See full version: Tips for Removing Spray Foam Insulation
TIP: Find out what kind of spray foam you have in your home and whether you need to use any precautions (wearing a respirator mask, safety glasses and so forth) before you start working. Some kinds of spray foam are toxic to touch or breathe in, especially if you have a history of respiratory issues or skin conditions.
You may find yourself literally “stuck” with trying to remove spray foam insulation from walls. Many suggested tips are quite crude, and you may end up ruining your wall by the time you're done. You might even remove chunks of the wall when trying to dig it out! Follow the tips below to effectively get rid of foam insulation without doing damage.
You could try using an old claw hammer and an old flat pry bar—old so the edges will be a bit blunt and damage to your wall will be kept to a minimum. more
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I had a bit of a nightmare with a can of expanding foam sealing a gap around one of my new upvc windows. Got some on the facings and hadn't realised it would be so difficult to get off until it had cured .. oops. more
TOM: Well, I wouldn’t – if it’s the whole back of the house, I mean if you’re talking about spot-cleaning, OK. But if it’s the whole back of the house, then I think you’ve got a bigger problem. I think you’re looking at new siding.
TOM: It’s very difficult because you get – those foams are usually polyurethane and they have real adhesive qualities to it. Real adhesive. So, what you can do is try to gently scrape it off with a putty knife. But make sure you – an older one is better because it won’t be quite so sharp. And very carefully do that. more
DOUG: Then I can go over the whole back of the house with WD-40 to revitalize the vinyl, right?
LESLIE: Now we’ve got Doug in Virginia on the line with a siding question. How can we help you?
DOUG: OK. Well, I’ll give it a try. WD-40. [links]
Cleaning Spray Foam Insulation From Vinyl Siding: Is It Possible?
Fill a pair of rubber gloves about half full of a solution of water and dish soap. Clean your hands and put on the gloves, then tape them around your wrists and leave them on for a few hours. When you remove them, your skin may have softened enough to loosen the bond with the foam.
Use mechanical means to remove dried foam. Cut as much of it as possible from the surface with a utility knife, then scrape the area with a paint scraper. If it is safe for the finish, moisten the dried foam with acetone to loosen its bond on the substrate. more
Remove uncured foam from your skin by moistening a rag with acetone and using it to rub the foam off your skin. This method won't work if the foam has dried. Although the dried foam is harmless and will wear off after a few days, you can try another technique to get it off your hands.
Most spray foam products resemble thick paint or heavy glue in their unexpanded state, and they stick to anything. This adhesive quality makes it easy to apply spray foam to large and small areas alike, because it stays where you want it while expanding to provide an insulating barrier. It's all too easy, however, to misdirect the spray and get the foam on wall coverings, woodwork, furniture, or worse, your hands and clothes. Removing the spray from a solid surface is a frustrating but doable chore, but getting it off your clothes is next to impossible.
Sand wooden substrates with 120-grit sandpaper after you have scraped off as much of the foam as possible. After sanding, you'll probably have have to repair the finish. If the foam is stuck to tile or vinyl, scrub it off with fine steel wool moistened with acetone. [links]
Wipe off the foam with a rag while it is still moist, if possible. If you can't get all of it off, moisten your wiping cloth with acetone. Be sure to test the acetone on an inconspicuous part of the surface first to make sure it won't destroy the finish.