How To Remove Super Glue From Plastic – Step By Step Guide
Superglue fixes many of our issues in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, it can cause quite a lot of issues too if not used carefully. There’s a good reason why you should keep it out of reach for children.
This liquid can get on your skin, which is a nightmare. If that happens, you are going to have a tough time getting rid of it.
One of the worst-case scenarios is that you get it on plastic. If that happens, you would be wondering, how to remove super glue from plastic?
Fortunately for you, we’ve compiled a list of 3 step-by-step guides to get you out of this sticky situation.
Removing Super Glue From Plastic - 3 Different Methods Explained
A. Using Soap And Water
The first method is the easiest one. But we definitely recommend trying this one out first, that’s because this does virtually no damage to your plastic item.
Step 1: Get The Materials
We’re not doing any cooking but it’s always a good idea to gather all the items you will need before getting started. So what will you need?
Firstly, you need some high-quality dish soap. The better the soap, the more likely this method is going to work. Add that soap to a bowl of warm water and mix well.
Secondly, find 2 pieces of cloth- a soft yet durable one and a clean and sturdy one. The soft cloth needs to soak up the liquid mixture you just prepared. This is vital for the next step.
Lastly, get some plastic film or wrapping of some sort that is not going to have any leaks.
Step 2: Dampen The Affected Region
This is where the magic happens. Take your cloth and soak it in the soap-water mixture. Leave it in till it soaks a fair bit of the liquid. Wrap the cloth to your plastic item using the plastic film tightly. Make sure you cover the area with the super glue. You are essentially softening the glue.
Step 3: Wait For A Few Hours
Patience is key. You need to take the plastic item and keep it in a neutral environment for 3-4 hours at the very least. There is just one thing to avoid; don’t store it somewhere too cold. The liquid in the cloth may freeze and hence, the process will not work.
Step 4: Dab Away The Glue
After waiting for an appropriate amount of time, it’s time to reap the fruits of your labor. Unwrap your item and you should find that the glue has softened. You will now need the clean and sturdy piece of cloth we were talking about.
Dab or blot away the glue slowly and carefully from the plastic. Whatever you do, do not rub it, you will spread it out and that’s going to make it even harder to get rid of.
Technique is important here. If you keep grinding, you should be able to dab away all the soft glue and be greeted with a glue-free plastic item.
B. Using Harsher Chemicals
Unfortunately, the previous method does not work if the glue sets completely. You have around 24 hours till that happens so if you act quick, the first method is going to work.
If you weren’t able to act quickly, you will need to resort to more extreme measures. Again, we suggest still giving the first method a trial as this method might damage the plastic itself.
Step 1: Get The Materials
Much like the first method, you need to start by getting all your items and materials ready for the process.
What do we mean by harsher chemicals? This includes rubbing alcohol, acetone, nitromethane, and professional glue debonding agents.
These chemicals are really strong and hence you should handle them with care. Wear gloves and be careful not to let children reach these materials at all. You will also need some cotton pads and a clean and durable piece of cloth, like the one you needed in the first method.
Step 2: Test It Out
As we’ve told, this method might do some permanent damage to your plastic item. Hence, you need to test it out first. Apply the solution to a very small portion of the item so that in case the plastic is damaged, it’s not noticeable.
If you see that the plastic erodes away in any way, skip on ahead to the next method as that is much easier. If your plastic is unaffected, feel free to move on to the next steps.
Step 3: Apply To The Plastic
Take those cotton pads and add a small amount of the chemical of your choice to those pads. Wipe the glue on the affected region till the glue softens.
Step 4: Dab Away The Glue
Once the glue softens, follow the same process you did for the previous method. Gently dab away the softened glue with your trusty cloth. You should find that your item looks brand new.
C. Scrapping The Glue Off
This last method will definitely leave some scratches and damage to the plastic item; there’s no two ways about it. But it will also get rid of the glue for sure.
Step 1: Try With Your Nails
Before getting any sharp objects involved, try scraping off the glue with your fingernails. This likely won’t work if the glue has set in but if you are lucky, you might be able to slip your nail below the film of glue and peel it off.
Step 2: Glove Up
It’s highly unlikely that the first step worked if the soap-water and the harsh chemicals did no good. You need to scrape the glue off with a sharp object and so we suggest you take sufficient protection. A glove should do the trick.
Step 3: Shave Off The Glue With A Sharp Object
Now, you need to carefully use a knife or razor blade to get rid of the film of super glue. You are almost certainly going to leave some scratches but don’t be disheartened, that glue is as good as gone.
By following these steps you can remove super glue from metal.
Tips And Cautions When Removing Super Glue From Plastic
You need to handle glue with great care and as such, we have 3 tips and cautions to make sure you can remove it from your plastic without any hiccups.
1. Safety Is A Priority
Make sure you take every safety measure in the book. For starters, you need an adult present for the process. As we mentioned earlier, superglue is not safe by any means.
Superglue is not just notoriously sticky and dangerous for the skin on contact but it is also toxic. The harsh chemicals we mentioned such as acetone and alcohol are also very dangerous. That is why you cannot let children handle any of these substances.
2. Try All 3 Methods
You need to try out all of the methods we mentioned above. Do not skip to the last method because it is sure to work. The damage it does to your plastic item is irreversible. That is why we suggest you try the soap and water method first. Your efforts won’t be wasted as if the method works, there will be zero damage to your item.
3. Use High-Quality Materials
Make sure you do not buy cheap materials for any of the methods. Get top-tier dish soap for method 1, strong and reliable chemicals for method 2 and a sharp knife or blade for the method 3.
Final Words
We know just how much annoying it is to get super glue on your items and just how much of a struggle it is to get it off of them.
If your item is made of plastic, these three methods should work for you. Act quick and soap-water should do the trick and you won’t risk damaging your item.
We hope that you found our article on how to remove super glue from plastic helpful and the methods were easy to follow. We wish you luck in your future endeavors with super glue.
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