How to remove plastic film & adhesive from stainless steel, brass

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Heat Guns

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A. Bill,

You really should find out WHAT the covering material was and WHAT, if any, was the 'glue' used! Then and then only could people make suitable suggestions.

Let's hope that those other people's helpful suggestions will work .... but when you mentioned a slew of aromatic hydrocarbons, I was a-wondering if the protective sleeving was Polyethylene which had somehow 'heat bonded' itself to the sheeting ... in which case, Oh Dear ... maybe heat would have to be used.

A. I have had to remove the plastic film from stainless steel on many occasions over the years so was surprised/happy/delirious when I came across this site suggesting that ammonia would remove the film. Wow, I thought, is this what I have been missing! So I tried it, but alas, it wasn't to be. Actually, I probably would have been pissed thinking about all of the work I could have avoided.

Anyway, the ammonia seemed to make no difference at all. The plastic I am talking about is the white kind that is standard from the mill to protect polished SS. It is very tough and, if left exposed to sunlight, is almost impossible to remove without trashing the underlying surface. The basic problem is that the white (vinyl?) coating makes it very hard to get at the glue with anything that can soften it.

Here's what I have found to be the best way to remove this plastic coating from polished SS:

- Use a heat gun ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (mine is a B&D Heat and Strip) and a 1 1/2" putty knife, to heat the plastic coating and gently scrape it off the surface. This is the slow part. Someone else here suggested a blow torch, but I have found that that can damage/distort the surface. Be sure to work in the directions of the polishing to minimize surface damage.

- The result will be a mottled, greasy-looking surface, the remains of the plastic and the glue.

- Next, using rubber gloves ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , apply a generous film of Jasco ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] water based paint stripper, all over the surface. Wait 5 minutes and then re-strip with the putty knife. This should remove almost all of the residue.

- Buff out the remaining residue with a paper towel soaked in Jasco.

- Buff out any remaining scratched with a SS pot scrubber, again working in the direction of the underlying polish. Incidentally, NEVER use mild steel tools or steel wool on a SS surface. If you do, atomic iron from the mild steel will become embedded in the surface where it promptly rusts and discolors it.

Hope this helps.

A. I have tried for a number of days to come up with a method of removing some of the black and white LDPE film from some carts that were built a few years ago and stored in a location where they saw sunlight. As with most people I tried every solvent I could think of. Then I did some searching and found that Xylene ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] at elevated temperatures would penetrate the LDPE. What I found to work was to use a heat gun and warm the metal. Then I soaked a towel in Xylene and placed it on top of plastic and let it sit. After 10-20 min, the plastic coating peeled off as if it were new. Nice and easy leaving no residue. I did get it a little too hot in a few places and melted the plastic fairly severely. But what I found was that by laying the towel over the area second time for a few minutes, the residue wiped right off.

A. I can absolutely second the approach taken by Timothy Hicks (described above).

I used a heat gun (the type used on shrink tubing) to heat up the white vinyl (which effectively melted it) and a soft cloth to wipe it off. I was then left with the glue residue. A combination of Goof Off ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and a citrus cleaner worked fine. No marks or stains on the metal at all.

Notes:

It takes a *long* time to do this. Figure 30 mins for 2 x 2 ft sheet of stainless sheet;

Wear a respirator ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] - the fumes from the heated vinyl are toxic - you don't want to be breathing them in.

Good luck!

A. I figured it out! I just had to remove the film from four elevator doors on a mega million dollar high-rise. It had been left on for four years. The condition was similar to gold flake film with a tar adhesive adhering it to the stainless. It was not fun at the beginning, but I learned the trick to doing it.
After reading and and trying everyone's recommendation and failing, I found that a combination of a few of your suggestions worked like a charm. Using a razor blade scraper, a heat gun ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and Goo Gone ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .

With the blade, place it on an edge of the film. With the heat gun, warm the point were the razor's edge meets the film until it starts to peel up. Slowly and carefully work your way down, trying not to break the film you are peeling away. Pull the heat away a little once you get started, while staying in front of the blade. It peels like butter without a scratch. Then use the Goo Gone to clear off the remaining adhesive.

A couple hand cramps later and you are done!

A. I work at a industrial manufacturing facility that specializes in stainless, and we've had similar problems. Our best solution for getting the blue plastic off is to heat it with a hair dryer style heat gun ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , then wipe the goo left behind with acetone ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly Flammable! .

A. Morning, I have a metal roof that the blue protective tape has been baked on. Some will peel off a little. What seems to work the best is a propane torch just enough to melt the tape & adhesive then wipe with a cloth. Just keep moving along & rotate the cloth to a clean area. Caution the tape will be very hot and can stick to and burn your skin. It's time consuming but works!
Good Luck

A. I am building my home myself and I installed a stainless steel range hood a couple of years ago and made the mistake of leaving the protective covering on until I was done with the kitchen. The hood had a heavy white plastic covering which I was able to pull off with some effort. The glue that was left behind came off easily with the citrus cleaner Goo Gone ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .

I also installed a 12 inch high stainless steel filler between the hood and the bottom of the pot shelf rather than a cabinet that would be of little use to me. The filler piece was covered with LDPE and therein lies the problem. After finding this thread, I tried various methods to remove the LDPE with no positive results. I finally purchased an electric heat gun (575 & 1125 degrees) and a plastic putty knife (Home Depot). Using the heat gun on LOW (575 deg), I heated the LDPE to the melting point and then used the plastic putty knife, in a nearly perpendicular position, to scrape the plastic off the stainless. If the plastic is heated enough, it will come off at least 95% clean. After the LDPE is removed, the remaining black part that is left on the metal will come off with household ammonia and a Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch scrub sponge. Any little bits that resist the scrub sponge can be scraped off with the plastic putty knife.

CAUTION: Always direct the heat flow away from the cabinets since 575 degrees can damage the wood finish. Where the filler came in contact with the bottom of the pot shelf, I used a 14 inch wide broad knife to protect the enamel paint from the hot air from the heat gun. Do not use flame as it could discolor the stainless. Do not use a metal scraper or a metal pot cleaner because it will scratch the stainless.

I had also used some blue painters tape to cover any parts of the range hood that were not covered by the factory installed protective film. To remove the glue left after removing the tape, the household ammonia ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] works just fine.

Remember, low heat and no metal tools. Take your time and don't rush this job. Damage the stainless and you'll have to live with it or pay to replace it.

After everything was cleaned, I used a stainless steel cleaner to finish the job and the stainless looks great. Good luck and remember, the effort will be worth it.

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Thanks to everyone for responding helpfully to my question about removing adhesive residue from stainless-steel sheet metal. I also made direct inquiry to the 3M company and they suggested if the adhesive resists organic solvents like toluene, MEK, xylol_xylene, etc., as well as citrus-based products, the adhesive may be acrylic-based and it might be attacked with household ammonia. This was indeed the case. Household ammonia removed the adhesive residue easily.

Thanks so much for keeping this information out on the web. I bought a stainless-steel gas range, and have been unable to get the residue off with WD-40, hair spray, etc.
The ammonia worked like a charm! Now I can cook in the new oven. I believe the protective plastic did not pull off cleanly because of the hot climate down here in Mexico.

Thanks again.

Plastic film on Vermont Castings B-B-Q Grill

ammonia
My greatest appreciation to Bill D for his tip about household ammonia dissolving plastic film on stainless steel. I live in the Dallas area and found a great 5 burner Vermont grill I really coveted. As the price was way more than I could budget, I caressed it fondly every visit and kept cooking away on my old Wal-Mart grill. After Christmas THE grill was put on clearance. They had left the protective plastic on and displaying it in the Texas heat melted it to the steel ... a discounted price of $300+. After trying everything from De-Solve-it to the blow dryer to remove it I Googled and ended up at your site. The ammonia melted the plastic, even in the crevices, and removed the adhesive residue. (Total $2.19!)
The grill looks brand new, has been appropriately installed and just this weekend broken in!

Thank you for the great time and money saving tip!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank YOU. I too bought the Vermont Casting Grill at the Clearance price only to have the same glue/plastic staining/residue ... I am buying ammonia tomorrow. Thanks.

Q. I have the same Vermont Casting Grill from Home Depot with the plastic baked on. I tried the ammonia, but did not see the plastic dissolve. I have a feeling that I am not applying it properly. Can someone please let me know how they used the ammonia on their grill.

Thanks

A. Hi Dov. Keep reading and Alison MacKenzie's posting explains how she applied the ammonia. Good luck.

Regards,

A. Bought a new/used stainless steel outdoor refrigerator. Prior owner let the blue plastic film shrink-wrap and melt to the door. Tried everything to remove it. Then found this column. I soaked a washcloth with lemon ammonia and let it set on the door (set horizontal) for 15 minutes. Then used a plastic scraper to scrape away the softened film. Worked great and did not hurt the brushed stainless finish. Thanks!

! I didn't get the hoped for melt-away on my Vermont Castings barbecue. After about 40 minutes of soaking via ammonia covered paper towels, however, it was easier to scrape off. I then used non-acetone nail polish to get the glue residue off (didn't have Acetone type). Still have plastic on back side of the hood around small vent holes and don't plan on making myself nuts getting it off. Thanks for all the suggestions, I suspect a lot depends on how long it's been stuck on.

! Read this post, found some household ammonia, used it on the blue plastic on the doors to my new BBQ. The blue stuff just peeled right off. It doesn't just dissolve away. It seems to just loosen the plastic from the steel so that it can be peeled away easier. Start at a corner of the blue, apply a bit of ammonia with a rag and then start peeling. My brother-in-law (who knows everything) stumped. I said I would go check on the net and voila - there was the solution. Thanks all.

! Wow, I couldn't believe it! Was kind of depressed when we opened our dishwasher box, it had been in storage for a year and when we finally got around to installing it I couldn't get all of the wrap (blue) off of it. The wrapper came off but left a residue and smears on the face of the stainless steel door. It looked horrifying. Tried the ammonia and within seconds it was gone. Thanks so much for this suggestion, as I would have had to look at that ugly stain forever as elbow grease just was not taking it off.

Ammonia worked for me. In 15 minutes flat I was able to remove the protective plastic on my dish washer. Thanks for all the tips. Big up to this site.

A. I recently purchased a dishwasher with a stainless steel finish that came wrapped in blue plastic. The plastic came off easily but the imprint of it (14 inches wide) could still be seen on the finish. It wasn't sticky but wouldn't come off with stainless steel cleaner, nail polish remover, or vinegar. However, undiluted household ammonia and some elbow grease removed it completely and left a beautiful finish. Thank you to everyone who suggested ammonia as I would not have thought to try it and it worked!

Thank you. After a struggle, your solution, ammonia, worked wonders! In 2 minutes all the plastic was off. Thank you!

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Q. I'm a mason contractor at the NJ shore that built an outdoor stone kitchen area. The homeowners bought and installed small Delfield Refrigerator and freezers that were installed around the stone. Being summer residents, they reminded me to remove the protective plastic coating from the doors as they were not present at the site. Unfortunately I got busy and after a couple of months the sun got to the doors before I could. I was able to peel some of the plastic off, however most has embedded itself where without using solvents it's a millimeter by fingernail process. I haven't tried any solvents except a quick dab with ammonia which did nothing. I'm a bit hesitant to use Goo Gone or Goof Off as a last resort as I'm afraid that I may wipe any protective coating which will induce rust. I need help in direction or products, solvents, heat gun, anything that may work.

Plastic film on roofing sheets

Q. Hi fellow sufferers of the accursed plastic cling foil to metal surfaces.
I have the same problem with a corrugated powder coated steel roof.
I have tried acetone, vinegar, domestos, meths, turpentine, petrol (gasoline to North Americans), heat gun, detergent and diluted pool acid to no avail.
The damn stuff is indestructible - any ideas from anyone would be welcome
Thanks to one and all

Q. I have a painted metal roof where the plastic protective coating has fused to the metal panels. We left the protective coating on thinking we were protecting the roof from contractors who were working on it but didn't realize the work was going to take this long so we left it on too long and now it is almost impossible to remove. The areas that were exposed to the sun are the worst. I have tried warm water, heat gun, ammonia, Goof Off, Goo Gone with no luck. These products will remove the residue where I can remove the plastic -- but for the most part I am stuck with the plastic not being able to be removed.

Q. Please tell me what happens if the plastic cover on the top surface is not removed while installing the sheets on the roof?

? Hi Manu. Are you referring to a plastic protective film?

It's hard to predict consequences ("For want of a nail, the shoe was lost ... "), but perhaps it may create pockets of rainwater that become stagnant and smelly, or accelerate the corrosion. The film is supposed to be removed. And if you don't do it now, Ken warns that it will only get harder :-(

Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Q. UNFORTUNATELY, A LOAF OF BREAD WAS ACCIDENTALLY LEFT ON THE TOP OF OUR STAINLESS STEEL CONVECTION TOASTER OVEN WHILE IT WAS BAKING AT ABOUT 400°F. THE COLOR OF THE BREAD WRAPPER ACTUALLY SEEMS TO BE EMBEDDED IN THE STAINLESS STEEL. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN THIS. SHOULD I USE AMMONIA? OR ANOTHER PRODUCT?

Q. I guess I used the stove before taking the blue protective cover off the face of the door, so after a painful time removing it I find a glue cloud mark on the front but I cannot seem to remove it with paint thinner or soap and water.

! Same problem but in my case, I'm a trucker with 6 stainless steel under-storage compartments. I've tried just about everything mentioned above. We truckers like things shiny so I am getting a little p-o'ed with this. Today, I bought a angle grinder ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , a Crossive 6" disc, a hand held buffer as well as buffing compound. I intend to grind this stuff off and mar this finish up then use the compound then buff it out with metal polish. I'll let ya know how it works!

Q. I recently purchased a name brand refrigerator that came with the standard, protective shipping film, that when removed, left an almost invisible residue. You can see it best when you look at the fridge from an angle. The manufacturer says to use soapy water and a sponge...tried that. Didn't work.

Also tried vinegar, ammonia, and orange degreaser. Still nothing.

I have heard to try WD-40, Goo Gone and xylol_xylene. I of course don't want to ruin the finish of the fridge, but would like this residue removed.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Q. We have metal garage doors where the previous owner/builder failed to remove the plastic protective film and it has now sun-baked onto the surface. I have tried a number of solvent based product with no success. I have even tried pressure washing at about 2500 psi 40 degree spread. t took the loose bits off but the majority remains firmly adhered to the painted metal surface. Should I consider just painting over it?

A. Yes, I'd say it's unfortunately sounds like it's on for good. Maybe just leave it on and paint with Krylon Fusion for Plastic ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] paint?

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Q. Would Shellac, Kilz, or Zinsser Cover Stain work in a situation where the plastic coating has baked on to a primed metal door over a 10 year period of time? Which would be the best option.
Thanks
Len

Q. Hey Everyone,

Looks like we've all be scratching our heads on how to remove the 'baked on' plastic film. Mine issue is what Rick P from Texas called "twice baked'. I too bought a house where the previous owner had installed an insulated white finished steel wood grained look of a garage door where the previous owner listened to installer and his suggestion to "leave on the plastic film as it will just protect the doors finish"! What a crock.

I'm now left with this huge double garage door with a cracked, dirt filled plastic shell finish that seems to be bomb proof. I have tried the orange stuff, nail polish remover, gasoline, cooking oil, heat gun (started to damage the surface), wonderwheel (Automotive pinstripe remover, which just smeared the plastic) and finally ammonia. Nothing has worked. The manufacturers of the door don't even know what to do, other than tell me that the guy should have removed the film on installation. I'm at my wits end with this project, but will not give up. There has to be an answer with this. Ammonia only cleans the surface, but the plastic is still there, and as tough as nails, it's just cleaner! So someone PLEASE HELP with an answer. This is MAJOR double baked!

Film on brass kickplate

Q. Can I try all these same methods on a brass kick plate that the film has been left on for many years, or would some of these products damage the brass finish?

Q. I am writing to try to help my husband who is a contractor and is having a hell of a time trying to clean new polished brass door kick plates for one of his customers. When he was ready to install the kick plates, he peeled off a protective film from the brass. When he did this, the brand new plates looked discolored and it seems as if some of the protective coating was left on the brass. We cannot get the residue off and we are concerned about ruining the polished brass surface with cleaners. If someone has suggestions, we would really appreciate it and so would his customer.

A. NO AMMONIA ON BRASS
A word of warning when using ammonia. Do not use it on brass. It will turn brass as black as the inside of your hat. I learned the hard way when trying to remove the film from brass name plates that were to be etched.

Neil Coy
- Lexington, Ohio, USA

Brass Lacquers

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A. Hi, Sarah. Brass tarnishes quickly, so there is no way it stays polished unless it is protected with a lacquer or other clearcoat. So this is trickier than some of the other problems. Try lacquer thinner ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! ; they should remove the gunk and the lacquer, if it is in fact lacquer. Then redo the brass lacquer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Artificial Nails Removers

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Q. How can I remove plastic type cover from stainless steel door panels? It had dried out and stuck like paint over the time.I appreciate any suggestions.Thank you all. Jorge G.

PRESSURE WASHER

P R E S S U R E W A S H E R

Power Washers on eBay or Amazon (affil links) A. Had the same problem with the protective coating on aluminium composite panels that had been exposed to the African sun for about 10 months. Tried all the suggestions with no luck. Eventually had success with a pressure washer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Chris Bode - East London, South Africa April 20, 2010 A. The company I work for is a new commercial truck dealer. When we get new Mack trucks in from the factory the aluminum fuel tanks are covered with a protective film. The film is almost like a powder coating or Rhino lining in texture and durability, more so the longer it stays on and exposed to the sun. We have struggled with removal techniques but it seems like the most effective and least time consuming is a HOT pressure wash. Sidney Dotson - Knoxville Tennessee August 27, 2014

Q. Hi! I have the same problem as many of you do. I bought a used kayak Aluminum pool that had plastic coating on it. It was stored in the heat and I cannot remove the plastic film. I have tried solvents with no luck. Can someone please help me. Will heat ruin the aluminum? Thanks for any help..

BOILING WATER / STEAM

B O I L I N G W A T E R / S T E A M B O I L I N G W A T E R / S T E A M B O I L I N G W A T E R / S T E A M

A. Okay kids ... this is the deal: We just boiled some water in a tea kettle and poured it on the doors of the outdoor gas BBQ, and presto, the blue film peeled off in a flash. Taking off the residue in addition to the film. Easy and free!! Terry Smith - Seattle, Washington June 17, 2011 I had fitted a stainless steel oven a year ago but had not yet moved into the house so the film was never taken off. It had been getting the morning / afternoon sun everyday and the blue film was "double baked". I had been struggling for the past 2 days trying to peel the blue film off. Finally googled it and came across this thread and right at the end was Terry Smith's solution. Immediately boiled some water and took off the oven door and poured the boiling water on it, the film peeled off like it should have when it was new. It was as simple as that. unfortunately I still have the glue residue where I had been peeling it bit by bit. Tomorrow morning I'll head to the supermarket for some ammonia and will try that out. Hopefully that should work. I think Terry's reply should be on top of this thread, so people don't have to struggle with other things when the solution was so simple. Thanks a lot, Terry. Kunal Dhabuwala - Auckland, New Zealand July 28, 2011 A. This worked very quickly and very efficiently: On a pair of new Range Hood filters the blue film was virtually impossible to remove until I soaked them in HOT water where the plastic became soft then it literally washed off. Cheap solution if nothing else. David Drew - Toronto Canada We had white wrapping on our new, just installed canopy range hood. Some of it peeled off easily as you would expect but a large area did not. We were working it little by little with our fingers peeling it and it took an hour to get just half of it off. Found the boiling water solution mentioned by Terry earlier in the thread (after trying and failing with nail polish remover). Just boiled water and poured it on the range hood, then tried peeling immediately - worked like magic! Just remember to wear gloves when pouring the boiling water...it's rather hot. There is still glue residue so will try ammonia to clean that off when we can hold of some. Would love to see Terry's solution posted at the top of this thread too, as another person has pointed out it would save many people much time in searching through the thread. Thanks! Chris Winn - Raetihi Ruapehu, New Zealand March 31, 2013 Hi, the boiling water worked great on a stainless steel camera flash handle that had clear tape that had yellowed. The handle being 50 years old and tape applied at that time. The handle was fairly small so I was able to boil it in a large pot for 10 minutes. The hard outside of the tape boiled off and the residue was easy to scrape off with a plastic fruit peeler. My wife was not home while I was doing this otherwise there might have been a lengthy discussion regarding using the kitchen utensils for this purpose. :-) Great tip without using chemicals and sooo cheap. Maurice Bradshaw - Norcross, Georgia, Gwinnett February 12, 2015 Windex Commercial Line (same product in economy size) on eBay or Amazon (affil links) A. It works like a charm, you have to work quickly as the film will cool and adhere to the metal. Wearing leather gloves, I poured the heated water as I removed the film. As it cools, don't tear the film off completely so you can continue pulling the film as you apply the next batch of hot water on the surface. It's easier with 2 people but I did it myself. The white film that remains can be cleaned with Windex Commercial Line ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or ammonia. Linc Lucer - Seal Beach, California, USA July 14, 2015 A. Best solution I have found so far is a plain household steam cleaner ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] with a plastic scraper. I'm removing the wood effect from the sandwich board in a sliding gate. Tried chemicals and a blow torch (which baked it on harder). The steam cleaner softens the plastic and loosens the glue; it's slow but I'm not scratching the gate panels and the plastic is slowly coming off without leaving visible trace of glue. ScubaBadger Dave Gosley - Málaga April 23, 2023

Q. How would you get rid of the adhesive on the back of a combination lock?

Q. When our stainless refrigerator was delivered it had a protective blue plastic covering on to prevent scratching. We were in the process of renovating and left the plastic on for several months and now have marks that won't come off with stainless steel appliance cleaner. Please let me know what to use to get these marks off?

Q. We had some plastic auto body painters sheeting that got stuck to a surface that wasn't quite cured. Is there any solvent that would melt that sheeting without damaging the paint too much? Or does anyone know what kind of plastic that sheeting is?

Hi, Jeff.

I don't think there is a chance in a million of removing that sheeting without ruining the paint (in fact the paint may already be ruined, pushed down or pulled up). But I am not a painter and would certainly love to hear that I was wrong. The plastic is probably a polyolefin or vinyl, very chemically resistant anyway.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

O.M.G. my whole day so far has been trying to get a clear film off of a white metal shed door. Once again, we thought the plastic was protecting the door until all work other around it was finished - which ended up being a total of about 3 years.
I have tried the boiling hot water, a warm water and soap soak using towels to keep it soaking, Glass Plus, Green Works, ammonia, paint thinner, rubbing alcohol. Nothing was going well at all so I went to town and purchased a heat gun this afternoon. No help. I am seriously thinking of just buying and installing a new door. The companies that sell plastic coated items should have to tell you that you do need to remove the coating right away or post a big warning sign on them about the protective seal. This is over the top annoying & frustrating and I feel like crying.

Joanne Chase
- Port Alberni, B.C., Canada
July 8, 2012

A. I had similar problem (protective plastic film "welded" to s stainless steel gas patio heater), but none of the solutions here worked. The plastic film was completely impermeable to the solvents I tried. Damn.

At another site, www.surfacearmor.com/faqs.html ⇩, I found that my problem film was "probably LDPE, which is low density polyethylene. And, the adhesive is probably a water-based acrylic".

Fair enough, but their solution involved sand papering the surface to expose the glue.

My solution was to attack the plastic with a paint stripper (bad, bad -- but it worked). I used 870 g/L dichloromethane, sold in Oz as Selleys Kwik Strip. Care and timing was needed (there were other plastic and rubber components around). A thick coating, left for 8-10 minutes, let me remove the gunk with a plastic spatular in large strips within 5 minutes (after that the plastic hardened).

Moral? Think laterally -- and be careful.

John Pitt
- Windaroo, Queensland, Australia
May 4, 2012

Ed. note: Dichloromethane, maybe better known in the U.S. as methylene chloride, is a truly toxic paint stripper. If you find and use it, make sure you are wearing rubber gloves ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and goggles ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] ; you should also wear an activated carbon respirator ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and work outdoors from upwind.
The above link is broken. Thankfully, the Internet Archive preserved a copy here
These days information often appears on the internet, then disappears forever. If that is a concern to you please consider a donation to The Internet Archive.

Success! After reading this column, I figured I would try Citric solvent, ammonia, acetone and Goof Off (in that order) to remove the blue cellophane from a nice stainless microwave some friends gave us. They had used it for a while without removing the protective file, and it was hopelessly stuck and leaving a gluey residue. We happened to have a bottle of Orange TKO ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] "super concentrated cleaner", and it worked like a charm.

It did NOT work instantly. I had to pour the orange concentrate on the remaining blue plastic, spread it around, and wait for a few minutes. Then, using a paper towel soaked in the cleaner, my thumbnail would easily scrape the plastic off. It even started coming off in sheets (like it was supposed to) after soaking for a little longer. I still had to scrape with my fingernail through the soaked paper towel to get some stubborn parts off, but it was spotless after 15 minutes of work.

Q. How can I remove melted rubber (gloves) off of an appliance.

A. Hi Patricia. What kind of appliance and what finish? Paint, porcelain, stainless steel, aluminum, ceramic, glass? It may be impractical or impossible, but you might take a look at topic 14006 "Melted Rainsuit on Motorcycle Exhaust Pipes" and see if you think it might help.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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A. Short answer = Product name in Australia LIQUID 8 (paint stripper gel)

Long answer...
I had same problem with a stainless steel fridge. Tried MEK, Acetone, Ammonia, Sulfamic Acid, citric acid the list goes on all with no effect. Was ready to resign to scratching and picking away

I then remembered I had a paint stripper gel which I 'thought' was citric acid based (was told that when I bought it) but the ingredients are 180 g/L Liquid Hydrocarbon / 180 g/L 2 Butoxy Ethanol and 180 g/L N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone. The product is called LIQUID 8.

Brushed on the gel and left for recommended 15-30 minutes and although not great results I could see it was working. Left it another 30 minutes and the plastic film literally wiped away. A few little tougher spots took a second go but what had taken me most of a day trying came down to being all done in about and hour and a half and most of that time was waiting for the gel to do its stuff.

One thing to note this stuff is not kind to plastics so keep it off any trim etc, I accidentally hit a couple spots and some minor burn marks.

Brad Walker
- Western Australia, Australia
February 11, 2013

A. 5 words: Jasco Paint and Epoxy Remover ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links]

I tried everything above. Bought a island kitchen hood on eBay new only installed. They didn't say they left the plastic on for a year in the sun. White film , I spent 3 hours using vinegar, acetone, ammonia, heat gun and plastic spoon. Jasco brushed it on waited 10 minutes and peeled it off with my hands; no big mess. Wiped down and I have a beautiful Stainless hood which would have cost $600 for $200.

mitchell cline
- aurora, Colorado
February 23, 2013

Q. I am a superintendent at my construction company and have "built out" three floors of an occupied building. Upon entering the final cleaning phase, I noticed that the white and black protective film on the stainless steel elevator doors was never removed since original construction some 5 years ago. I can't seem to get it off and need to be able to use a low V.O.C. agent due to the existing occupancy. HELP!

A. DENATURED ALCOHOL
The item you want to use to remove adhesive off stainless or other items is denatured alcohol ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , then Windex Commercial Line ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] with a microfiber cloth ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] on stainless.

A. I removed the glue residue from my stainless steel fridge with Brasso ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . It took it right off and I tried about everything.

A. I purchased a used stainless steel BBQ and discovered that on the back of it, the previous owner didn't bother removing the plastic cover which of course was now baked on. It took 3 days of about 2 hours per day and most of it is now gone. What I did was the following:

1. Get extra strength Easy Off oven cleaner ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (Lye)
2. Heat up the surface, in my case I use a heat gun initially, but then turned on the BBQ
3. Spray Easy Off on the surface, wear a mask, the fumes are nasty
4. Let sit for about 10-20 min
5. User a hard plastic spatula to remove the residue, also wet rag after (get a bag of them at Lowes/HD)
6. You'll need to repeat this multiple times based on how much stuff there is baked on.

This was a PITA, I still have a little bit remaining, but it is mostly clean.

A. The best method to use is a torch, assuming there's no material adjacent or under the stainless steel that will be harmed by the heat.

You can still use a torch if there's something next to the stainless that can't get too hot, but you have to work fast and don't go beyond liquefying the plastic you're trying to remove.

Yes, basically I'm saying you're liquefying the plastic and wiping it off while it's still fluid. Following is an image of me removing plastic film with a torch that had been on an item that was outside for 14 years!

Remove sun-baked vinyl packaging from garage door

Q. I left the cellophane plastic on garage door (vinyl) allowed it to be baked in sun ... now difficult to remove. Need guidance as to any solutions or technique.

Q. I recently bought a car that has a film over the plastic lens cover of the headlight.
According to a local here, some folks put glass darkening film over the plastic headlight cover to look "hot".
While it may look "hot" , but at night it darkens the head light so you do not see the road well.
Have taken it to a paint shop and they said they could do nothing, then took it to a glass shop and that does darkening film on glass windows here in the desert and they said they did not know what to do. But it is a film and being a plastic, most are scared of touching/trying to remove since the base is a also plastic and they think they may scratch the lens cover.
Any help?
bob

Q. I built my own house. It took three years and at the end of the first year I had installed my patio doors. Two years later, I've found that the plastic film covering the glass on the doors had baked on. Scraping doesn't budge it. I'm very reluctant to use a heat gun or boiling water as the glass might crack. any ideas?

Q. I never removed the protective film off my outdoor french doors. they baked in the sun and I removed the plastic but the residue has remained and I tried to remove it with goop removal a very little came off only after rubbing it for a very long time. Is there anything else I can do to remove this sticky residue? Thanks

Q. We remodeled our home and had a SS Viking range and hood installed. The contractor did not take the plastic white film off from the underside or sides of the hood. We are slowly peeling it off but now that the hood has already been installed it's a nightmare! The boiling water idea sounds great but there's no way to pour boiling water onto something you're trying to clean upside down. We have to be in the most contorted positions just to work at it a little. To compound the problem the film seems to go underneath the edges of the trim and light sockets so even when we get the film off to that point, it won't budge. We're worried about using acetone etc. since it's above where we cook and difficult to see where we're applying it and then cleaning it off. Any thoughts about removing this stuff after the SS piece has already been installed?

Q. I have an outdoor grill that has been in Texas heat for few years with "laser film" white covering. I tried applying ammonia, nail polish remover and scrapping it, but no luck getting it out.

PB Penetrating Catalyst

on eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

A. Blue film on dishwasher would not come off with heat gun. I had a can of "penetrating catalyst" ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , used to remove rusted bolts) and it worked beautifully. Spray on and let sit. Spray again. wait. Peel from edge.

Brian Harwell
- Dallas, Texas, USA
May 25, 2020

Q. How to old remove ACP plastic protection film from fibre sheet door?

If you're still not weary, thread 30965 offers yet more ideas :-)

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