# the dreaded sealant removal



## cheshiregordon (Sep 24, 2011)

Although I've searched the forum I can't quite find advice on removing sealant without damaging the paint work. I'm replacing the none Hymer door stay on my B640 with an original Hymer one., and need to remove the old sealant without damaging the paintwork so the new one fits without any tell-tale marks.
I've scrapped the excess of and am now left with smears. I'm thinking of white spirit and detergent plus scrubbing brush.
Any ideas or advice would be welcome!


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Gordon

White spirit, a lot of patience, and use a soft cloth rather than a scrubbing brush. If your van has an aluminium skin you will certainly mark it with a scrubbing brush, and I wouldn't risk it on GRP either!

Finish off by giving it a good wipe down with meths (or similar) to get the last of the white spirit residue off, and it should be squeaky clean and ready for the new sealant.

Never done it on a motorhome, but several caravans needed the treatment and I always found that patience was the most important ingredient. You can't hurry it, so don't try! Better to keep worrying it. :wink: 

Dave


----------



## spatz1 (May 19, 2011)

i used to buy wipes that were made for sealant removal having fitted kitchen sinks .....
They clean all smears off very quickly , and can usually be bought from any fixings/fastenings company...


----------



## jud (Aug 15, 2009)

cheshiregordon said:


> Although I've searched the forum I can't quite find advice on removing sealant without damaging the paint work. I'm replacing the none Hymer door stay on my B640 with an original Hymer one., and need to remove the old sealant without damaging the paintwork so the new one fits without any tell-tale marks.
> I've scrapped the excess of and am now left with smears. I'm thinking of white spirit and detergent plus scrubbing brush.
> Any ideas or advice would be welcome!


hi chesshiregordon . i do believe there is proper sealant remover available from good d.i.y stores.jud


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Somewhere on MHF there is the advice from Swift on how to remove sealant. This advice was given to those of us who had problems with sticky, dirty sealant on our new vans. Eventually Swift paid for it to be done under warranty but the advice is there somewhere.

G

Edit: This is the advice Swift gave at the time:

_This is our recommended process for cleaning off excess mastic on your vehicles.

1. Remove excess butyl tape with plastic scraper 
2. Clean area around area where the butyl was removed with "simson Prep M or Primer M "(this is a bostik product). 
3. Apply " Simson SSKF ISR 70-03"(this is also a bostik product) and smooth off. 
4. Clean any surplus off with "Concept cleaner formerly known as PDI". 
5. To help masking tape could be utilised around the door to create a clean edge.

Part No 1078221 SSKF ISR 70-03 290ml Tube 
1075903 PREP M 500ml 
1063017 CONCEPT CLEANER 25 Litre _


----------

