how do you clean your tiling spacers

A

Alan M

• Jan 5, 2012

• #1

hi there.
if you get addhesive on them .
how do you get it off. its easy to clean a few but if you have had an accident with them or are just messy youl have a lot to do.
iv heard of
soaking them in hot water
soaking in water then feazing them
putting them in a jar with small ball bearings in it and shack the jar
grab a fit and rub them around in your hands.

how do the pros clean them

 

G

Gazzer

• Jan 5, 2012

• #2

I dont !

 

R

radim

TF

Arms

• Jan 5, 2012

• #3

never clean them.just buy another pack

 

Andy Allen

TF

Esteemed

Arms

• Jan 5, 2012

• #4

i don't, when they get covered in crud i sling them and buy some more..... dont be such a tight wad....:lol:

 

S

Stef

• Jan 5, 2012

• #5

Buy tubs of 6000 at a time & you dont have to worry about cleaning them!! :lol:

 

M

Mike

• Jan 5, 2012

• #6

Alan M said:

hi there.
if you get addhesive on them .
how do you get it off. its easy to clean a few but if you have had an accident with them or are just messy youl have a lot to do.
iv heard of
soaking them in hot water
soaking in water then feazing them
putting them in a jar with small ball bearings in it and shack the jar
grab a fit and rub them around in your hands.

how do the pros clean them

Click to expand...

I do reuse spacers if they're clean and undamaged but they're cheap enough to replace and not worth spending time cleaning them. I pay about 3 quid for a big tub, lasts months usually

tapatalk on my HTC

 

I

Ian

• Jan 5, 2012

• #7

Tubs of 5000 at a time, last me about 3 years. I re use them or bin them if they get too scruffy.

 

A

Alan M

• Jan 5, 2012

• #8

yes thats much faster. in the local hardware shops only sell the small bags and those are dear. il get a big tub for a fracktion of that cost. . i thought the pros would have some fast way to clean them

 

Andy Allen

TF

Esteemed

Arms

• Jan 5, 2012

• #9

buy them in bulk mate.....fraction of the cost..

 

I

Ian

• Jan 5, 2012

• #10

Leave them in your trousers when you put them through the wash, your Mrs will be well impressed :lol:

 

D

doug boardley

• Jan 5, 2012

• #11

buy 5000 tubs and don't clean them.......don't let your kids play with them though:mad2: had 20,000 spacers all mixed up in my van a couple of years ago.

 

Andy Allen

TF

Esteemed

Arms

• Jan 5, 2012

• #12

and i guarantee one day this will happen to you...😳

 

W

White Room

• Jan 5, 2012

• #13

andy allen said:

View attachment 37210 and i guarantee one day this will happen to you...😳

Click to expand...

I stopped using the plastic container for the same reason...:lol:

 

A

Alan M

• Jan 5, 2012

• #14

i already did that. i store them in the top of my tool box. i opened the box and forgot to close the little lid.

 

A

Accura Brian

• Jan 5, 2012

• #15

Just Buy a Pack dont be a scab!!

 

John Benton

TF

Arms

• Jan 5, 2012

• #16

Never clean them, just replace when the 3mm end up as 5mm when gobbed up with addy....they're cheap enough, just add £2 to every job and that covers you.

 

A

Accura Brian

• Jan 5, 2012

• #17

Seriously Lads, I never heard of such tightness since nuns were made to wear G-Strings!!

 

T

Time's Ran Out

• Jan 5, 2012

• #18

I can see that this member is going to make a lot of money at this job.
My Dad would always remind me that it's the pennies that make the pounds (240 in those days) so if you save on the pegs you can spend on something else.

But then again, even I take washing them just a bit too far!

 

A

Alan M

• Jan 5, 2012

• #19

i think you lot are being a bit harsh.i hope this forum isnt like some other forums i dont frequent anymore.im not a tight person by anymeans, so those comments are concerning . waste is waste and waste is money out of your pocket. i thought there might be a nice easy fast way but as it turns out that you lot buy tubs of thousands at a time. 5 euro for hundreds or thousands is ok but 5 for 50-100 adds up fast. i do treat them as disposable but only when they have reached the end of their lives

 

T

Time's Ran Out

• Jan 5, 2012

• #20

Come on Alan, you'd get more flak on a building site then the few comments here.
If you seriously think that washing spacer pegs is a cost effective way of saving money then that's your choice and as you've asked the members for their views you have to accept that some may find your interpretations of saving money - penny pinching.
So be an active contributor to the best Tilers Forum around and ENJOY - your post has certainly made me smile - so Thanks.

 

A

Alan M

• Jan 5, 2012

• #21

i didnt mean that to be rude but lots of forums start like that then members insult each other.
anyway i like a bit of banter .
iv no intention on cleaning them unless im stuck. i thought it would be worthwil if it was easy to do , but the bulk buy makes it a waste of time.
althow iv heard those sugestions from tilers and builder

 

T

Time's Ran Out

• Jan 5, 2012

• #22

In the 3 years I've been here it's all banter.
You have to watch the Administrator Dave though - he's upset me on a number of occasions:lol:

 

M

mattle40

• Jan 6, 2012

• #23

Don't take it to heart Alan, it's all banter....
Ul get worse if u mention sigma cutters being better than rubis!! Lol

Each to their own pal, just don't be put off because it a great community for chat, banter, advice, sharing pictures and experiences...

Happy posting ;-)

Matt

 

D

DHTiling

• Jan 6, 2012

• #24

All banter 😉

We do pride on having an abuse free forum Alan.

It's those old age pensioners you have to be wary of. Eh TJ lol

 

A

Alan M

• Jan 6, 2012

• #25

speek ing of rubis . i was in my local tool shop yesterday.
i was serching on a few lower shelfs. i pulled out a few lovely clean bright sigmas (just got in judging by the condition of the books and the tool) . any way inthe back i saw a long red case. i pulled it out ond dusted it off. it was a rubi. i fiddled with it for a while but got frustrated . on the shelf next to it was a cheapo diy version. the pics looked the very same as the rubi. the sales man didnt even know that they sol rubi and hes the tool buyer for them.
shows what the trade is buying

 

M

mattle40

• Jan 6, 2012

• #26

Alan M said:

speek ing of rubis . i was in my local tool shop yesterday.
i was serching on a few lower shelfs. i pulled out a few lovely clean bright sigmas (just got in judging by the condition of the books and the tool) . any way inthe back i saw a long red case. i pulled it out ond dusted it off. it was a rubi. i fiddled with it for a while but got frustrated . on the shelf next to it was a cheapo diy version. the pics looked the very same as the rubi. the sales man didnt even know that they sol rubi and hes the tool buyer for them.
shows what the trade is buying

Click to expand...

The more sigmas out there the better ;-)

Who's the daddy!

 

W

White Room

• Jan 6, 2012

• #27

Alan M said:

speek ing of rubis . i was in my local tool shop yesterday.
i was serching on a few lower shelfs. i pulled out a few lovely clean bright sigmas (just got in judging by the condition of the books and the tool) . any way inthe back i saw a long red case. i pulled it out ond dusted it off. it was a rubi. i fiddled with it for a while but got frustrated . on the shelf next to it was a cheapo diy version. the pics looked the very same as the rubi. the sales man didnt even know that they sol rubi and hes the tool buyer for them.
shows what the trade is buying

Click to expand...

You be careful, you could get arrested for that:lol:

 

A

Accura Brian

• Jan 6, 2012

• #28

Wish I could of saved some of them old pennes in the "Celtic Tiger Days" although yoy didnt get any banter back in those days, just abuse on how quick yoiu could respond, and Today wasnt god enough for them, never mind( C U next Tuesday!! ) Ha ah Ha Lol😳:lol::lol: Fartpl!! (Falln around the place laughing)

 

A

Alan.P

• Jan 6, 2012

• #29

I have this argument all the time, for me, I find it more cost effective to use the spacers 'properly' in other words grout over them, some fixers would rather put 4 spacers in and take them back out, clean them etc, time = money ( I do a lot of site work ) and the 'small' cost of the spacers against the time taken to reclaim them is daft imho. Each to their own though.

 

M

Mike

• Jan 6, 2012

• #30

I never use spacers the way you say 'properly' as I find all the tiles these days have bevelled edge making it easy for a spacer to make the tile out of true. Also with larger times needing deeper adhesive beds the spacer can go down the back of the tile if pushed.

tapatalk on my HTC

 

bobbynz

TF

Arms

• Jan 6, 2012

• #31

Stick them in a bucket of diluted spirits of salts for a day or two and the crap will just fall off. mind you i've had spacers last me years just by reusing them. Normally just crack and crumble any addy off whenever I come across one thats a bit narly. Or just chuck them. A small bucket of 5000 can last for ages.
Isn't it funny how a thread about some poxy spacers can really take off. We really need to get out a bit more ay fellas.:yikes: