- 1). Work on one tile at a time. Be sure that you are wearing goggles to protect your eyes from splatter.
- 2). Pour varnish remover into a metal paint tray. Do not use a plastic tray, as the varnish remover will melt the plastic.
- 3). Apply a layer of the varnish remover to the tile with a clean paint brush. The varnish remover should be 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch thick to work properly.
- 4). Wait 20 seconds for the varnish remover to do its work.
- 5). Determine the method required to remove the sealant.
- 1). Remove water-based acrylic sealant by scraping the varnish and sealant off the tile with a metal paint scraper. When varnish remover is spread over water-based acrylic sealant, the result is a gel-like substance.
- 2). Clean up petroleum-based acrylics with a clean terry cloth. Petroleum-based acrylics dissolve when varnish remover is applied. Discard the terry cloths when you are done.
- 3). Scrape petroleum-based urethanes and alkyds away from the tile with a metal paint scraper. When you apply varnish remover to these sealants, the sealant will blister and peel, and then become a powdery substance.
- 1). Put all of the debris from the sealant-removal process in a metal waste container. When it has dried completely, discard it with your regular garbage.
- 2). Dampen a cloth with lacquer thinner. Wipe each tile after removing the sealant and varnish remover. If light spots remain on the tile, scrub them with the cloth.
- 3). Sweep away any leftover debris and mop the floor completely. Use a solution of 2 to 4 ounces of tile-and-stone cleaner mixed with 1 gallon of water. Make sure the floor is completely dry before you apply a new layer of sealant.
Applying the Remover
Individual Sealants
Clean Up
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