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How to Remove Double-Sided Tape

As a product, double-sided tape can be handy to have around. However, unfortunately, removing double-sided tape can be difficult. The best way to remove double-sided tape depends on what type of surface it has been stuck to, and it might require some trial and error. Look below to see some tried and tested methods of how to remove the double-sided tape.

How to Remove Double Sided Tape that is on Walls and Doors

1. Use a hairdryer to remove the stuck tape. Use the closest outlet to the tape to plug in the hairdryer you plan to use. Turn that hairdryer on and set it to either its medium or high heat setting. Take the hair dryer and blow hot air onto the tape, be sure to hold the dryer not closer than a few inches. Focus the hot air on the corners and edges of the tape. After a couple of minutes of blowing hot air onto the tape, you should be able to pick at the tape and get under one of the corners with a fingernail. From there, pull the tape off, and it should come off without much trouble.

  • A butter knife or similar flat object could also work if you can’t or don’t want to use your fingernails.
  • If the tape ends up leaving behind a residue on the wall or door, that can be scrubbed off using soap and warm water.

2. Clean up any left behind residue from the wall. Mix about 2 cups of water with about ¼ cup of vinegar and then add a couple of drops of soap. Then you will want to place a sponge in this mixture lightly. Use that sponge to scrub away any residue with small and circular motions. This should not result in removing any paint from the wall or door.

3. Use a magic eraser to clean away residue. Get a magic eraser damp with water. Then you will want to buff the area with the residue until it is all gone.

  • Magic erasers can be commonly found for sale in any supermarket or any hardware store in the detergent sections.

How to Remove Double Sided Tape that is on Glass

1. Get supplies together. If you got a stripe of double-sided tape accidentally stuck on a window or some other glass, you could not use any heat to remove it, or else you might end up cracking the glass. You also can not use any method that is too abrasive because you could end up scratching the glass. Instead, the oil will have to be used to dissolve the tape. The exact list of what you will need is below:

  • A butter knife (or anything else flat and sharp, a fingernail could work)
  • A window cleaner
  • A glass safe sponge scrub
  • Cleaning oil or cooking oil (things like mineral oil, Goo Gone, and etc)
  • A bottle of rubbing alcohol

2. Attempt to remove as much of the tape as you possibly can. This can be accomplished by picking at a corner of the tape with a fingernail, butter, or pallet knife, or anything else you think could get under the corner. But careful not to scratch the glass.

3. Use the window cleaner to spray what is left of the tape. If window cleaner is not an option, a mixture of 2 cups of water, ¼ cup of vinegar, and a couple of drops of soap, should do the trick.

4. Rub the area of the glass now soaked in window cleaner with the sponge. When rubbing with the sponge, use small and circular motions. This process should dislodge some stuck-on residue left by the tape from the glass. If possible, use the scratchy and abrasive side of the sponged when rubbing the glass.

5. If possible, use a sponge that is glass-safe and oil. If either the glass cleaner or homemade mixture does not remove all of the tape residues, you might want to try using cooking oil or cleaning oil to saturate the residue. Spray some of the oil onto the area with residue and use a sponge to scrub it away.

6. Use rubbing alcohol to clean the glass. Take a soft cloth, soak it in some rubbing alcohol, and use it to clean away any remaining tape and any remaining oils or cleaning mixtures you used.

  • Keep up this process until you are happy and with all the tape being gone and believe the glass to be clean.

How to Remove Double Sided Tape from Any Other Surfaces

If you want to know how to remove the double-sided tape from the surfaces listed above, hopefully, you will find what you are looking for below:

1. To remove the double-sided tape from paper, use a hairdryer. Use the closest outlet to the tape to plug in the hairdryer you plan to use. Turn that hairdryer on and set it to either its medium or high heat setting. Take the hairdryer and blow hot air onto the tape, be sure to hold the dryer not closer than a few inches. Focus the hot air on the corners and edges of the tape. After a couple of minutes of blowing hot air onto the tape, you should be able to pick at the tape and get under one of the corners with a fingernail. From there, pull the tape off, and it should come off without much trouble.

  • Be careful if using this technique on photographs, too much heat can damage them.

2. Try using some of the commercial products for residue cleaning. Various products on the market are designed to do precisely this, remove things like double-sided tape and the residue it leaves behind. , be careful because these products can often damage surfaces made from plastic. Pour one of these products onto the tape, and then let it soak for a couple of minutes. After that, you should be able to pull the tape right off.

  • These products work best on glass. Don’t use them on anything made from cardboard, paper, or fabric as it will stain them.

3. Try using food-grade oil. This will work just as well as the commercial products above but without the chemicals that could damage your surfaces. It is a much safer thing to use on more sensitive surfaces, like plastic. Pour the oil onto the double-sided tape and let it soak for a couple of minutes before scrubbing it away.

  • Don’t use oil on anything made from cardboard, paper, or fabric as it will stain them.

4. Use nail polish remover or acetone to remove the double-sided tape from unpainted surfaces. These products will dissolve all the adhesives on the tape, so it will be much easier to remove. Just like alcohol, these products will evaporate over time and will leave nothing behind. It will also end up dissolving any paint or finishes on the surface as well. So please do not use it on any painted or plastic surfaces. Just pour some of the nail polish remover or acetone onto the double-sided tape and leave it to soak for a couple of minuted minutes before removing the tape. This method is best used on fabrics because it won’t stain.

  • This method could be used on cardboard and paper objects, however, it may cause the paper objects to become wrinkled and start to wrap up.
  • If you choose to use nail polish remover, make sure it is a basic one that has no additives or added colors.

5. For plastic, try using rubbing alcohol. It will get the job done in the same way as acetone, but it is simply not as harsh of a solution, meaning that it is not as likely to ruin any finishes or remove any paint. Just pour it onto the double-sided tape and let it soak in the rubbing alcohol for a couple of minutes before peeling away the tape and scrubbing away any leftover residue from the tape. This will also be an effective method on fabric surfaces.

6. Masking tape can also be used to peel off the double-sided tape. Take a roll of standard masking tape and rip off a piece. Press that piece down onto the double-sided tape firmly, all while making sure to have a firm grip on the corners of the masking tape. Slowly pull the masking tape off the surface, and the double-sided tape should be pulled off too.

  • Standard scotch and duct tape should also work well with this method.

As a product, double-sided tape is a beneficial thing to have. The only problem with it is that it can be challenging and frustrating to remove once stuck. Different surfaces require different solutions and methods to remove the tape altogether. But, now, hopefully, you will know what to do the next time there is some double-sided tape where it shouldn’t be.

How to Remove Double-Sided Tape
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