There is provided a protecting method capable of simply and firmly
protecting a required face of an article such that the required face of
the article is not damaged or contaminated and capable of extremely
simply carrying out a protecting step and a protection releasing step.As
means for protecting a surface of an article, there is used a
macromolecular compound in a liquid state a freezing point of which
exceeds that of water, a gel-like object constituted by mixing the
macromolecular compound with a fine powder, or a sheet-like object
impregnated or coated with the macromolecular compound in the liquid
state the freezing point of which exceeds that of water or the gel-like
object, a face constituting an object of protection of the article is
covered thereby or a hole or a gap thereof is filled therewith, a
protecting film or a protecting layer is formed by freezing the
macromolecular compound by cooling, and when protection is not needed,
the macromolecular compound is defrosted by elevating a temperature
thereof.