How To Clean Sticky Resin

Learning how to clean epoxy resin tools and cups is not only a great way to save money, but it's also a thoughtful way to reduce the amount of waste you produce when making resin art, jewelry and crafts. Here's how I like to clean my resin tools and supplies to reuse them again:

Step 1

Wipe off solid surfaces with a paper towel. Clean up as much as you possibly can while the resin is still wet. Once it gets sticky and starts to cure, the paper towel will stick to the resin.

Step 2

Clean the surface with a solvent like denatured alcohol or acetone. This will remove remaining residue. Safety tip: Wear nitrile gloves when doing this to prevent a skin irritation.

Step 3

Wash your cups and tools with quality soap and water. Flip upside and allow to dry on a towel.

You can see how easy it is to clean epoxy resin from plastic cups here:

Other ways to clean resin tools

resin skin from silicone cup

When cleaning silicone items, you can simply let the resin cure, then peel it off the silicone surface once hardened.

For plastic mixing cups, you can let the resin cure, then flex the cup. You will be able to peel a skin out of the resin cup. This is easier if you leave something like a toothpick or wooden stir stick in the cup to use as leverage.

Cleaning foam brushes doesn't work well. Unfortunately, for your sanity, it's best just to throw them away.

What else should you know about how to clean epoxy resin tools and cups?

If you have more than just a 'little bit of resin' leftover in your cup, be sure you dispose of it properly. This article details more: How to dispose of resin. If you find you are regularly mixing more resin than you use, this article will help: How much resin do I need?

Should you get resin on your hands during this process, do not use solvents like acetone and alcohol to clean them. Instead, use a baby wipe to remove as much residue as possible. Then, use a good quality soap to wash your hands. If they are still sticky, a pumice soap should clean your hands of any remaining resin residue.

What other questions do you have on how to clean epoxy resin tools and cups?

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