Purple Power: OK for ABS, Styrene? How Toxic?

Michael Fichtenmayer recommends a 24 hour soak in Purple Power (and then a scrub under running water) to clean mold-release residue off of cast resin kit parts.

I'm assuming he knows his stuff.

On a related topic, is Purple Power safe to use on polystyrene? ABS? Are there any plastics it's definitely not safe to use on?

And before I go uncapping the jug in my apartment and seeing sinister fumes in the shape of a skull and crossbones escape, how toxic is this stuff? I heard the fumes can be nasty. Should I be doing this outside?

Thanks for the help


-Mike J.

I've read of people using it on Resin kits and styrene models to remove old paint.
I a few cases it seemed to soften or dissolve the resin some.

It would probably be good to test it on a piece before committing the whole thing.
You probably don't really need it to sit that long if your just cleaning the grease off of it.

D6
p.s. wear gloves and goggles.
I had some Super Clean get into a glove and lost some feeling on a few fingers for a couple days.

This is the same as "super clean" we use it all the time at the garage i work at to clean the floors, if I were using it on models id deffinetly do a 50/50 water/cleaner mix. As far as fumes go, it doesn't really have any but if you have it in a spray bottle look out for the mist when you spray it. Makes you cough pretty bad.

I always thought that a good soak in some warm soapy detergent water and scrubbing w/an old tooth brush was enough to do a general cleaning of resin & commercial plastic kits.

Sith Sheriff Brody said:

Michael Fichtenmayer recommends a 24 hour soak in Purple Power (and then a scrub under running water) to clean mold-release residue off of cast resin kit parts.

I'm assuming he knows his stuff.

On a related topic, is Purple Power safe to use on polystyrene? ABS? Are there any plastics it's definitely not safe to use on?

And before I go uncapping the jug in my apartment and seeing sinister fumes in the shape of a skull and crossbones escape, how toxic is this stuff? I heard the fumes can be nasty. Should I be doing this outside?

Thanks for the help
-Mike J.

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Purple power is a driveway claner. Now if you go around believing that everythig in a jug will kill you and dissolve your flesh then dont use it, but in the same note dont ever use clothing detergent, either becaues it will kill you and dissolve your flesh just as well as purple power or other similar products. Use just a bit of common sense and wear gloves and dont splash it in your eyes. its a detergent and once it gets on your skin your going to have really slippery fingers. With that said:

I use purple power as a soak for all my resin parts, either those I cast or those purchased from suppliers. some asian companies' resin tends to turn purple on the surface but that does not affect how the paint adheres.
just make sure to thoroughly rinse the parts when you are done so none is left on the surface. oh and dont forget about th eparts you put in there, resin will sometimes dissolve (had that happen after a few weeks of forgetting it was in there! )
I have the same jug, been using it for a couple years now and lose very little, i just pour it back in the jug when I am done.

I use simple green to clean my parts. It is non-toxic.

Scott

vaderman1701 said:

I use simple green to clean my parts. It is non-toxic.

Scott

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Same here. In my experience undiluted Simple Green and some good scrubbing with an old toothbrush will generally remove any mold release agent; far less hazardous and won't damage the material whether it's styrene, resin, or vinyl.

This is the first I've heard of modelers using Purple Power to remove mold release, and I've been building kits for 40 years. Most modelers use it for removing paint from old or pre-painted models and statues, and for removing chrome plating from styrene parts. But, hey, if it works, it works.