Plastic film won't come off tub?!?

WJKovacks

Hoping someone out there has encountered this before and has a solution better than "it's going to suck".

I've installed an acrylic tub which has a clear protective film over it, but that sucker just doesn't want to come off. Sections off it have come off, but the rest just rips in little pieces or won't come up at all. Finger nails don't cut it. I actually made a little scraper out of maple to help.

So, is there a trick to get it to release? Or is it just going to suck getting it off?

Thanks in advance.

Lightfoot

You might try heating the plastic with a heat gun or hair dryer. It may help, it may not, but it's worth a try.

Mike Swearingen

If heating it doesn't do it, try WD-40, which as you may know is actually a solvent, not a lubricant. I know that WD works well for removing new window stickers for instance. It may work for this too.
Good Luck!
Mike

WJKovacks

WD40 won't affect acrylic either - right? Gotta confirm that

AllanJ

A wood scraper can scratch an acrylic tub surface.

The plastic film probably got stale after the tub sat unsold in a warehouse or stockroom for a long time.

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boman47k

Hmm, don't know. Filling it with soapy hot water may do the trick for the areas that get submerged. If you try it, and it makes the plastic turn loose, do not let pieces of plastic clog the drain.

I think I would be careful with the heat from a hair dryer or heat gun on the tub.

WJKovacks

Went back to the place where I bought the tub and asked the installation guys. They said a hairdryer should do it but nothing hotter. I would never try a heat gun with an acrylic tub. I'll try later and update the post to let you know if it worked or not.

Homerepairguy

A bathtub is such a huge hassle to replace if anything goes wrong. I would contact the manufacturer of the tub and get their official recommendation on how to remove the film.

HRG

WJKovacks

Filled the tub with hot water and that took all the film on the inside off no problems. Hair dryer works on the outside, but it's slow going. Still, it is going.

boman47k

Thanks for the update.

Might be worth a shot to drape a warm moist towel over the parts you can to to loosen the plastic.

WJKovacks

I was thinking of a hot wet towel or even a heating pad on low (although not at the same time as I'm not into potential electrocution).

boman47k

Not into much of anything electrical around a bath tub/shower. I just don't like the idea of maybe touching a faucet anything electrical.