[makedoandmend]

Folks,

I have been given an 8' x 6' greenhouse -complete, but I am having great difficulty removing silicone, decorating caulk and all sorts of other goo that has been used to hold glass in.

I know it's a long shot, but has anyone any suggestions as to how I can clean it up with more efficacy? I've done the powerwashing and my fingers are sore with picking and scrubbing!

Thanks

[Trillium]

I have an older chisel that I keep for scraping off caulk and silicone. The wedged edge is perfect for getting under the silicone to scrape off most, same with caulk. Some paint thinner or turps on a bit of cloth should remove the remaining film, or at least loosen it more for further scraping.

If you don't have a chisel, it would be worth buying a cheap one as I use it for many other jobs, like scraping off slopped paint, trimming window putty, etc.

[Plottered]

theres a solvent available for dissolving silicone which worked for me when i re-tiled the bathroom, sorry but i cant remember what it was called but got it from been and queued.

[compostqueen]

You have my sympathy as I did this with some delapidated greenhouses which had disappeared under years of undergrowth and getting out all the gunk and brambles which had twined themselves in and around the frame was a long and painstaking job. I ended up burning my face with Jeyes Fluid which I allowed to drip onto me as I was cleaning, so do take care, unlike me    I had a purple streaked face for a week! 

I find that nail varnish remover dissolved the silicone somewhat    You can get a proper remover liquid from SCREWFIX apparently.

Good luck

[Lardman]

Silicone Eater is frankly useless.  The chemicals out there sold to remove it seem to only remove a very thin film.

If its Flexible goo I find a large semi flexible knife ( cheap 7" kitchen knife) the best thing to cut chunks away. You might then see if a little petrol softens whats left.

[Kleftiwallah]

Once a skin of corrosion (patina) ?  has formed on aluminium it prevents futher corrosion from forming so by cleaning this off you will only cause more to form.  I would stop at a good washdown.  Cheers,   Tony

[N.WalesIdealist]

A Stanley knife blade to slice off as much as you can, flush with the surface then drag it down the slots through the remaining silicone and sort of leaver it out bit by bit.  It can be a * of a job, but well worth doing.

One word of advice, avoid using a wire brush, an aluminium frame forms a layer of aluminium oxide over time which forms a natural barrier to corrosion so you'll want to leave this as intact as possible!

[compostqueen]

I treated myself to an extendable window cleaner from B*ett**re yesterday as my greenhouse is surrounded by soil instead of paths so I have nowhere secure to fix a ladder to clean the glass.  It worked a treat and I now have lovely clean glass and even the hard to reach lights are clear of bird muck and detritus.  I plan to lay slabs around them to make life easier for me