Bear Mace Explosion

[MicahR]

Had a customer call with a problem vehicle.

Their customer had a can of Bear Mace explode. Four Door Dodge Pickup.

Their customer said it was an oil based spray. What I could find (Google) was all the bear mace I saw was pepper spray.

They've wet cleaned it once with an upholstery prespray. Didn't do much.

I suggested that since it was an oil based spray that they tried dry cleaning with OMS to get as much as the oil based carrier out. Then, if needed, follow up with a prespray with more solvency to it.

I've never run into this before personally.

Has anybody run into this before? How did you take care of it?

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

Hepa vac, then use a Filtration Soil Remover prepsray, followed by a normal extraction.

Wipe down surfaces with a volatile solvent, like perchlorethylene (lMasterBlend volatile Dry solvent).

I don't think the bear stuff is dyed, but if there is any, use StainZone or Stain Magic to remove residual staining.

 

[packfancjh]

Just recently had a Winners corner gas station robbed with a fire extinguisher full of bear mace. They sprayed it all over the worker, counters and floor. The guy I recommended the job to used Un Smokes Degrease-all mixed in with his cleaners and it did pretty well.

 

[MicahR]

Shawn,
Why perchlorethylene?

Just curious as to why that's the best solvent in this situation. Is it because of it's non-flammability?

We don't carry Masterblend so I'm looking for an alternative unless there is none. Then I'll refer him to ADCO Pro. which is our closest Masterblend dealer for the solvent.

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

Most regimens I've seen call for a final wipe-down with a volatile dry solvent as a last step before removing any dye residue. I presume it is to help remove any resin/oil residue not removed through the detergents/solvents in the FSR.

I chose the Perc as a VDS of choice. But you can probably use any favorite VDS, or none at all if you get the results that Chris related..

 

[Greg Loe]

There is an orange color to the spray. If you have a full face respirator, use it! The one I did taught me that I'll never do it again. :x

It goes everywhere. I mean everywhere. Mine was an apartment. It was all over everything. You won't see it, but it's there. Bear mace/pepper spray, isn't like the stuff made for self-defense. Regular pepper spray is only 1-3 oz. Bear is 8-32oz.


Good luck


PS give the job to your worst enemy.