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

Try to remove the tape. You can use your fingernail to peel off a corner of the tape. You can also use a butter knife, but be careful not to scratch the glass.

Spray glass cleaner on the tape. If you do not have glass cleaner, you can make your own solution with 480 ml of water and 60 ml of vinegar, adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Use a sponge to rub the wet spot with a circular motion. This will help dislodge the adhesive tape. If the sponge has two sides (one smooth side and one rough side), try using the rough side.

Consider using oil and a safety glass brush. If the glass cleaner and vinegar solution doesn’t remove the stain, you’ll need to use cooking oil (like olive oil) or cleaning oil (like Goo Gone or Goof Off). Spray oil on the spot and scrub with a sponge until the stain is clean.

Wash the glass with rubbing alcohol. Dip a soft cloth in rubbing alcohol and scrub until the tape and oil are removed from the glass.

If there are still stains, use a safety glass sponge dipped in oil and scrub again, then rinse with rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol will clean the oil stains, then evaporate and leave no marks on the glass.

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.

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.

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}

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