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How to Remove Hylomar Blue

Hylomar Universal Blue is the name of a non-setting polyester urethane gasket sealant. While it was originally invented to seal joints in jet engines, it now enjoys a variety of different industrial, automotive, and household uses, from...

Dissolving the Sealant with Acetone

  1. How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 1How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 1
    Disassemble the jointed components. Start by breaking down the apparatus you want to clean to expose any surfaces that have been coated with Hylomar Universal Blue. This may require you to remove a few screws, shift some things around, or even partially deconstruct complex assemblies. Make sure you're familiar with how everything fits together in case you need to reassemble it later.
    1. If you're working with potentially dangerous mechanical equipment, take a moment to confirm that there's no power running to it and that it's had a chance to cool down or stop moving completely before you begin.[1]
    2. In order to do away with all traces of unwanted sealant, you'll need to have unobstructed access to the parts of the component to which it's been applied.
  2. How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 2How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 2
    Soak a cloth in acetone. Any type of soft, flexible material will work just fine. To prevent damage to delicate components, however, your best bet is to use a microfiber cloth or lint-free cotton towel that won't scratch or leave behind tiny bits of fiber. Dip the cloth in the acetone to saturate it, then wring out the excess liquid.[2]
    1. You can pick up a bottle of pure acetone at any drug store, as well as the beauty aisle of your local supermarket.
    2. This is the removal method recommended by the product's manufacturers.
    3. Other types of gentle solvents, such as isopropyl alcohol or acetic acid, may also do the trick.[3]

    Tip: Pull on a pair of disposable gloves to protect your hands while you work. Acetone can cause mild irritation if it comes into contact with bare skin.[4]

  3. How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 3How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 3
    Rub the component vigorously wherever you want to remove the sealant. Move your acetone-soaked cloth back and forth over the surface using moderate pressure. The solvent will begin to loosen the sealant's grip on contact. Keep rubbing the piece until all traces have disappeared. It won't be hard to tell, thanks to the product's distinctive blue color.[5]
    1. Fold or rearrange your rag periodically to avoid simply smearing the sealant around.
    2. Hylomar Universal Blue is formulated to dissolve when exposed to a strong solvent, so no soaking, scraping, or sanding should be necessary.

Using Other Removal Methods

  1. How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 4How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 4
    Spray the sealant with an ordinary degreaser or adhesive solvent. Either of these cleaners should be potent enough to cut through a coat of Hylomar if you don't happen to have any acetone on hand. Just spritz a modest amount of solvent or degreaser onto a soft, lint-free cloth, then use the cloth to rub off the sticky sealant.[6]
    1. Reapply the cleaner as needed to strip large areas or deal with especially heavy residue.
    2. Any type of degreaser or solvent advertised as being effective against polyester urethane should get the job done.
  2. How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 5How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 5
    Wipe off excess Hylomar Universal Blue with a dry cloth. If you accidentally squeeze on a little too much sealant and discover that it's oozing out from between your jointed surfaces, quickly go over the spot with a grease rag, a hand towel, or even an old t-shirt. It takes a couple minutes for the freshly-applied sealant to become tacky, so you shouldn't have much trouble getting it off.[7]
    1. Polyester urethane sealants can lose a bit of their original bonding capabilities as they age, which means you may also be able to wipe away old sealant without the aid of a solvent.

    Tip: It's especially important to avoid overapplying non-setting sealants to engines, oil pumps, and other components where stray drops of the gel-like substance may cause contamination or interfere with performance.

  3. How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 6How to Remove Hylomar Blue Picture 6
    Use Hylomar's solvent wipes if you're worried about harming your component. The company manufactures and sells their own line of wipes designed specifically for removing Hylomar sealants. These could be your safest option if you don't like the idea of treating a particular surface or material with acetone, degreaser, or another harsh solvent.[8]
    1. Go online to browse Hylomar's full line of solvent wipes and read up on their recommended uses. You may also be able to find them at the same place where you purchased your container of Universal Blue.
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