Scotch tape is an adhesive tape that can be used to fasten surfaces to each other or fix an object.
After its removal, traces remain. Getting rid of them is not always easy.
How to remove traces of tape using improvised means, without making Herculean efforts? In order for the fight against sticky stripes to be successful, you need to follow the guide presented in the article.
Content
How can I remove remaining tape?
Depending on the type of surface on which the tape is applied, the rules for removing its traces will be slightly different.
How to remove marks from a tree?
Wooden surfaces are often fixed with tape. They are used to fasten cabinet doors, shelves, bedside tables, and floorboards. When this temporary measure is no longer necessary, an unpleasant surprise remains in the form of traces of glue.
It’s easy to wipe them off if you use tools such as:
- Gasoline for refilling lighters. It is sold in a separate container. A piece of cotton wool is soaked in it and passed over the surface several times.
After treatment, the wood is wiped with a damp cloth. If the surface is varnished or polished, then you need to act quickly so as not to damage the product.
- White spirit. This gasoline solvent has an aggressive effect on materials. Therefore, you need to work with it even more carefully.
- Eraser. To remove glue from a wooden surface, you can rub it with a regular eraser, which is found at the end of every simple pencil. After the glue is cleaned, you need to wipe off the remaining eraser with a rag. If necessary, the surface is polished.
- Dishwashing liquid. It is diluted in hot water and applied to the stain. Leave the composition for 3-5 minutes, then wipe with a dry cloth. If it was not possible to get rid of the glue the first time, the procedure can be repeated.
- Sunflower oil. Saturate a corner of a sponge or a paper napkin with oil and lubricate the adhesive marks with it. After this, forget about the treated surface for half an hour. After the specified time, sticky traces are removed. You can remove any remaining oil with a weak solution of vinegar or soapy water. This method is not suitable for cleaning untreated wood. The oil will saturate its porous structure and leave greasy stains that will darken over time.
- Soda. If a wooden object forgives treatment with abrasives, then you can use soda slurry. To prepare it, sodium bicarbonate is diluted with a small amount of water, applied to the problem area and rubbed with a sponge. When traces of tape are completely removed, the surface is washed and dried.
From fabric
Sometimes traces of tape remain on the fabric. It’s especially unpleasant if they spoil the appearance of a new thing. Getting rid of sticky streaks is not difficult. Most often, washing in warm soapy water helps..
To remove the stain, it is recommended to soak the clothes for 1-2 hours.Before rinsing the item, rub the contaminated area manually.
If the traces were not removed the first time, the procedure can be repeated. Instead of soaking in a soapy solution, apply a mixture of washing powder and warm water to the stain..
If the soap does not cope with the task, you can treat the fabric with acetone or alcohol. The liquid is applied to a cotton pad and left for 15 minutes. Then the treated area should be gently rubbed. After the fabric is clean, rinse it in running water.
Treat fabric with acetone carefully.. This substance may cause paint to fade and stain.
Therefore, if you are not sure how it will react to a particular composition, you first need to treat a small surface in the most inconspicuous place.
From metal
Metal surfaces have good resistance to abrasives and caustic substances, but only on condition that they are not covered with paint. Therefore, if traces of tape remain on the metal front door, you can remove them using a powder cleaner and a brush.
When paint is applied to metal, you need to act more carefully. Means for cleaning the surface from adhesive tape:
- Dishwashing liquid. It is applied to the soft side of the sponge and then to the contaminated area.
After 15 minutes, you need to gently rub the surface with a damp and then dry cloth. This treatment will not harm even glossy paint.
- Gasoline or kerosene. Simply rub the adhesive strip so that no traces remain.
Gasoline and kerosene are highly flammable. Therefore, you need to work with them away from sources of fire.
- Bite or rubbing alcohol. The selected product is applied to the metal surface and wiped with a dry cloth.
Some of the listed funds will definitely be at hand. They can be used to remove fresh tape stains. If the marks are old, then the procedure is repeated again.
From the refrigerator
Often, tape strips remain on a new refrigerator that was recently brought from the store. Sometimes they appear on equipment after moving. In any case, such stains do not look aesthetically pleasing and need to be removed.
If professional cleaners are not at hand, then improvised means will come to the rescue:
- acetone or nail polish remover;
- vinegar;
- alcohol;
- glass cleaning products.
Regardless of the product chosen, it must be applied to the surface for 3-5 minutes, then gently wiped with a damp sponge or soft cloth.
Nail polish remover works best for removing stains.. To get rid of a thick layer of glue, the procedure will have to be repeated 2-3 more times.
Cleaning the refrigerator with a hard sponge or abrasive agents is unacceptable. This will cause scratches. It is better to spend more time processing equipment than to hopelessly ruin an expensive purchase.
From the mirror
Postcards or photographs are often attached to mirrors using tape. When they lose their relevance, they are removed, but adhesive traces remain on the reflective surface.Dealing with them is not difficult, since the mirrors are resistant to aggressive agents.
The three most effective substances for combating sticky stains:
- Ammonia.
- Acetone.
- Window cleaner, such as Mister Proper.
When working with ammonia and acetone, it is recommended to protect your respiratory system.wearing a disposable mask or respirator.
You can remove sticky marks from a mirror not only using liquids, but also mechanically. To do this, you need to take a blade and carefully clean the contaminated surface. The resulting pellets are removed with a paper napkin.
Off the wall
It is difficult to remove traces of tape from a wall covered with ordinary wallpaper, since they do not tolerate contact with liquids. To avoid damaging the paper, you can use the following recommendations:
- Gently clean the dirty area with a nail file or plastic spatula.. This method is suitable for getting rid of small stains.
You can remove pellets using a dry microfiber cloth. Veins will help make the work easier. A stream of hot air will warm up the glue, after which it will come off faster.
- Treat the adhesive stain with a melamine sponge. It is moistened in water, wrung out and gently rubbed over the contaminated area of the wall. This mild abrasive will allow you to easily get rid of sticky stripes on wallpaper.
- Stationery eraser. This is an excellent product for removing tape marks from wallpaper. You need to rub the stain with an eraser and wipe off the pellets with a rag.
From the skin
To remove traces of tape from skin, you can use the following means:
- table vinegar. Apply it to the stain and rub gently with a cotton pad. You can get rid of the smell using a soap solution;
- vodka. It is enough to wipe the skin with an alcohol-containing liquid several times to completely remove stains;
- hydrogen peroxide. This is the safest cleaning method as it leaves no odor, marks or scratches behind.
When working with vinegar, vodka or peroxide, you need to protect your eyes from contact with caustic substances.
From linoleum
Traces of tape on linoleum can be removed mechanically. For this purpose you should use:
- Rubber eraser.
- Plastic spatula.
- With a spatula.
- New tape. You need to stick it on the old mark and sharply pull it up.
Linoleum lends itself well to cleaning with such means as:
- washing powder;
- soap solution;
- acetone;
- abrasive detergents.
From clothes
Clothes stained with tape should be washed. It is pre-soaked for several hours in warm water.
After this time, the dirty area must be rubbed and rinsed well. In order not to spoil the item, you need to study the information indicated on the label.
If sticky stains remain on the item after washing, you can resort to more aggressive means by rubbing them with alcohol or acetone.
Algorithm of actions:
- The selected liquid is applied to a cotton pad, applied to the contaminated area and left for 20 minutes.
- After the specified time, they begin to rub the stain until it disappears completely.
- After treatment, the item is washed in warm water.
If it was not possible to get rid of sticky marks the first time, then the procedure can be repeated. Most often, two-time treatment is enough to completely clean clothes of dirt.
If wool or silk clothes are dirty, roll off the sticky residue with your fingers.. After removing them, the item is washed under running cool water.
From the doors
To remove traces of tape from a door, it is best to use Mellerud professional spray. It allows you to safely remove glue from various surfaces, including wood veneer.
Apply the product to the contaminated surface using a disc and leave for 30 minutes. Residues are removed with a damp cloth.
You can order Mellerud in online stores. Its price is 420-480 rubles. A 500 ml bottle will last a long time.
If you don’t have such a product at hand, you can use vegetable oil or gasoline. To avoid damaging the door surface, it is recommended to first treat an inconspicuous area.
From a car
Traces of tape from a car can be easily removed with gasoline, which the driver always has on hand. You can also use regular laundry detergent or glass cleaner, such as Mister Proper.
Liquids such as:
- sunflower oil;
- oil for baby skin care;
- massage oil.
You can read more about other car cleaning methods Here.
From glass
Glass surfaces respond well to treatment with acetone or special window cleaners., for example, Mr. Muscle or Mr. Proper. Any housewife has vegetable oil in her kitchen that will quickly clean glass from tape.
You can remove sticky marks using substances such as:
- Petrol.
- Soapy water.
- White spirit.
- Soda.
- Essential oils.
It is not recommended to use products that scratch surfaces. This applies to all abrasive powders.
Cleaning should be done with a sponge or soft cloth. More information can be found Here.
From furniture
It is difficult to remove tape from plastic furniture. If the contaminated surface is exposed to sunlight, the problem becomes even more serious. To solve this, you can use a hairdryer to heat the tape.
Vegetable oil, a school eraser and some other improvised means help to cope with sticky marks. You can read more about methods for cleaning furniture from tape Here.
From plastic windows
To remove traces of tape from plastic windows, you can use nail polish remover.
Sticky stains can be quickly removed using products such as:
- vodka;
- perfumes containing alcohol;
- cologne;
- dishwashing gel.
They do not withstand unsightly streaks of oily liquids, but they are absolutely safe for plastic windows. Therefore, you can safely use:
- Is it olive oil or sunflower oil?
- Aroma oils.
- Massage Oil.
For more information on cleaning such surfaces, please visit Here.
From plastic
You can remove tape from plastic using an eraser, melamine sponge or microfiber cloth. Some housewives use the heating method, using a hairdryer for this purpose.
Chemical agents include:
- White spirit.
- Petrol.
- Acetone.
- Ammonia.
- Vinegar.
For detailed information on cleaning methods, please contact Here.
How to clean double sided?
You can remove double-sided tape from surfaces using acetone. Chemical cleaning methods allow you to cope with the problem.
To do this, you can use devices such as:
- stationery knife;
- drill or screwdriver with a rubber attachment;
- a hairdryer used to heat up the tape;
- masking tape.
Remains of glue are removed with an eraser or vegetable oil. You can read more in detail Here.
How to remove paper?
Paper tape lends itself well to mechanical cleaning. To do this, you can use a blade, a stationery knife or a school eraser.
Sticky marks remove with oil, acetone, gasoline and other available means. Every apartment has vinegar or alcohol, which can easily cope with paper tape.
General tips and tricks
- To avoid damaging the skin of your hands with aggressive substances, you need to wear gloves.
- When interacting with liquids that have a strong chemical odor, it is recommended to protect your respiratory system with a respirator.
- If you don’t have a hairdryer at hand to heat the surface, you can expose it to the sun’s rays. They will melt the glue, making it easier to remove.
- You should not start treating a large surface with aggressive agents if you are not sure of the success of the event.In order not to spoil the thing, you need to try to test the selected product on an inconspicuous area. Only after this can you begin further cleaning.
Conclusion
It's easy to get rid of traces of tape. The main thing is to decide on the type of surface and choose the right cleaning product. When working with aggressive substances, safety precautions must be observed..