What removes insulation foam from clothes

Spray foam is a very useful substance for insulation, securing wobbly pipes, filling in gaps, protection, soundproofing, DIY projects, and so much more. Although it has many pros, it can be very messy to work with, and if you get it on your clothes, you may struggle to get it off.

In this article, I’ll explain how to remove spray foam from clothes and give you a few alternatives.

• 1. Remove Spray Foam Quickly While It’s Still Wet
• 2. Put On Gloves
• 3. Get an Old Rag to Wipe the Spray Foam Off
• 4. Use Acetone on the Affected Area/s
• 5. Use Stain Remover and Wash Your Clothes
• Alternative Ways to Remove Spray Foam From Clothes
  • Loosen the Spray Foam
  • Furniture Refinisher
• How to Remove Spray Foam From Skin
• Conclusion

1. Remove Spray Foam Quickly While It’s Still Wet

Instead of frustratingly trying to remove stains on clothes from spray foam, remember to rather wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting stained and dirty.

It’s also important to act quickly if you get spray foam on your clothes. The longer you leave it, the less chance you’ll have of restoring it to how it was.

As soon as spray foam falls, sprays, or wipes against your clothing, you need to take it off and jump into action.

2. Put On Gloves

You don’t want to get any of the spray foam onto your hands or skin because it sticks very quickly, and you’ll battle to get it off once it cures. To avoid contact with the foam, put on gloves before trying to remove the spray foam from your clothing.

For skin protection, it isn’t necessary to buy expensive protective gloves. Common surgical gloves will work just fine, and you can tape them to your sleeves with duct tape to prevent any exposure to your arms.

3. Get an Old Rag to Wipe the Spray Foam Off

Now that you’ve got your gloves on, find an old rag, towel, or T-shirt to rub the wet spray foam off of your clothing with. Make sure to wipe as much of it off your clothing as possible. You’ll then have to discard the old rag as it’ll have all of the spray foam on it.

Alternatively, you can try using paper towels to wipe the spray foam off, but it may not be as effective as a strong rag.

4. Use Acetone on the Affected Area/s

You can either use the same rag (if it’s big enough to fold over or use a clean section) or a new rag for this next step.

Dip the rag into acetone and blot it over the area on your clothing that the spray foam was on. Nail polish remover has acetone unless it clearly says “acetone free” on the bottle.

You can easily purchase a bottle of acetone at your pharmacy, supermarket, or hardware store. You can also buy Super Nail Polish Remover (Amazon) at an affordable price. It’ll easily remove spray foam from clothes and skin.

5. Use Stain Remover and Wash Your Clothes

Your last step at trying to remove any signs of the spray foam stain on your clothes is to apply a stain remover into the affected area. Follow the care instructions on your stain remover for the best results.

Typically, you’d need to turn the affected side of clothing facedown onto a surface and apply the stain remover to its back with this kind of stain. Leave the stain remover on that area until it dries. Wash the area under some water, and then wash the clothing in your washing machine.

Alternative Ways to Remove Spray Foam From Clothes

There’s always more than one way to do something, which is true when removing spray foam from clothes. Due to fabric differences, what might work for one person may not work for another.

Try these alternative removal methods if you got to your clothes too late and the spray foam has already cured.

Loosen the Spray Foam

Apply some polyurethane stripper to the back of the fabric that has been sprayed with spray foam. The polyurethane stripper has ingredients that’ll break up the spray foam to the point where you can file at it with a pumice stone, nail file, scouring pad, or knife.

Don’t file too harshly with these tools to avoid ripping or tearing a hole into the fabric.

Furniture Refinisher

Another removal method for removing spray foam from your clothes once it’s already dried is to chip away at the dried foam with a knife. Once you’ve removed the cured spray foam, there’ll be a stain.

Pour the furniture refinisher onto a rag and rub it over the stain. Your piece of clothing will have a wet mark from all the furniture refinishers, but it’ll be working on the stain, dissolving it. Put your clothing into the washer and wash it the same way you usually would.

Removing spray foam from your skin will have a similar process as removing it from your clothes. There are many different methods to try, so try the next if one thing doesn’t work for you.

Remember to act quickly and remove the spray foam from your skin as quickly as possible.

Pumice Stone

Use an old rag to wipe the spray foam off your skin. Although you’ll have less foam than what you started with, you’ll still have some spray foam residue left on your skin. Use warm water and soap to wash over the affected area and rub the residue with a pumice stone until your skin is smooth and clean.

Acetone

Acetone works to remove spray foam from clothes and your skin. Once you’ve wiped the foam off with a rag, dip it into acetone and hold it to the affected area on your skin.

Don’t leave it for too long if you’re using it to remove spray foam from the skin. Also, you should apply moisturizer to the area after removing the spray foam.

Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)

Apply a generous amount of Vaseline onto the dried spray foam on your skin. If the foam dried on your hand, put your hand into a glove. If another area on your body is affected, wrap the area with Vaseline in plastic wrap. Leave it wrapped for about an hour.

When you take the plastic wrap or glove off, you should be able to peel the solid spray foam off; otherwise, scrub at the residue. If nothing has improved, apply more Vaseline and wrap the area for another hour or two.

Once you can remove the residue, wash your hands with warm water and soap.

Soak Your Hands

Another method to remove dried spray foam is soaking your hands in water and dish soap. Sitting with your hands in a bowl with dish soap for a couple of hours isn’t doing to be comfortable, and your body will start to ache.

Instead, pour some water and dish soap into plastic gloves, filling them halfway. Place your hands inside and get someone to help you duct tape the gloves to your arms so that you can lay down or walk around freely.

Leave the gloves on for a few hours and then remove them. Your skin will have softened, allowing you to peel off the residue.

Baby Powder

If you’ve got spray foam on your hands and it’s still wet, grab some baby powder and pour it over the wet area. Baby powder is excellent at absorbing moisture, so it’ll allow you to remove all spray foam easily.

Allow the spray foam to dry with the baby powder. Once it has dried, you’ll be able to peel it off.

Conclusion

You can remove spray foam from clothes, but it’s a process, and you need to act quickly. Unfortunately, you may be left with a slight discoloration or stain at the end of the process.

Always wear gloves when working with or removing spray foam. Use an old rag to remove the foam and the blot acetone on the affected area. Using a stain remover and a wash will increase your chances of restoration.

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