouble is, unless you run a lawn-mower etc.
There was a time when you could dip a rag into the tank

EFLImpudence · 2 Oct 2020

norseman said:
Why would I use an adhesive to seal a narrow gap

Because that is what is used to fit windscreens to the body.

Why would you not use it?

norseman · 2 Oct 2020

EFLImpudence said:
Because that is what is used to fit windscreens to the body. Why would you not use it?

'Hmm, do I detect a note of rebuke

Probably because I had a new tube of good quality silicone & considered that a good alternative to purchasing expensive specialist adhesive that I would be unlikely to have any future use for.