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Proper Rubber Roller Cleaners

EPDM and Buna-Nitrile

Have an EPDM rubber roller? Wondering what are some methods and cleaners you can use to safely clean a nip roller? Tint sleeve? Doctor roller? Meter roller? Well, look no further!

CTS Industries and RollerTec, Inc. are here to help. The best thing you can do for rubber roller cleaning is to clean and wipe down each roller at the end of every day, after each use. This will help remove any ink or dirt build-up before it has a chance to dry and prevent clinging particles on the surface of the rubber roller. Certain considerations need to be made when cleaning the rubber rollers, however. You need to make sure you know the material blend and hardness before proceeding. There are several different types of rubber compounds and cleaners used to service them. Using certain chemicals can be considered hazardous to use on the rubber roller’s surface. Make sure to verify each cleaner with your vendor or rubber roller supplier before cleaning the surface area. EPDM and Buna-Nitrile (BN) materials are among the most common materials. Other blends include silicon and silicon blend. Our sister company, RollerTec, Inc., can do several different blends in terms of materials. If you require additional information, or would like to contact us about our products, please contact us. It is extremely critical to clean the rollers after every run. The longer you wait to clean your roller, the more vulnerable it becomes to problems.

Proper Care of Rubber.

Proper Care of Rubber. High temperature is extremely detrimental to rubber, regardless of the type of rubber composition. It is best to prevent any sort of rapid heating while using rubber rolls. You should also avoid rapid heating because the bonding adhesive usually has a low heart tolerance. The bonding adhesive typically has less resistance than even the rubber roller itself.

To avoid damaging your rubber rollers, you also need to store them properly. While storing a rubber roll, you must hold the shafts and stand them upright, so the rubber does not touch any other materials. Keep in mind that the rubber rollers can be harmed by UV radiation. Make sure that you store your rubber rollers in a dark place for protection.

During regular maintenance checks, you need to pay special attention to several roller parts. For example, the bears, shafts (or journals), and gears. Make sure to keep a sharp eye out for: Worn-out looking bearings, misaligned bearings, overloaded gears, faulty gears, unbalanced rollers, and deflected rollers.

MEK.

Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is a colorless liquid that has a sweet odor and is soluble in water.  MEK is also known be several other names throughout the world today. The first use of the solvent was between the 1900-1905. It is a highly volatile chemical that is used in industry, in textile, plastic, and wax manufacture, and in the lab, as a cleaning and degreasing agent. Its properties are like those of acetone, but it boils at a higher temperature and evaporates more slowly. Both MEK and Acetone can used for cleaning interchangeably. Make sure to ask your supplier or vendor for help on selecting cleaners if needed.

Mineral Spirits.

A mixture of aliphatic, open-chain or alicyclic C7 to C12 hydrocarbons, white spirit is insoluble in water and is an excellent cleaner and degreaser. It can also be used as a solvent for a variety of applications such as aerosols, paints, wood preservatives, lacquers, varnishes, and asphalt products. Mineral spirits are a great option for harder substances. WD-40 can be safe with cleaning silicon and silicone blend rubber rollers. Always verify what cleaners work best for you and your situation before proceeding, especially when it comes to silicon. Using cleaners incorrectly can lead to irreversible and permanent damage to your rubber rollers.  (UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME, 2020)

White Mineral Spirits.

“In western Europe about 60% of the total white spirit consumption is used in paints, lacquers and varnishes.[1] White spirit is the most widely used solvent in the paint industry. In households, white spirit is commonly used to clean paint brushes after use, to clean auto parts and tools, as a starter fluid for charcoal grills, to remove adhesive residue from non-porous surfaces, and many other common tasks.”  (Wikipedia, 2020)

Health and safety. White spirit is mainly classed as an irritant. It has a low acute toxicity by inhalation of the vapor, dermal (touching the skin) and oral (ingestion) routes. However, acute exposure can lead to central nervous system depression resulting in lack of coordination and slowed reactions. Exposure to very high concentrations in enclosed spaces can lead to general narcotic effects (drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, etc.) (STODDARD SOLVENT, 20) and can eventually lead to unconsciousness. Oral ingestion presents a high aspiration hazard. Prolonged or repeated skin exposure over a long period of time can result in severe irritant dermatitis, also called contact dermatitis.[2] (CDC, 20)

Works Cited

CDC. (20, May 22). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0569.html

Recochem Inc. (2020, 5 22). Diggers Mineral Turpentine . Retrieved from Recochem Inc: http://www.recochem.com.au/files/downloads/Cons_Mineral_Turpentine_Low_Odour_PDS_Apr11.pdf

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME. (2020, May 22). Inchem.org. Retrieved from INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY: http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc187.htm

Wikipedia. (2020, 5 22). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spirit. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_spirit