I used Aquaseal to seal a hole in my laundry hose. It was a 2 yr old tube so I had to pry the dry plug out of the tube…did that, made a mess, and now it’s all over my hands. Soap, acetone, and alcohol has not worked. What does? No help on the tube instructions aside from avoid prolonged contact with skin.
Thanks…Lyn (imagine a nurse with her only spare latex gloves in her kayak)
Not sure what Aqua Seal is …
composed of. If I remember right it smells like a mixture of hexanes, heptane and toluene. It has synthetic rubber dissolved in these volatile solvents and I wonder if it has some kind of crosslinking agent. Not that I am saying this is a good idea, but as a chemist I would first try rubbing and mechanical scrubbing to get it off. If that does not work try finding a source of toluene. (Hobby shops used to sale toluene for removing doping solutions for model airplanes) in a fix gasoline (mostly hydrocarbon mix) might work. The additive chemicals dissolved in gasoline are pretty toxic so I would be careful doing this, do it outside with good ventilation. Rubbing with hot soapy water a long … long time may be the best idea. Call Aquaseal up and ask. Also they must publish a materials safety sheet that explains how to handle spills and contact with skin.
Toluene works dandy
But the acetone should have worked…
no MSDS
online.
I got a quick call back from the company and they basically said it will flake off in a few days. Lesson learned. Also, that it was an ‘executive decision’ not to have the MSDS online. They need a better disclaimer on the tube.
Ironic. I used it to fix the hose to my washing machine, so was less careful (and more desperate).
Thanks for your educated advice! Apparently what makes the stuff so good is that it’s impossible to remove. I’m glad they got back to me before I went sucking gasoline out of my tank.
Lyn
Lawyers, lawyers, Lawyers
They attorney who wrote their response direction does not care if you have goop all over your hands for a few days… they want an iron clad response to any possible law suit so they just say let it wear off.
Toluene is toxic, it is absorbed through the skin, not really quickly, so you would need to be careful. I would try a little toluene ( a few ml) or wd-40 myself outside, and then wash my hands really well with dish detergent. Another trick might be to use rubber cement to get it loosened and then roll it off, or PVC pipe cement. Don’t sue me if you die or develop leukemia 30 years from now. 
citrus based goo gone?
Denatured methonol and Acetone are both supposed to cut it while it’s wet.
I’m often surprised at how well that citrus based goo gone or similar will at least marginally losten dried glue from my fingers. Worked somewhat for contact cement. Fingers will smell like the goo gone for a day though.
Toluene is a benzene derivative. Has been linked to birth defects in some lab animals. I’d much rather have the aquaseal on my hands than that stuff. http://www.cise.columbia.edu/clean/msds/toluene.pdf
Paul S.
Try paint thinner
There are lots of things that paint thinner will dissolve that acetone, alcohol, etc. will not.
Scrub scrub scrub
Assuming that Seadart is correct, once the solvents evaporate and the stuff cures, the film that is left is probably pretty inert.
I wouldn’t be in any hurry to wash with any more toxic chemicals.
Try something oily - cold cream, or even salad oil - and let that sit for a while. Then scrub with a pumace soap and a Scotch Bright scrubby.
go paddling…
I often have my hands covered in Aquaseal despite my best efforts to wear gloves when using it. I simply go paddling and practice rescues and rolls for an hour or two and next thing I know, the Aquaseal is happily peeling off my hands in a very entertaining fashion.
Go Jo
– Last Updated: Oct-19-06 10:19 AM EST –
I usually wash my hands with GoJo or any of those automotive hand cleaning type of things that cut through grease and oil. They may not be the exact solvent for it but it does seem to clean up my hands pretty well. I also use that if epoxy gets on my hands.
I can’t really help
you with the removal problem but if you use a 3/16" drill you can easily remove the dried aquaseal from the opening of the tube. I use to dig out the dried stuff and always got frustrated, now I just drill it out.
that’s great advice
I got a double whammy…the scissor I used to get the hard stuff off the tube turned out to be full of blue ink from the holder I had it in. I still have the Aquaseal all over my hands, with blue ink sealed underneath.
Some has come off, and I’m slowly peeling the rest off little by little. I’ve also managed to rid my self of all my hard earned summer callouses…too early in the season for that!
Thanks for everyone’s advice. That’s one mistake I’ll never make again!!
Lyn
Freeze your Aquaseal
After a tube is open and partially used, keep it in the freezer. It will last for years. If you don’t, a re-sealed tube will harden up in months. This top secret info comes from an Aquaseal rep. I ran into at a store.
Adhesive Removl
First, I finally figure out to just buy a box of 100 latex gloves since I do so much outfitting and repairs.
Whenever I do get stuff on my hands, I don’t use any kind of chemical remover. Rather, I use one of those mild sandpaper like scrubby things used to remove corns or dead skin in the shower. I just put my hands under warm water and scrub away.
sing
Second the denatured alcohol
I use that when it’s wet to get the majority of it off, and then let the rest dry, and peel it off a day or two later.
Just not worh the aggravation of trying to get it all when it’s wet.
Wayne
gasoline
– Last Updated: Oct-19-06 2:07 PM EST –
either 87 octane (cuz' it's the cheapest) or diesel fuel. if neither one takes off that Aquaseal, just light a match to it and i'm absolutely certain it'll be gone. ;-)
The fact
Aquaseal is silicone-based product. None of the solvents will work. It will eventually wear off.
Yep freezing works and a light touch
with vice grips will open the top again.
Amputation…
…or time to wear it off slowly. I vote for the wearing off slowly choice as the other one will really mess up your roll.
;^)
Thanks Jay
A very useful tip. Nothing like grabbing that tube that has been on your shelf only slightly used for months and its cured. Always happens when you need it the most.—Rich