Removing superglue from paint?
06-20-2011, 04:09 PM
#1
King of Cool
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Thread Starter
Removing superglue from paint?
I have a small dab of superglue on my rear decklid and tried to clean it off to no avail...
Anyone have any good tricks or some super gleaner stuff that could get this thing done without hurting paint?
Anyone have any good tricks or some super gleaner stuff that could get this thing done without hurting paint?
06-20-2011, 04:17 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
I use fingernail polish remover to get superglue off my finger tips.
I don't know what it would do to your paint though; try it in a safe spot first.
Take care,
--Joe
I don't know what it would do to your paint though; try it in a safe spot first.
Take care,
--Joe
Last edited by Floodj; 06-20-2011 at 05:47 PM. Reason: forgot remover...
06-20-2011, 04:45 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Tough.
Don't think you will be able to use a solvent without taking up your paint.
You can carefully sand down the dab using wet/dry sandpaper, and then buff out the clearcoat. This is tedious and will take you about an hour to do properly, but it will work.
The key is to use a very small sanding block made from wood or plastic. The block should be about 3/4"X3/4" by about an inch long. You will need 3 sheets of wet/dry paper (800, 1000,2000 grit) and a spray bottle with water to keep the paper and the surface wet continuously while sanding.
Cut a square piece of paper from each of the three wet/dry papers just large enough to wrap around the sanding block one time. Start sanding with the 800 grit. Wrap it tightly around the sanding block and then wet the paper and also spray water on the area that will touch sand paper during the job.
With the small sanding block you will be able to feel the glue dab under it. The idea is to slowly (and I mean slowly) sand down the dab while trying to NOT allow the sandpaper to touch the paint. Of course you will touch the paint, but try to minimize any contact. It is mandatory that you keep the area flooded with water at all times since if dry sandpaper hits dry paint, it will cut through the paint quickly.
Using the 800 grit you will wet sand the glue dab until it is flush with your paint surface. As the dab gets shorter and shorter, be more careful with the sandpaper and water flushing, trying ti minimize contact with the clearcoat surface of your car.
With the dab gone, the surface is pretty rough and will have to be smoothed out with the 1000 and 2000 grit papers. Start with the 1000 grit. Use a very light touch on the sanding block not needing to press down as the block slides across the paint surface. Minimize your sanding area, but hit all the areas that you touched with the 800 grit paper. Remember to keep it wet.
When you can no longer distinguish where the glue blob was, switch to the 2000 grit wet/dry, and again very softly and slowly wet sand the same area.
The area that is sanded will be very dull. Don't worry.....the dullness will buff out later.
When the surface is finally wet sanded until you can not see the sanding marks, buff the area out with Maguires 105 compound, Menzerna Intense Polish, or some equivalent. Then buff out using a finishing polish like Maguires 205 or Menzerna Nano Polish.
Take your time and you'll be amazed at how nicely it will end up. The keys are to be gentle, slow, and stay wet during the sanding process.
Let me know if you have questions.
You can carefully sand down the dab using wet/dry sandpaper, and then buff out the clearcoat. This is tedious and will take you about an hour to do properly, but it will work.
The key is to use a very small sanding block made from wood or plastic. The block should be about 3/4"X3/4" by about an inch long. You will need 3 sheets of wet/dry paper (800, 1000,2000 grit) and a spray bottle with water to keep the paper and the surface wet continuously while sanding.
Cut a square piece of paper from each of the three wet/dry papers just large enough to wrap around the sanding block one time. Start sanding with the 800 grit. Wrap it tightly around the sanding block and then wet the paper and also spray water on the area that will touch sand paper during the job.
With the small sanding block you will be able to feel the glue dab under it. The idea is to slowly (and I mean slowly) sand down the dab while trying to NOT allow the sandpaper to touch the paint. Of course you will touch the paint, but try to minimize any contact. It is mandatory that you keep the area flooded with water at all times since if dry sandpaper hits dry paint, it will cut through the paint quickly.
Using the 800 grit you will wet sand the glue dab until it is flush with your paint surface. As the dab gets shorter and shorter, be more careful with the sandpaper and water flushing, trying ti minimize contact with the clearcoat surface of your car.
With the dab gone, the surface is pretty rough and will have to be smoothed out with the 1000 and 2000 grit papers. Start with the 1000 grit. Use a very light touch on the sanding block not needing to press down as the block slides across the paint surface. Minimize your sanding area, but hit all the areas that you touched with the 800 grit paper. Remember to keep it wet.
When you can no longer distinguish where the glue blob was, switch to the 2000 grit wet/dry, and again very softly and slowly wet sand the same area.
The area that is sanded will be very dull. Don't worry.....the dullness will buff out later.
When the surface is finally wet sanded until you can not see the sanding marks, buff the area out with Maguires 105 compound, Menzerna Intense Polish, or some equivalent. Then buff out using a finishing polish like Maguires 205 or Menzerna Nano Polish.
Take your time and you'll be amazed at how nicely it will end up. The keys are to be gentle, slow, and stay wet during the sanding process.
Let me know if you have questions.
06-20-2011, 04:51 PM
#5
Addict
Rennlist Member
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You can generally use lacquer thinner (sparingly) to clean your car's paint (if you scrape the side of a narrow garage door frame like I once did in a brand new Audi A4 -- it took the white streaks right off that car detailing supplies wouldn't touch), try a little on a soft cloth. Nailpolish remover I would try discretely somehwhere unobvious on the car -- under the decklid maybe -- and see how it does. That will definitely take the superglue off.
06-20-2011, 05:01 PM
#6
Mineral Spirits aka paint thinner worked for me
Had the same problem with an industrial strength methacrylate when I put the split grille on 
The cheapest of mineral spirits from Home Depot seemed to do the trick. Taped off the area around the spill to isolate it and used lots of cotton swabs and elbow grease.
In the spot that had the most glue, took a good 30 minutes to lift it. No damage to the 16 year old factory paint or the 3 day old new paint on the grille frame, can't say the same for the suit pants I was wearing when I did the mod
The cheapest of mineral spirits from Home Depot seemed to do the trick. Taped off the area around the spill to isolate it and used lots of cotton swabs and elbow grease.
In the spot that had the most glue, took a good 30 minutes to lift it. No damage to the 16 year old factory paint or the 3 day old new paint on the grille frame, can't say the same for the suit pants I was wearing when I did the mod
06-20-2011, 05:05 PM
#7
Race Car
I use the exact same process that Ernie described. I would only add to use blue painters tape all around the spot as to not sand anything else.
It take lots of patience, but at the end you won't even notice where it was.
It take lots of patience, but at the end you won't even notice where it was.
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06-20-2011, 05:06 PM
#8
Nordschleife Master
06-20-2011, 05:45 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
Rather than sanding try scraping.... Here is a trick I learned awhile back for fixing runs, should work the same here...
Take a razor blade, stroke it in one direction against a steel block to create a burr... then gently bend the blade to create a curve with the burr on the convex side.... the curve is almost imperceptible... Now you can use the blade to precisely scrape only the glue....
Another trick would be to add more glue to build up to a blob that can be knocked off, super glue is not very strong horizontally....
Just some ideas....
Take a razor blade, stroke it in one direction against a steel block to create a burr... then gently bend the blade to create a curve with the burr on the convex side.... the curve is almost imperceptible... Now you can use the blade to precisely scrape only the glue....
Another trick would be to add more glue to build up to a blob that can be knocked off, super glue is not very strong horizontally....
Just some ideas....
06-20-2011, 06:12 PM
#10
R.I.P
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
We use mineral oil to get if off of skin. Turn car on side and make a little pool of mineral oil in the spot. Of course it might be easier to just rig something up to soak the spot with the car on its' 4 wheels.
06-20-2011, 07:54 PM
#13
Former Vendor
You can use electrical tape to build up layers on both sides of the dab. Lube the area with soap and use a straight, fresh razor blade to shave a bit off until flush. Remove a layer of tape and repeat. finish final bit off with 2000 grit and buff. Gone.
06-20-2011, 09:52 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
Rule of thumb: Use the least envasive method first, then the next least and so on. The nail polish and lacquer thinner would be a last resort for me. earossi has the right idea with the various fine grit wet sanding. If you go to a good auto paint supply house, there are small professional fine grit blocks available in different grit grades. Be sure to soak the block or paper in water before using. Use a magnifying glass to check progress.