Thursday, April 19

Don't Shake Stain

I started staining my display counter this morning. I'm using MinWax chestnut. I stirred the stain first just like you are supposed to. You don't shake the can because you will get little bubbles that will effect the finish.



When I was finished (for now), I tapped the lid back on with my rubber mallet. I thought it was on tight.

Since I wasn't going to use it again right away, I took the can out to my laundry room and gave it a good shake. Bad idea! The lid flew off and I had stain everywhere! On me, on the floor, on my Swiffer mop and on my trash can!


Note to self: If you are going to shake a can of stain be sure you have a BIG can of paint thinner and a nail brush handy!

BTW. If anyone knows how to get stain off plexiglass please let me know.



UPDATE: From How Stuff Works


Hard Surfaces
Follow these steps to remove oil-base paint stains from Acrylic Plastic, Plexiglas, Polyurethane, Vinyl Clothing:
Wipe excess immediately with a cloth dipped in warm sudsy water. Oops. Too late.
Rinse thoroughly with warm water and wipe dry. Do not use a thinner on these materials, as it will eat through them. Unable to rinse said object.
If necessary, dip a cloth into a dry-cleaning solvent and quickly but gently dab at the remaining stain. Do not have any dry-cleaning solvent. Think alcohol might work? Q-tip and "warm sudsy water" nine hours later????
Rinse well and wipe dry

I'm going to work now. I've done enough damage around here this morning...



6 comments:

Maria said...

Oh Kati!!! Tipically something that will happen to me to. Thanks for the warning. I did have almost the same accident by putting two bottles nailpolis together. The whole bottle exploded and nailpolish and glass everuwhere. I never cleaned up stain from plexiglass so i can not help you with that.
Hugs
Maria

Troy said...

yikes. I hope you have a better day tomorrow! Keep your chin up :)

Debora said...

for what it's worth; you're not alone. I did exactly the same when casting a mirror frame in resin. I shook one of the bottled components before measuring it out... with a loose cap...Yuk!! Poly-resin-something all over my hardwood floor :S and hands :S and table:S No explosions fortunately (wink at Maria) but still...

As for stain on plexiglass... thats a challenge Dear. Maybe that sandpaper (grit 10.000) or polish that's used for car paints is an option?? I guess you gotta think manually??? Cos beware that solvents will not only take away the stains... but melt the acrylic sheet as well...

Mary said...

I'm so sorry to read of your mishap, I hope that you can get it all cleaned up without too much trouble.

You can find dry cleaning kits for use in a home dryer sold in the laundry aisle of the supermarket.

Your display case looks very nice.

Linda said...

Yikes. This is the kind of thing that would happen to me, too! Good luck with the clean-up. And I do like your display case very much. :)

Bella Sinclair said...

Oh nooooooo! Oh no oh no oh noooooo!!!! Aaaarrrggghhh! Good luck getting it off. I once spilled half a can of stain onto a carpet.

On a happier note, your cabinet looks fantastic!