Hey guys, soon I’m gonna be rehauling & repainting a TOTS Halloween Kills mask, but I heard that it’s a good idea to clean & disinfect the mask prior to painting to remove any dirt, oils or bacteria stuck to the surface so that the paint will adhere to the mask better. I also heard that bacteria is especially a concern since over time it will slowly eat away at the latex like a fungus (apparently).
My question is what should I use to clean & disinfect the mask prior to painting? Should I use warm water & dish soap? Should I use something stronger like rubbing alcohol or would that ruin the latex? Should I use something like antibacterial disinfectant wipes or would that leave behind a sticky residue? Etc.
Any tips or advice on how to clean & disinfect the mask prior to painting?
Thanks.
Personally I wouldn’t worry about disinfecting the latex as much as prepping the surface for paint. Rubbing alcohol will help remove any oils from the surface. You can also brush the surface with a mild solution of citric acid to improve paint adhesion
Would 64% isopropyl alcohol work to prep the surface? I know that some people use lacquer thinner or naphtha to remove the protective sealant that TOTS uses on their masks and also to help open up the latex porous surface so that (as you said) the paint will adhere better. But would 64% isopropyl alcohol work as effectively to prep the surface or should I use something else?
Naptha or lacquer thinner will work, but you need to be careful with that stuff. Gloves & respirator, or at least good ventilation. The fumes are really bad for you, and you don’t want the stuff getting on your skin either.
Honestly it’s not super critical to strip the factory sealant off. Some people do it, some people even strip the paint off to the bare latex. I’ve personally tried it a few different ways, but I haven’t noticed much difference in the end product. Wiping it down with alcohol will be fine.
You can do both with rubbing alcohol with a high percentage; put some on a paper towel then wipe down both inside and out as this will clean any oils, dirt, germs and bacteria off the mask, it is a great way for preparing your surfaces to paint.