What to use for cleanup after using ZAR stripper

[Howie]

I've just finished using the new ZAR Heavy Duty Strength Paint And Varnish Remover paste. This is the eco friendly stuff. It worked ok - though I found I needed to let it work for 45 to 90 minutes out of the sun. Plus adding more as it worked to ensure the wood was always covered.

I cleaned up afterward with TSP & hot water. But I noted that the ZAR goop looked like it curdled when scrubbed with the TSP solution. That wasn't what I had expected to see. I followed the TSP scrub with a thorough water spray, and it was necessary to use a heavy directed spray to get rid of the curdled stuff.

This 'curdled goop' resction is making me wonder if maybe TSP isn't the best cleanup for this product. The label on the ZAR jug says cleanup is with soap & water. But what kind of soap? There's no 1-800 on the bottle to call....

Anybody use this ZAR stuff before? What did you use to clean up the wood afterwards?

 

[MGC]

Howie, I haven't used the noted ZAR but I'm wondering if using hot water with the TSP might have been problematic?
Personally, I would avoid soap for cleanup and move on to cleaning out the hull with TeakNu. TekeNu always does a great job of lifting out crud and slime that was not noticeable after a TSP bath.
Are you ready for that Veazie? I think we can get to it in a couple weeks. The IG is underneath the 20 footer and will need to wait until June when that one comes out.

 

[Howie]

Hmmm... Hadn't though of that. I've always used hot water with TSP with the assumption that hot = more reactive. O - the solution is hot only when I start using it. By the time I need to make a new batch the water is cold and I still see curdling.

Yesterday I used ZAR to touch-up some remaining spots and cleaned up with hot water + Pinesol (pine scented cedar!). Can't say I saw an improvement, but then I didn't use as much ZAR. So I'm still looking for a 'solution'. Small pun.

The next warmish day I'll wash with Messmer's Part A & B to clean & whiten.

And sure, I'm ready to get the canoe(s) any time you want. I've even registered the trailer for 2022! What's convenient for you?: meet here and take one car+trailer? Time it right and I'll treat you to breakfast or lunch!

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

So why not just follow the directions and try soap and water, rather than introduce other chemicals into the mix? Get a bottle of Dawn, which is pretty mild but often does a great job of removing stuff and generally washes off nicely.

 

[Howie]

Ok... Good idea. Still have some work to do on the thwarts so I'll gave it a try. I was kinda hoping that someone out had already used this stuff and found a good solution.

I should explain more I guess. This ZAR stuff apparently needs to go on thick - like there's 1/16" of slime on all the wood. At least that's how I used it - otherwise it seems to dry out and you get little 'stripping' action. And when it comes time to remove it an hour later I use a semi-rigid open pore abrasive scrubber. So this leaves me with two problems: I have to get all the goop out of my scrubber as well as off the wood. So there's a lot of cleanup. And I just don't see Dawn being strong enough to get the goop out of my scrubber. At least with TSP the goop curdles and drops out of my scrubber if I swirl it around enough. I guess what it comes down to is that I just don't see this ZAR stuff being very water soluble. Maybe the trick is to get 99% of the goop off the wood as best you can THEN use TSP or Dawn or something to clean the wood properly.

 

[MGC]

And sure, I'm ready to get the canoe(s) any time you want. I've even registered the trailer for 2022! What's convenient for you?: meet here and take one car+trailer? Time it right and I'll treat you to breakfast or lunch!

I'll shoot you an email. I reached out to my buddy to see if we can get into the upper loft of his barn to pull some canoes out. I'm thinking all he needs to move is a boat and a car....unless he acquired more treasures.
We'll stop at Brians for a bite.

 

[Howie]

So I ZAR'd up three thwarts, and after waiting an hour I used my abrasive pad to clear away the goop. Instead of Dawn for the cleanup I used a few squirts of liquid soap in hot water. It seemed to work just fine! Admittedly the thwarts were mostly stripped already and just needed some spots touched up so there wasn't a ton of goop to get rid of, but I saw no 'curdling' and the scrubber cleaned out just fine.

So I know some wise guy out there will be thinking that when in doubt just follow the manufacturer's directions. But honestly, I didn't know that TSP and liquid hand soap would act so differently.

So I'll give the canoe a nice liquid soapy scrub in hopes it'll get rid of any goop TSP left behind. But should I varnish after this soapy bath & hose rinse?, or should follow up with a TSP bath like I always have in the past? Or should I forego the TSP and instead use some wood cleaner like my Messmer's Part A&B or TeakNu as Mike suggests? Any chemists out there?

O - here's what we're talking about: a 1914 17' OT HW.

 

[Howie]

Did a little more work stripping a short piece of rib. Liquid soap was ineffective at getting the goop out of my scouring pad. I'm back to using TSP for cleanup.