Superglue may just be one of the most effective and convenient adhesives in the market right now. It can join all kinds of surfaces super quick and it also holds quite strong. However, this can be a double-edged sword because if you accidentally place a drop or two of superglue on plastic, it can be quite stained.
However, how to clean super glue off plastic is actually quite easy if you know what tools to use. Fortunately, the tools you need are easy to find. They are typically household staples. Once you learn how easy it is to clean superglue, you can use it a lot more often now without any worries about making a mess.
Step-by-Step Guide
Using Cooking Oil
What to prepare:
- Cooking oil – Any kind of cooking oil you have will work. You can use vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, or whatever oil you have at hand.
- Small cloth rag
- Plastic scraper – Any plastic thing that you can use to scrape off the glue will work. You can use a plastic spoon, knife, and anything else that has a dull edge.
Detailed steps:
Step 1 – Soak the superglue in oil
Pour just enough cooking oil on the cloth rag to soak it lightly. Rub the superglue stain with the oil-soaked rag. Use small circular motions to make the superglue stain absorb the oil better.
Place a bit more oil on the rag and then place the rag over the stain. Allow the oil to soak into the stain for around 10 minutes.
Step 2 – Scrape the stain away
After letting the stain soak in the oil, get your plastic spoon or scraper and proceed to remove the dried superglue. The oil should have weakened the grip that the superglue had on the surface of the plastic.
This means that gently scraping using the plastic spoon should be enough to remove the dried superglue. Do not use too much pressure as you might accidentally scratch the surface. If the super glue does not scrape off easily, apply more oil and try again.
Step 3 – Wipe away the excess oil
Grab more paper towels and proceed to wipe any trace of oil left on the surface of the plastic. You may need to make a couple of passes to get all the oily sheen out of the surface.
Using White Vinegar
What to prepare:
- White vinegar – You will need just enough to soak the superglue
- A small cloth rag
- Blunt plastic scraping tool
Detailed steps:
Step 1 – Soak the rag in vinegar
Get your cloth rag and pour enough vinegar on it until it is completely soaked, but not dripping wet.
Step 2 – Wipe the vinegar on the superglue
Proceed to wipe the vinegar on the dried superglue. Use small circular motions to soak the glue with vinegar.
To ensure that the glue is properly soaked, put the soaked rag over the glue stain and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. If the glue has been on the surface for quite some time, you will need to let the vinegar soak in for around 20 minutes.
Step 3 – Scrape off the dried glue
Using a plastic spoon, knife, or spatula, proceed to scrape off the glue. If the vinegar did its job nicely, the dried glue should just peel off the plastic. After removing all the glue, you can wipe down the surface of the plastic using a clean rag dampened with some water.
Using Petroleum Jelly
What to prepare:
- Petroleum jelly
- Dull plastic scraper
- Paper towels
Detailed Steps:
Step 1 – Apply the petroleum jelly
Using your finger, spread the petroleum jelly all over the superglue stain. Make sure that you rub the petroleum jelly well into the stain so that it can penetrate deeply. Let the petroleum jelly sit for around 5 minutes.
Step 2 – Scrape the superglue stain
Use your plastic scraper to remove the dried superglue off the surface of the plastic. The glue should lift right off the plastic if the petroleum jelly has penetrated deep enough. You should be able to peel off the superglue without scratching the plastic.
Step 3 – Clean the surface
After removing all the glue, grab some paper towels and wipe off the surface. The paper towels should be able to pick up most of the petroleum jelly and get rid of the shine it leaves behind. If the plastic surface is matte, you can use a bit of rubbing alcohol to remove the shine.
Conclusion
If you know how to clean super glue off plastic, you will no longer need to worry about making a mess whenever you use it. Spills and messes when using superglue are almost inevitable but now, you know that you can fix them quite easily.