Cleanng 3M Controltac Decorated Graphc Vnyl Awnng Flmand Sgn Facngs Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I, Effectve March 2017 (replaces H, Oct 03) These cleanng nstructons are furnshed as a gude. The end-user bears the ultmate responsblty for care of the vnyl awnng and sgn faces applcatons, whch ncludes the mantenance requred to mantan your warranty. 3M does not assume any responsblty for damages to vnyl awnngs and sgn faces caused by mantenance efforts on the part of the end-user or the lack of such mantenance. For complete nformaton on the Effectve Performance Lfe and the 3M Warranty and Lmted Remedy, refer to the specfc Product Bulletns for the vnyl awnng and sgn facng materals and flms used. General Precautons Quck Lnks 3M Graphcs Warrantes Techncal Informaton Selector Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Vdeos Some of these lnks lead to web-based resources that are not product-specfc.! CAUTION When handlng any chemcal products, read the manufacturer s contaner labels and the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for mportant health, safety and envronmental nformaton. To obtan SDS sheets for 3M products go to 3M.com/SDS, or by mal or n case of an emergency, call 1-800-364-3577 or 1-651-737-6501.! CAUTION Wear approprate protectve clothng, as recommended by the cleanng products manufacturers, to avod exposure to the cleanng materals. Provde adequate and approprate safety equpment for the workers, accordng to your local safety codes.! CAUTION When usng any equpment, always follow the manufacturer s nstructons for safe operaton. Ensure that any cleaner other than those specfcally recommended n ths bulletn meets these requrements lsted below when t s appled to sgnage at cleanng strength. - n-abrasve - For use on hgh-qualty panted surfaces - Nether hghly acdc (less than ph 3) nor hghly alkalne (greater than ph 11) - Free of strong aromatc solvents, chlornated solvents and ketones, such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone Do not excessvely wpe or rub the front of decorated surfaces when cleanng. Stans that penetrate the decoratons and the substrate cannot be removed. If solng s stll notceable after cleanng the outsde of the face, you may need to clean the back sde as well. For graphcs appled to the back sde of a rgd substrate, use the recommendatons suppled by the substrate manufacturer. There are four cleanng methods for graphcs appled to the front of the substrate. Use the method specfed for the type of contamnants that have soled your graphc. Pressure Washng Pressure washng IS NOT WARRANTED. The abrasve effects of ths type of washng may damage or abrade the sgn faces and decoratons and cause flm to lft. Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I
Cleanng 3M Graphcs Decorated Warrantes Vnyl Awnng and Sgn Facngs Ar Qualty Regulatons State Volatle Organc Compound (VOC) regulatons may restrct or prohbt the use of certan cleanng chemcals contanng VOCs. Check wth your state envronmental or ar qualty authortes to determne whether use of the selected cleanng soluton may be restrcted or prohbted. Cleanng Frequency Vnyl sgns and awnngs should be cleaned at least once a year. Cleanng s easy and t helps mantan the luster, brght color, and the overall sharp appearance so your vnyl awnng or sgn facng looks good for many years. Drt and dust accumulates slowly on sgns and the day-to-day change may not be notced. However, the change n color, vsual appearance, and the loss of sgn brghtness from ths accumulaton can become sgnfcant n a relatvely short tme. Contamnants may also cause premature wear and stanng of the product. Sgns and vnyl awnngs located n areas wth heavy atmospherc polluton such as n dense ndustral areas, or areas of heavy pollen and nsects, may requre cleanng at least four tmes a year. Tools Water, hose and spray nozzle Lghtweght, rgd, extendable pole or handle Scotch-Brte cleanng pad 8440, sponge, or a fresh, clean soft cotton cloth or mop 3M Doodlebug swvel-type holder for cleanng pad 8440 or other sponge, cloth, or mop head holder Soft, nylon-brstled brush Clean, 5-gallon bucket Scaffoldng, ladders or lfts, as approprate NBR Ntrle gloves Eye protecton Cleanng Methods Recommended Cleanng Methods Standard products may be cleaned wth any of the cleanng methods lsted below. For contamnants not lsted n ths chart, refer to: Removng Specfc Types of Contamnaton on page 7. Cleanng Graphc Protecton System (GPS) Products on page 8. Use... If the contamnants are... Ths method uses ths product(s) Product Descrpton and SDS Informaton Method 1 General drt and dust Water and mld detergent solutons Mld lqud detergent Method 2 Exhaust polluton 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser Method 3 Greasy exhaust polluton Smple Green Clorox Soft Scrub Cleanser Regular ARS Unversal Vnyl Sealer 12 1 38050: 1 gallon; 38051: 5 gallon SDS: contact 3M at 1-800-364-0768 or www.3m.com, then select SDS. Avalable from home buldng stores and dscount stores. SDS: contact 1-800-228-0709 or www.smplegreen.com SDS: contact Clorox Consumer Servces, P.O. Box 24305, Oakland, CA 94623 SDS: contact Awnng Rejuvenaton Systems Internatonal, 6732 N.W. 20th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309 Phone: 954-970-7512. 2 Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I
Cleanng 3M Controltac Decorated Graphc Vnyl Awnng Flmand Sgn Facngs Use... If the contamnants are... Ths method uses ths product(s) Product Descrpton and SDS Informaton Method 4 Especally dffcult exhaust, grease stans, ol Coastal Power Clean Drveway Cleaner and stan remover ARS Unversal Vnyl Sealer 12 1 SDS: contact Coastal Unlube, 9 Greenway Plaza, Houston, TX 77046 Phone: 901-525-2300. SDS: see nformaton above. Adhesve 3M Ctrus Base Cleaner SDS: contact 3M at 1-800-364-0768 or www.3m.com, then select SDS. Blushng or bloomng Mneral sprts SDS: Refer to manufacturer s contaner nformaton. Specal Cleanng Grafft Maskng tape Mneral sprts or Naphtha 3M Ctrus Base Cleaner SDS: Refer to manufacturer s contaner nformaton. SDS: contact 3M at 1-800-364-0768 or www.3m.com, then select SDS. Oly contamnants such as drt wth grease, desel smut, road flm 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser Mneral sprts 38050: 1 gallon; 38051: 5 gallon SDS: contact 3M at 1-800-364-0768 or www.3m.com, then select SDS. SDS: Refer to manufacturer s contaner nformaton. 1 Ths s a fnshng product that s appled after cleanng. Cleanng Method 1 Detergent and Water 1. Follow the lqud detergent manufacturer s drectons for mxng and usng the water and detergent. If possble, use warm water to enhance the cleanng process. Use a suffcent amount of detergent for good cleanng; too much dluton reduces the cleanng effcency. 2. Wearng rubber gloves and other protectve clothng as recommended by the manufacturer, apply the cleanng soluton wth one of the recommended pads or cloths. 3. Rnse the cleaned area wth warm to cold, flowng water whle contnung to rub wth a whte cleanng pad 8440. 4. Rnse the cleaned area thoroughly. 5. Do not allow the soluton to dry on the sgn face. Rnse the area thoroughly wthn 20 mnutes. Cleanng Method 2 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser Naturally occurrng alumnum oxdaton may be ncreased when cleanng the substrate wth 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser. We recommend thorough rnsng mmedately after cleanng to mnmze oxdaton. 1. Determne the concentraton of 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser cleaner needed to remove drt deposts. a. Mx a soluton of 4 parts water to 1 part 3M cleaner. If possble, use warm water to enhance the cleanng process. b. Test clean a small area of the drtest porton of the surface. c. Apply the cleanng soluton to the test area and let t reman on the surface for up to 15 mnutes whle rubbng wth a whte Scotch-Brte cleanng pad 8440 to loosen the drt. d. Rnse the cleaned area wth warm to cold flowng water whle contnung to rub wth the pad. 2. Increase the proporton of the 3M cleaner f needed for thorough cleanng. When the correct water and 3M cleaner s determned, mx a larger porton n a clean bucket as recommended. te: The 3M cleaner may be used undluted f necessary. Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I 3
Cleanng 3M Graphcs Decorated Warrantes Vnyl Awnng and Sgn Facngs 3. Wear rubber gloves and other protectve clothng a recommended by the approprate 3M SDS sheet. Dp a cleanng pad nto the soluton untl t s well saturated; do not wrng t out. 4. Wash and lghtly scrub approxmately a 9 square foot (1 m 2 ) secton of the sgn face for 5 to 10 mnutes, usng the pad to keep the area wet at all tmes. te: Clean a smaller area f you are unable to keep the sgn face wet at all tmes. 5. Do not allow the soluton to dry on the sgn face. Rnse the area thoroughly wthn 20 mnutes. te: Cleanng soluton left on the substrate may cause any whte areas to yellow. Yellowng s not removable and s not covered by the 3M warranty. In addton, the dred cleanng soluton leaves a chalky, whte resdue on the sgn face. 6. Repeat on adjacent areas untl the entre sgn face has been cleaned. Cleanng Method 3 Do not clean awnngs and sgn facngs when t s ranng. To be effectve, cleanng solutons must not be dluted by ran so that t can fully saturate the area before scrubbng. Water Mxed wth Smple Green or Clorox Soft Scrub Cleanser Regular Smple Green s not generally effectve at temperatures below 60 F (16 C). 1. Prepare a soluton of one part Smple Green wth one part warm water. Do not pre-wet the vnyl-awnng materal to be cleaned. 2. Apply the cleanng soluton to a relatvely small secton (2 to 3 square yards) of the vnyl awnng to be cleaned. Use a large capacty spray contaner. See Fgure 1. Keep the area you are cleanng thoroughly wet wth cleanng soluton untl you rnse the area. Fgure 1. Applyng Cleanng Soluton 3. Allow the soluton to stand for 1-2 mnutes on the vnyl awnng to completely saturate the area. 4 Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I
Cleanng 3M Controltac Decorated Graphc Vnyl Awnng Flmand Sgn Facngs 4. Usng a soft, nylon-brstled brush, brush the area vgorously untl the drt and grme are loosened, keepng the area wet wth cleanng soluton. See Fgure 2. Fgure 2. Scrubbng the Vnyl Awnng 5. Rnse wth plenty of clear water to remove the cleaner resdue and accumulated drt and grme. See Fgure 3. Fgure 3. Rnsng the Vnyl Awnng 6. For extremely stubborn stan areas, apply Soft Scrub n small quanttes to the affected area and repeat steps 4 and 5. See Fgure 4. Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I 5
Cleanng 3M Graphcs Decorated Warrantes Vnyl Awnng and Sgn Facngs 7. Repeat the process on adjacent vnyl awnng areas untl entre sgn facng has been cleaned. Apply a Protectve Coatng Fgure 4. Cleanng Extremely Stubborn Stans ARS Vnyl Sealer 12 should be used to restore luster and serve as a protectve coatng. Total usage of vnyl sealer s approxmately 1/3 to 1/2 gallon per 1000 square feet of vnyl awnng. 1. Allow the awnng to completely dry. 2. Prepare a cloth coverng over one of the pads or brushes that has not been used and s dry. See Fgure 5. Fgure 5. Coverng a Dry Brush 3. Fgure 6 shows how the brush looks when covered. 4. Apply ARS Vnyl Sealer 12. Fgure 6. Example of a Covered Brush 6 Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I
Cleanng 3M Controltac Decorated Graphc Vnyl Awnng Flmand Sgn Facngs How to Apply ARS Vnyl Sealer 12 1. Pour a small quantty of the sealer nto a flat pan. 2. Soak the cloth-wrapped brush n the sealer just enough to keep the cloth most and allow the sealer to spread evenly. 3. Wpe the brush on the edge of the pan to help avod drps. 4. Apply wth long, smooth strokes. See Fgure 7. 5. Allow to dry. Fgure 7. Applyng the Sealer Cleanng Method 4 Coastal Power Clean Drveway Cleaner and Stan Remover Use ths materal for very dffcult vnyl-awnng drt, composed of sgnfcant partculate matter and oly exhaust resdue. Coastal Power Clean Drveway Cleaner may be used at temperatures as low as about 55 F (13 C), but best results are obtaned when used at temperatures above 70 F (21 C). 1. Use ths cleaner full strength and apply t wth a large capacty spray contaner. 2. Follow the procedures n Cleanng Method 3. 3. Fnally, apply ARS Vnyl Sealer 12 as descrbed n How to Apply ARS Vnyl Sealer 12. Removng Specfc Types of Contamnaton! CAUTION Before handlng any chemcal products, always read the contaner label and SDS. Some specfc types of contamnaton requre specal cleanng chemcals or methods. Always test a small, hdden area of the sgn face or vnyl awnng before the entre area usng any of these methods. Blushng or Bloomng Ths oly surface contamnaton, usually colorless and greasy to the touch, may be removed by wpng the surface wth mneral sprts. Removng Adhesves 1. 3M Ctrus Base Cleaner may be used sparngly to remove adhesve on most decorated or non-decorated sgn faces. Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I 7
Cleanng 3M Graphcs Decorated Warrantes Vnyl Awnng and Sgn Facngs 2. Wpe off all cleaner resdue mmedately from the sgn face. 3. Thoroughly wash the sgn face wth Cleanng Method 1 to remove all traces of the cleaner. Do not leave the cleaner on the decoratons for more than 10 mnutes f the decoratons are made wth flm havng pressure-senstve adhesve; longer exposure softens the flm s adhesve. Removng Maskng Tape 1. Use 3M Ctrus Base Cleaner. Allow to soak nto maskng tape adhesve, then remove wth a rag. Repeat as needed untl all resdue s removed. 2. Wpe off all cleaner resdue mmedately and the sgn face. 3. Thoroughly wash the sgn face wth Cleanng Method 1 to remove all traces of the cleaner. Cleanng Oly Contamnants If hgh levels of drt wth grease, desel smut or road flm are present, use a stronger soluton of 3M All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser or other smlar product. Removng Grafft It s dffcult to remove grafft from flexble vnyl sgn facng and standard 3M Scotchcal Graphcs Flms. Test clean a non-vsble area usng mneral sprts or naphtha sparngly. Cleanng Graphc Protecton System (GPS) Products Recommended Cleanng Methods GPS products, as lsted below, may be cleaned wth any of the four general cleanng methods lsted above. 3M Scotchcal Gloss Overlamnate 3658G 3M Scotchcal Matte Overlamnate 3660M Cleanng Frequency Clean at least once per year to remove the accumulaton of natural and envronmental drt, grease and grme. Pressure Washng Pressure washng IS NOT WARRANTED. The abrasve effects of ths type of washng may damage or abrade the sgn faces and decoratons. Removng Grafft and Pant Splls The followng solvents are recommended only for normal cleanng procedures to remove grafft and pant splls. Regular and prolonged exposure due to soakng and/or aggressve scrubbng s not recommended or warranted and may reduce the lfe and durablty of the product. 3M cannot warrant that every form of grafft can be removed wth ths lst of solvents, due to broad varety and types of grafft. 8 Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I
Cleanng 3M Controltac Decorated Graphc Vnyl Awnng Flmand Sgn Facngs Resstance to Solvents Solvent Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) Methyl sobutyl ketone (MIBK) D-sobutyl ketone (DIBK) Ethyl acetate PM acetate Toluene Xylene VM&P naptha Mneral Sprts Methyl alcohol Ethyl alcohol Isopropyl alcohol Ammona Gasolne Desel Fuel Lacquer thnner Resstant to Solvent? 3658G 3660M Slght Warranty and Lmted Remedy The nformaton contaned and technques descrbed heren are beleved to be relable, but 3M makes no warrantes, express or mpled, ncludng but not lmted to any mpled warranty of merchantablty or ftness for a partcular purpose. 3M shall not be lable for any loss or damages, whether drect, ndrect, specal, ncdental or consequental, n any way related to the technques or nformaton descrbed heren. Bulletn Change Summary For the most current 3M Techncal Informaton avalable to successfully use ths product, please vew ths Bulletn electroncally and clck on the blue underlned lnks to vew the relevant documents. Please read the entre Bulletn thoroughly. Release I March-2017: Removed Part B: Reparng Awnngs and Sgn Faces and created new Instructon Bulletn 6.2 wth ths content. Instructon Bulletn 6.1 Release I 9
Cleanng 3M Graphcs Controltac Decorated Warrantes Graphc Vnyl Awnng Flmand Sgn Facngs Commercal Solutons 3M Center Buldng 220 12E-04 St. Paul, MN 55144 1000 Phone 1 800 328-3908 Web 3M.com/Graphcs 3M, Scotchcal, Scotch-Brte and Doodlebug are trademarks of 3M. All other trademarks are the property of ther respectve owners. 3M 2017. All rghts reserved. Please recycle.