canopy cleaning

[mwilli7119]

There was a thread here or on another site a while back about canopy cleaning. I can't find it. So I appoligize but I have to ask this question.

I am trying to clean the canopy of my Varieze project. It has had the "spraylat" (is that right?) on it since 1976 or 77. Also, there is some duct tape stuck directly on the canopy right along the edge. That has been there for nearly 30 years as well. When it comes off it leaves most of the dried out adhesive.

As you can imagine, it is quite a mess.

I have been told to get another spraylat kit and it may bond to the first.  Any other suggestions? Also, what do I  clean the canopy with normally? I don't want to craze it.

[Anonymous]

I used spray on Goof-Off from Home Depot. Worked great, did not harm the Plexi.

Test it first on a small area!

Micro-Mesh seems to be the best product for scratches. See Wicks or Spruce.

[Steve Zeafla]

I use a high quality carnuba wax on my vari- it's just the right amount of abrasive(veri small amount) to eliminate light scratches, and leaves the canopy shiny and vari- transparant.

[steve zeafla]

Just don"t fuel up until the static on the canopy has dissipated

[pushyhog]

wipe over and over and over with soap and water.i use dishwash liquid! then wipe in again the next day. spraylay can be bought in spruce catalog if need more. back in old days they came with paper on-em,my mentor told me to throw it in the lake for a while and then clean it. soap and water is great,takes along time.

[B- Dog]

I'm in the same boat. the film has been on my canopy almost 20 years. purchased a can of Goof Off and called cust service. they said NOT to use it on plexi glass. It will burn it and attack the mateial. I do have a lake close by.

[Anonymous]

I posted the original message about using Goof-Off.

I used the spray-on kind and a lot of it. Did not have any visiable effect on the canopy. It did allow me to remove the spraylat in sheets.

The spray-lat had been on many years and water would not do anything to it.

I assume my canopy is the same as everyone's but you never know.

[Glider pilot]

I have used Goof off for many years on plexi glass (Acrylic plastic) and have not  seen any problems, but do not use it on Lexan ( polycarbonate plastic ) it will desolve it big time. Many people confuse the two as they are both used for windows. most of the aircraft canopies on our eze's are Acrylic but some have been made of lexan. The big jets use lexan.