Be sure to wipe it off really well!!
removing that mean icky gaffa goo left on cables
- Thread starterrgsw
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Be sure to wipe it off really well!!
I realize that this is an old thread, and I admit I did not read through all the posts up to this point, but......... Napatha < lighter fluid> MEK , Lacquer thinner, and other similar agents are a terrible thing to do to cables. Simply wipeing it off is not good enough and the traces it leaves behind will sit and degrade the cable. The best solution < Pun intended> for cleaning cables of Gaff tape residue are either, WD-40, or a citrus based cable cleaner. WD -40 is a Fantastic remover of adhesives, goos, gum, anything sticky. While WD-40 is flamable it is not as volatile as any of the other aforementioned chemicals.
When it comes to cleaning things remember I always go back to things I learned in the garage. Gasoline is a great cleaner and remover of grease, and every year people die from blowing or burning themselves up because they were using it as a solvent. Just because it's a good solvent doesn't mean it should be used as such. When I managed a lighting warehouse people would complain when I sent them to clean the returned cable bin, because the citrus besd cleaner takes a little more elbow grease. Well some jobs are just that jobs, work, and they require a little exertion.
When it comes to cleaning things remember I always go back to things I learned in the garage. Gasoline is a great cleaner and remover of grease, and every year people die from blowing or burning themselves up because they were using it as a solvent. Just because it's a good solvent doesn't mean it should be used as such. When I managed a lighting warehouse people would complain when I sent them to clean the returned cable bin, because the citrus besd cleaner takes a little more elbow grease. Well some jobs are just that jobs, work, and they require a little exertion.
FWIW, here is a method we do:
A very quick way to pull a lot of the goo off is 'a hair of the dog' that left the goo to begin with. In other words--take a piece of gaff tape, apply it over the goo area, rub the sticky tape side in the sticky goo very well for about 30 seconds, then "wax off"--pull it off fast. Just dab and repeat to the goo areas and use more tape strips when it gets filled. The tape takes over 95% of the goo left behind with it usually. I prefer doing this method first before using chemicals...and it works well.
For the rest--like has been suggested, citrus cleaner, WD40, Goo-B-Gone all work well..also grease-cutting dishsoap diluted on a rag will break it up as well... Note most of those cleaners (except WD) often will take the natural oils out of the cable or leave the cable "dry"--so a small dab of ArmorAll or Tire-Black (both auto rubber products) on a rag will help re-condition the jacket afterwards. As has been said--don't use flammible stuff like naptha etc...
-w
A very quick way to pull a lot of the goo off is 'a hair of the dog' that left the goo to begin with. In other words--take a piece of gaff tape, apply it over the goo area, rub the sticky tape side in the sticky goo very well for about 30 seconds, then "wax off"--pull it off fast. Just dab and repeat to the goo areas and use more tape strips when it gets filled. The tape takes over 95% of the goo left behind with it usually. I prefer doing this method first before using chemicals...and it works well.
For the rest--like has been suggested, citrus cleaner, WD40, Goo-B-Gone all work well..also grease-cutting dishsoap diluted on a rag will break it up as well... Note most of those cleaners (except WD) often will take the natural oils out of the cable or leave the cable "dry"--so a small dab of ArmorAll or Tire-Black (both auto rubber products) on a rag will help re-condition the jacket afterwards. As has been said--don't use flammible stuff like naptha etc...
-w
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As well, I realize this is an old thread, but I thought I'd add a new comment. Foolishly, I used packing tape once, and only once because it was all we had at the time. The lights on the tape litterally baked the glue on over 200 ft. of cable, and I was stuck to clean it. I tried everything, and personally solvents weren't great... chemical smell, neede a lot, many applications, etc.
So I tried something new: Dish soap + Steel wool
For a well covered cable, I soaped it up, wiped it down, rubbed it with steel wool, soaped it up again rinsed it and dried it. Like new.
The only downer is it gently scratches into the sheilding/casing of the cable as steel wool is abrasive, however is was very gentle, and not exposing wire at all.
Anyways, when I muck up with the cables, that is my weapon of choice
So I tried something new: Dish soap + Steel wool
For a well covered cable, I soaped it up, wiped it down, rubbed it with steel wool, soaped it up again rinsed it and dried it. Like new.
The only downer is it gently scratches into the sheilding/casing of the cable as steel wool is abrasive, however is was very gentle, and not exposing wire at all.
Anyways, when I muck up with the cables, that is my weapon of choice
Not exactly what I would be considering an appropriate benchmark. The instant that you cant see the internal conductors you have two options. PROPERLY fix the cable - I recall ship writing up how to do this in the past or heatshrink. Option 2: Remove cable from service. Cut it into small pieces and throw it in the bin. They are the only two safe options. Cable is designed to have a specific amount of insulation for safety reasons and so if you decrease this by abrasive means, then you are potentially compromising the safety of the cable.
Thoughts on the use of turps as a cleaning agent?
Don't like it. Hey maybe it's just me, but I feel that there are plenty of "greener" ways of cleaning cables and ways that don't involve exposing you the some REALLY nasty chemicals.
I've seen a couple of people suggest "Goof-off" or "Goo Gone" Both of these contain some really, really , really nasty chemicals like Toulene, naptha, acetone, and really are necessary with alternatives like WD-40, Simple green, or other citrus based cleaners.
