MGB: Damned silicon

Any of you have an idea on how to remove silicone sealent from painted surface without damaging the paint? DPO used RTV to hold the plastic sheet door liners in place and I'd like to get the stuff off before I reattatch them with cotact cement.

Opps! I've tried to peel it off, scrape with a plastic scraper and a heat gun without any measurable success. Razor blade damages the paint too bad. How about it JDW, you ought to have an answer

I've seen silicone swell up after contact with gasoline but I don't know how long it took. MEK (Methyl Ethyl Keytone) might get to it quick but I've never tried it. Don't use Acetone, it removes paint. I have had good luck rubbing silicone off with a dry rag.

When I run onto a situation like that I try every solvent etc. I have untill I find something that works. That's how I found out water cuts brake fluid faster and cleaner than anything else.

You might give xylene a try (sold as 3M Adhesive Remover). Somewhat nasty, but shouldn't harm most paints....

is the plastic liner still attached the silicone? if its just gobs of silicone on the paint, you could just work it off with your fingers, rubbing it and rubbing

there are commercial silicone solvents... here are some. Never seen them at a hardware/auto store type places before

Rub rub is how I do it. Xylene is like highly refined naptha, dries faster. MEK is some mean sh!t, but doesn't attack cured paint.

Gob and gobs of silicone everywhere. It will not just roll up with my fingers. Will try some MEK later I got impatient and worked on top of it. He also had silicone the side panels in place. He had the spray foam inside the inner fender by the master cylinders. Said his wife complained of a draft so he filled that are and the pocket behind the hood hinges with the stuff. It was a real pain to get out! of the fender, have'nt tried the hinge area yet

Maybe I'm just being contrary here, but why not just leave it? Seriously, if it's not hurting anything, and it's holding the plastic sheeting in place well, then it's doing the same job as the contact cement anyway. And if you don't have to see it and it's doing its job, I wouldn't worry about it.
Just a thought.
I would get all that foam junk out, though. Seems like a major water trap/rust starter to me.

Well, Baxter, I am my own worst critic. I always strive to do things right, at least the way I precieve right to be. You are right, no one will now whats behind those door panels but me, and maybe the next owner of the car. He may just say "That dumba$$ PO, using silicone to hole the door liners on and he didn't care enough to remove the stuff when re replaced the plastic." I know about these things because I say the same thing about the guy who owned this car before me. It kinda strikes me similar to the fellow who paints his car and leaves the engine compartment and door jams the originial color. I have one B like that, to and when it gets repainted, it will not have several different colors showing. Oh, BTW, the liners were pulled off the car when I was drying it out from the flood that covered it and ruined the interior, so the silicone was not contributing a thing besides subject matter for this rant. Just baring my soul here so don't take any of this to heart!

Well, if it's one of those things that's always gonna bug you, then you have to fix it.

Wax and Grease Remover has worked for me in the past. It better work again, as I got silicon on the cowl trying to fix that leak.

I stick plastic door liners on with strip caulk. You can pull it off and put it back as many times as you'll ever need to, kinda like a Post-It note.

Don't you just roll it off with you thumb???? It seems to work for me!!

I just use 'Acoustic Seal'!! It is dirt cheap and stays pliable for ever!! It also cleans up with paint thinner or gunwash!! Cheap and easy and I always have half a tube kicking around!!

Gary, I'd bet your thumb won't get this stuff off. I whis I had thought of the plumber's putty strings. That would be perfect. Even moreso, I wish the PO had thought of it!

Well, maybe you are right Ger!! Use the 'Acoustic Seal'!!!!

I silicone off of mine with 3M wax and adhesive remover.

I wonder if "Goof Off" would work. Its great for other types of adhesives but I haven't tried it on RTV. Its available in Hardware stores and paint depts.