Why is icky pic so hard to clean? It’s not - if you have the right icky pic cleaner.
The stuff is “icky” because the gel is petroleum-based, highly viscous fluid that resists water and weak solvents. You’ll find icky pic on all the cables that are engineered for outside plant, and they’re usually the stranded “loose tube” cables. In addition to being messy, the gel is highly flammable. So getting a good solvent is a huge time-saver.
When fiber optic cables are to be spliced, an icky pic cleaner must be used to remove the cable gel, to prevent fouling of the splice. In the old days, paint thinner and even lemon juice from the grocery store was used as a clean-up fluid. Sticklers™ has a much better answer with the Sticklers™ Adhesive and Cable Gel Cleaning Pen. As shown in the photos, use the pen to dampen a lint free wipe to get the best results.
This product is used by makers of fiber optic cables, like Prysmian and General Cable, as well as installers in the field.
Three steps in removing icky pic gel. First, get a fresh clean lint-free wipe, then dampen it with the Sticklers cleaning pen, then wipe the icky pic gel away.
If you'd like more information, call us on 1800 COVERTEL (1800 268 378) or contact us here. These are also available to purchase from our online store.