Mighty Putty has been around forever. The didn’t always sell it on infomercials though. Then some marketing genius came along and figured they could sell way more product through the annoying Billy May infomercials! Well you have to give them credit for the infomercials shock value when you see them hauling that big rig with it. I’m sure you’ve seen how it works at one time or another…

Mighty Putty is like a stick of putty and acts like an epoxy bonding agent or adhesive. Although it’s nice that it doesn’t drip or get messy like liquid epoxy. You use it by cutting a piece off the putty stick.  You then activate it by kneading it for two minutes.  It should then form a uniform grayish color. Then just apply and letting it dry. I’m amazed at how many Mighty Putty tests come up with different results. People either love it or hate it!

Mighty Putty works best in these situations

• One handyman tested the mighty putty on several different items around his home. He came to the conclusion that it seems to work best when you use it as a filler for small gaps where there is no movement or strain. Ex tile, drywall or wood.
• The putty will stick and will handle more weight much better if the bonding area is a perforated or rough surface.

Disadvantages

• One guy tried this on the edge of a kitchen tile.  With a lot of high traffic in the kitchen area,  he found that the edges chip off where he applied the putty.
• There seems to be a slight hint of greenish tint.  It’s not the white color that is shown in the infomercial.
• If you want to apply it to painted surfaces be aware the bond can only be as strong as the paint bond itself.

Mighty Putty is getting mixed reviews

Handy Hints

• It’s better to buy this at the local hardware store.  The shipping and handling when buying it online is more than the product itself!

• Knead it fully for two minutes before using it and make sure it’s uniform in color.

• Wear gloves before kneading Mighty Putty. The smell of it is pretty bad will stick to your skin.

• Degrease, clean then roughen the bond area prior to application. This will ensure best results.

• Mighty Putty site mentions that lower temperatures and smaller amounts of putty used will lengthen curing and hardening times.

• A quick way to knead Mighty Putty is on a clean, hard surface. If it gets tacky in your hands just wet them slightly.

• Within two minutes of mixing apply to your repair surface.

• For applications where there is a slow leak or a damp, wet area, forcefully work it into the surface while at the same time applying pressure until the adhesion starts to take affect. The infomercial is misleading because it shows them slightly pressing a piece of mighty putty to a leaky glass.

• Remove excess material before hardening begins. Once the hardening begins which takes around 30-40 minutes do not handle or reposition the putty.

• Also if you want to smooth the mighty putty they mention you can hand rub it with water or a damp cloth.  But you have to do it before it starts to harden.

• Also it’s easy to sand with alumina sandpaper.  Although in order to get a flat fill after sanding you have to overfill and overlap Mighty Putty generously when applying it.

• Leave the bond for a whole day because I’ve seen many video reviews where they try and test the bond after a couple of hours and the bond doesn’t hold.  But after 1 day of hardening it will hold. Although please note that mighty putty doesn’t work in all situations. Please see paragraph above.

Mighty Putty is available in most hardware stores, Canadian Tire and stores that sell As Seen on TV products. Also mightyputty.com and eBay USA.

How to Remove Mighty Putty from Your Hands

If you ever find yourself with Mighty Putty Stuck on your hands,  I did a quick search for how to remove epoxy.  This is what Mighty Putty basically is. Try one of these solutions.  I’m sure one of them has got to work!

Use either a few heaped teaspoons of sugar or powdered washing detergent.They act as an abrasive to remove the epoxy.
Baby oil - Make sure you use a lot and rub it in till it gets real warm.
Alcohol - Regular hand sanitizer has about 60% alcohol in it already. Just pour it on and rub as
usual.
WD-40
Vinegar

Mighty Putty has so many mixed reviews out there. Even the news stations had mixed video reviews. I think it comes down to following the instructions to a T. I know… who wants to read instructions. Also when it’s applied I’ve seen some reviews where they just gently place the putty on a surface they weren’t kneading it in, like the Mighty Putty site suggests. Overall I do believe Mighty Putty works just not in every situation. It’s only $10 at the local hardware store. Just keep your receipt and return it if you don’t like it!

Related posts:

1. See if Pro Caulk Works Like the Infomercial Claims
2. EZ Bundler Not As Easy as Billy Mays Claims
3. Five Handy Hints When Using Hercules Hooks!
4. Point and Paint Put to The Test in This Video Review
5. DIY Expert Shares Her Thoughts on the Grabit Tool