How to Remove Double Sided Tape

Double-sided tape is a very useful household product, but removing it cleanly is a problem. The best method for removing double-sided tape depends on the material of the adhesive surface. You may also need a few tests. Read on to see some helpful hints on how to remove double-sided tape below.

Table of Contents

Remove double-sided tape on walls and doors

Remove the sticky tape with a hair dryer. Plug the hair dryer into the nearest electrical outlet and turn it on on medium or high heat. Hold the tape a few centimeters away from the adhesive surface and allow hot air to blow over the adhesive, focusing on the edges and corners of the tape. The hot air will soften the glue. After a few minutes, remove the hair dryer and try to peel off a corner of the tape with your fingernails. The tape will most likely come off, but you may still need to use the hair dryer again. ^{[1] X Research Source}

If you have very short nails or don’t want to ruin your beautiful nails, you can use a butter knife to peel them off.
If there is still a thin layer of glue on the surface, you can scrub it off with a scouring pad dipped in warm soapy water. Avoid using oil or oil-based cleaners.

Wash any remaining glue with water, vinegar, and soap. Mix 480 ml of water with 60 ml of vinegar, add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Dip the sponge in the solution, then rub the sticky spot on the wall or door in a circular motion. This cleaning solution is quite mild and will not strip the paint; however the surface may be slightly more discolored. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Consider using a magic eraser to remove adhesive stains. Moisten the magic eraser with water and rub until the glue is gone. The magic eraser is a bit rough, so it’s not suitable for high-gloss and glass surfaces, but you can safely use it on walls and doors; The color may fade a bit though.

You can buy magic eraser sponges in the detergent section of supermarkets and home stores.

Remove double-sided tape on glass

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Find materials. If you want to remove the double-sided tape from the window glass, you cannot use heat due to the risk of cracking the glass. You also can’t use materials that are too rough, as this can scratch the glass. Instead, you need to use oil to clean the tape. Here’s a list of what you’ll need:

Butter knife (you can also use your nails)
Windshield washer fluid
Sponge or glass cleaning sponge
Cooking oil or cleaning oil (mineral oil, Goo Gone, etc.)
Washing alcohol

Remove double-sided tape from other materials

Use a hair dryer to remove the tape from the paper. Plug in the power and turn on the dryer. Using medium or high heat, point the dryer head at the tape. After a few minutes, try to peel the tape off the paper with your fingernails. This works especially well on paper. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Be careful when handling photos, as heat can damage them.

Try some cleaning products. Many products like Goo Gone and Goof Off work very well at cleaning double-sided tape, but they can also damage plastic surfaces. If you choose one of these products to clean adhesive tape on plastic, keep this in mind. Simply pour the product onto the tape and let it soak for a few minutes, then peel off the tape. If the tape does not come off, you can use a sponge to sand the brush until it comes off. The chemicals in the solution will dissolve the adhesive on the tape.

This works best on glass. Avoid using this product on paper, paperboard, and fabric because of the risk of staining.

Consider using cooking oil. Cooking oil has the same effect as cleaning products but does not contain harmful chemicals, so it is safer on perishable surfaces such as plastic. You just need to pour the oil on the area to be cleaned and wait for a few minutes, then use a sponge to scrub it clean.

Do not use oil on the surface of paper, paperboard or fabric as the oil will stain these materials.

Try using acetone or nail polish remover on unpainted surfaces. This will melt the adhesive on the tape, making it easier to clean. Like alcohol, these solutions will evaporate and leave no trace. Unfortunately it will also dissolve paint and polish, and as such is not the best solution for use on plastics or painted surfaces. Simply pour some acetone or nail polish remover onto the tape and let it sit for a few minutes before you peel it off. This is most effective when used on fabrics because it leaves no stains.

This method can work on paper and cardstock, but can also curl and wrinkle the paper (as well as any liquid).
If you’re using nail polish remover, use a base that’s free of additives like vitamins and nail strengtheners. You also need to avoid using colored ones, as it can stain the surface.

Use rubbing alcohol on plastic. Alcohol will have the same effect as acetone but not as strong; This means that alcohol is less likely to strip the paint or damage the polish. However, this also means that the surface may still be sticky and you will have to use a sponge to clean it. This method is effective on fabric surfaces.

Try using paper tape to peel off the double-sided adhesive. ^{[5] X Research Source} Tear off a piece of paper tape and press it firmly over the double-sided tape; Secure one corner of the paper tape. Slowly peel off the paper tape towards you; it will also pull double-sided tape.

You can also use cloth tape or Scotch tape.

Clean up stains

Use oil to remove stains on plastic and glass. You can use cooking oil like olive oil, mineral oil or a cleaning oil like Goo Gone or Goof Off. Dip a cotton ball in the oil and rub the surface until the stain is clean. Use another cotton swab dipped in alcohol and wipe off the oil.

If you are dealing with a large surface and a horizontal plane, you can pour oil on the surface and wait for a few minutes.
Do not use oil on unpolished wood or walls. It will soak in and stain the surface.

Try using acetone on the glass. Do not use acetone on painted, polished or plastic surfaces. It will remove paint and melt some plastics. For light stains, dip a cotton ball in acetone and rub it until it comes out clean. For strong stains, you should pour acetone into a spray bottle and spray it on the spot; Let it soak for a few minutes before wiping it off.

This method can be combined with the oil method.
Acetone is safe for most fabrics, but you should test it in an inconspicuous area first; Acetone can remove dyes from fabrics.

Use rubbing alcohol to clean stains on all surfaces. This method is safe to use on walls, plastic, polished and unpolished wood, fabric, and glass; Alcohol may not dissolve paint and polish, but may fade colors. Using a high alcohol concentration such as 90% alcohol will work best, but you should use alcohol with a low concentration of 70% for painted surfaces.

For smooth surfaces, dip a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and rub it on the spot until it’s clean.
For a rougher surface, you can use a towel or cloth to prevent fibers from sticking to the surface of the material.
If the stain is too strong, pour rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and spray it on the surface. Wait a few minutes, then wipe it off with a cloth or towel.

Try a mixture of vinegar, water, and dishwashing liquid. Mix 1 part vinegar with 8 parts water. Add a drop or two of dishwashing liquid and stir well. Dab the mixture on the sticky spot and let it soak for a few minutes. Use a paper towel or cotton cloth to wipe clean. This method is safe for almost all surfaces, but may discolor or leave stains on some wall surfaces.

Try rubbing it with your fingers or an eraser. Some light stains can be easily scrubbed off. The adhesive spot may be slightly blurred; Then you just need to use a cotton swab to wipe it clean.

Advice

Instead of using a hair dryer, you can expose it to the sun for about 2 hours.
Note that you may need to repaint the surface. While most of the methods in this section are safe to use on walls and doors, they can also slightly discolor paint.
If you need to paste a lot and often, you should choose a type of double-sided tape with a PP film in the middle so that you can peel it off after use to avoid unnecessary troubles.

Warning

Use caution when using oil-based cleaning products such as Goo Gone and Goof Off; They can damage plastic surfaces and dissolve some paints, including latex-based paints. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Steps