How to peel off double-sided tape
In everyday life, adhesive tape is used to perform a great variety of different tasks. It can be a design decoration of a room, the production of advertising structures, minor repairs of items with minor damage, a variety of construction work. When working with this material, you need not only to know how to use it correctly, but also how to wash off the double-sided tape if necessary.
How to peel off traces of adhesive tape from different surfaces
The main advantage of double-sided adhesive tape is the ability to securely bond two different surfaces together.
The issue of dismantling materials glued with tape rarely raises questions, but the removal of sticky residues from the surface is another matter. Next, we will analyze special cases and methods of cleaning from the remnants of double-sided tape.
Note! In most cases, the task of removing the tape is greatly simplified if you can separate the glued surfaces so that the tape remains completely on one of them.
From glass
All kinds of thermometers, small household appliances, posters, decorative elements can be glued to the glass on adhesive tape.
And if, after removing them, traces of adhesive tape remain on the surface, first of all it makes sense to try to clean the glass mechanically. This can be done both with your finger, moving along the remains of the tape from one side to the other, and, for example, with a knife or a plastic spatula.
Do not forget that glass can be damaged by exerting more effort than the material can withstand, so you should remove the adhesive tape from such a surface as carefully as possible.
If the residue is small, you can try to erase it with a regular school eraser. After removing the scotch tape, the glass can be wiped clean with both a special liquid for washing and an ordinary household solvent, or simply polished clean with a dry cloth.
From a plastic surface
The sticky base of the tape can stick to the plastic quite hard. For this reason, it is necessary to separate the glued parts as delicately as possible. Plastic is very sensitive to the effects of many chemicals, therefore, it is advisable to use all kinds of solvents and acetones only as a last resort, when other methods of surface cleaning have not worked.
This happens if the adhesive tape was glued for a long time, and the high temperature of the ambient air exerted its influence on its surface. Under such conditions, bonding occurs in the best way, but it can be very difficult to separate the surface later.
For cleaning, it is recommended to use a plastic spatula, the sharp edge of which should be wrapped with paper or cloth to avoid the risk of scratching the surface.
When using an eraser, you should adhere to the same recommendations - we work with a soft edge, without exerting too much pressure on the plastic in order to prevent scratches on it.
If it is possible to place the plastic with the remaining adhesive tape horizontally, you can try to work with vegetable oil. A few hours after application, the scotch tape can be removed quite easily, and a soap solution will help to wipe the plastic dry from the remaining oil.
From metal
Metal is a fairly resistant surface to damage, so even aggressive tools such as metal spatulas or brushes can be used when working with it.
It is quite effective in removing scotch tape residues from metal and using a construction hair dryer. When heated, the sticky layer looses from the surface without undue effort.
All kinds of solvents are another effective tool in cleaning adhesive tape from the surface.
Note! Before use, it is recommended to check the solvent on an inconspicuous area of the metal in order to make sure that there is no effect of the solution on the surface, especially for aluminum and copper.
From other surfaces
The most difficult question is how to remove adhesive tape from furniture, especially upholstery. It is recommended to carry out such work in several stages.
The first step is to mechanically remove the pieces of adhesive tape. This is best done with an eraser or your finger. In both cases, it is necessary to carefully monitor the degree of pressure on the upholstery surface, because with sufficiently large applied forces, the fabric can completely absorb the glue.
The second step is to soak the remaining stain in alcohol. And then, applying a soft cloth to the area to be cleaned, we run over it with a hot iron. The adhesive remains on the top layer of the material - and cleaning is complete.
The hardest part is to remove double-sided tape from wood, especially if it has not been processed. The easiest way to do this is to use an eraser or plastic scraper. Liquid solutions cannot be used due to the possibility of their penetration into the material.
Therefore, if the question arose of how to wipe double-sided tape from furniture, you should just carefully re-read the recommendations of this article.
Removing the sticky base
Adhesive tape is most often presented in two forms:
- Foam-based.
- On a narrow layer of transparent thin plastic.
The easiest way is to remove the middle part, but the sticky layer on both sides often does not give in the first time. To simplify this process as much as possible, here are some simple and at the same time quite effective cleaning tools.
Vegetable oil
The oil is most effective when applied to a sticky surface for several hours (depending on the size of the residue).
If you additionally heat, even a little, the oil will penetrate more into the adhesive base and speed up the cleaning process.
Suitable for use on glass, metal, plastic. Not recommended for use on cardboard or paper due to the risk of oil absorption.
You can remove oil residues from the surface with soapy water.
Stationery eraser
The eraser can also effectively remove sticky scotch tape from virtually any surface. And for glass and metal, the option with a more rigid base is perfect, which can leave characteristic abrasions on plastic or cardboard.
It is not difficult to clean the surface from the remnants of the eraser after the completion of the work - you can do it by simply brushing off the rolled grains from the surface to be cleaned directly into the trash can.
White spirit, gasoline, thinner, acetone
These chemicals are quite corrosive towards some materials, such as plastic, cardboard or furniture fabric. Therefore, before using them, the risk of damage to the paint layer of the surface is always checked. Most often, the most inconspicuous area is chosen for this. And if the liquid does not affect the change in the integrity and shade of the paint, the application is possible.
Additional Information! White spirit, gasoline and acetone have the least solvent properties in relation to many materials. The easiest way to ruin a surface is with a common household solvent if used incorrectly.
Glass cleaner
The composition of such products includes both detergents and alcohols that can penetrate into the sticky layer. In this way, you can remove fresh scotch residues, old ones most often adhere to the surface quite strongly, they require the use of more aggressive materials discussed earlier.
In many cases, the use of glass liquid helps not only to clean the surface of the sticky acrylic adhesive tape, but also to make its final polish.
Use of special tools
Specialized tape removers can be found at home improvement stores and hardware stores. They can be recognized by their respective names.
Note! Some products use a very aggressive composition of potentially dangerous substances for humans. Therefore, before using any professional composition, you must carefully study its instructions.
Most often, such funds have the ability to penetrate the sticky layer and negate its properties. However, improper use may result in irreparable damage to the surface to be cleaned.
And the efficiency of such fluids is not many times higher than those considered earlier. Therefore, for most household issues, the previously proposed recipes will do. And professional compositions are recommended to be purchased only if there are no other options for removing the sticky layer.
How to remove other types of tape
Double-sided tape can be foam, paper or plastic.We have already considered how to remove any of these materials earlier, other types of adhesive tape are just a private type of double-sided, so if the information presented above has been carefully studied, questions on removing any sticky surface should not raise any questions.
How to use double-sided tape correctly
Recently, two types of base for the adhesive layer are most often used:
- Acrylic.
- Rubber.
And if the first only enhances the quality of gluing over time, more and more adhering to the surface material, then the rubber-based glue should immediately adhere reliably. To do this, it may be necessary to put pressure on him.
If one of the surfaces to be bonded is uneven, it is recommended to use an adhesive tape with a foamed intermediate layer. Thanks to him, it is possible to maximize the adhesive area of the tape.
Double-sided tape is an excellent tool for both minor repairs and for solid bonding of a wide variety of surfaces to each other. If you use the advice offered in this material, you can easily not only glue together with high quality, but also at any time separate back a variety of materials without leaving any trace of scotch tape, even on linoleum.
Video: useful life hack for removing double-sided tape
