Useful life hacks on how to remove double-sided and regular tape from your car without scratching the surface
It is very difficult to maintain the cleanliness of a car's paintwork. This is the same as watching a small child - if now he is clean, then in a minute he will have climbed somewhere.
Often all sorts of stickers or tape appear on the car. It is not difficult to remove these troubles, but the layer of glue left after their stay on the car’s paintwork is not so easy to wash off.
Even a car wash with car shampoo cannot solve this problem. Get rid of tape marks By car you can do it in different ways.
Content
- Use of oils
- How can you remove residues with alcohol?
- Scotch tape or duct tape
- Eraser for marks on a car body
- Vinegar or acetic acid
- Dish and window cleaners
- Heating with a hairdryer
- Baby wipes
- How to remove the tape with Antisilicone solvent?
- Special equipment
- Paraffin based ignition agent
- Solvents
- Rubber disc
- Auto magic 40
- Tint remover
- Anti-scotch
- Automotive air valve
- Removal from different surfaces
- Useful video
- Conclusion
Use of oils
Any vegetable oil will work for this method.. It is applied and left on the trail for a short time. Next, you need to rub it effortlessly with a sponge or rag.
Some car enthusiasts claim that a melamine sponge helped them cope with the problem.
But such advice should be treated with caution, since this device is still an abrasive that can damage the paintwork of a vehicle.
Essential oils are also effective. Such gentle methods of dealing with traces of adhesive tape require repeating the procedure many times.
How can you remove residues with alcohol?
This option is suitable for the most impatient motorists who are not used to waiting for a long time and at the same time worry about the safety of the paintwork.
But at the same time, even these products can leave their “imprint” on the surface of the car body. It is recommended to first check the reaction of the treated surface. To do this, you need to select some inconspicuous area, for example, the inside of the trunk lid.
Scotch tape or duct tape
As a rule, electrical tape or adhesive tape can be easily removed from the surface, but you will have to tinker with the traces left by it.
There are cases when the adhesive tape is on the surface for a long time, and it seems that it forms one whole with the body.
In this case, a fresh piece of adhesive tape or tape will come to the rescue. It is glued to the old overlap, leaving only the free end, designed so that later it can be pulled sharply.
The old strip of tape should be heated with a hairdryer before this procedure. As the temperature rises, the glue will become more viscous, which will greatly facilitate the process during removal. It is not recommended to use a hair dryer, as high temperatures will damage the paintwork of the car.
It's time to say goodbye to the rest of the old tape. It is necessary to sharply pull the edge of the freshly glued strip. The old one will be deleted along with it.
Eraser for marks on a car body
If the area of contamination is small, a regular eraser will do to solve the problem. You should use the side for wiping a pencil, not the side for a ballpoint pen.
Upon completion of the procedure, the work area should be cleared of crumbs and dust.. If in the future something sticks to this place, then it should be degreased; if not, the coating is treated with polish and an ideal shiny surface is obtained.
If you choose this method, the likelihood of causing damage to the paintwork is minimal.
In the fight against tape on the surface of the car It is not recommended to use abrasives. Particles usually stick to the viscous adhesive mass, and dealing with such a “porridge” becomes even more difficult than with ordinary glue.
Vinegar or acetic acid
Many car enthusiasts deal with pollution using acetic acid diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.
The properties of vinegar allow you to get rid of various contaminants, regardless of the nature of their occurrence. Glue marks are no exception. In order not to damage the paint, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportion.
Dish and window cleaners
There is another delicate method that will help deal with traces of adhesive tape on a vehicle. You will need dishwashing or window cleaning detergent.
Only, when wiping off these marks, you will need to work with your hands, and perhaps several approaches will be required.
The paint reacts normally to such products, which can be considered their advantage in comparison and more aggressive means.
Old stains are removed faster and much easier if they are heated. Therefore, you should first use a hairdryer and warm up the site of the upcoming operation.
Heating with a hairdryer
The tape is based on acrylic, which can melt at low temperatures. Therefore, to eliminate such contamination, it is enough to heat it.
You need to proceed as follows:
- direct the flow of hot air from the hairdryer directly to the area that is contaminated;
- tear off the tape with a sharp movement;
- Remove any remaining adhesive from the surface with a paper towel, rubber spatula, or plastic spatula.
If you use a hair dryer, you need to monitor its heating temperature, as the paint may be damaged as a result of overheating.
Baby wipes
A gentle method for removing marks left by tape is to use wet wipes. But only in this case will you have to work hard.
It is best to use wipes designed to care for delicate baby skin., since their composition will definitely not contain substances that can damage the coating.
A damp cloth should be applied to the stain for 5-10 minutes. Periodically you need to rub this area without tearing off the napkin. After 10 minutes, you need, again, making an effort, to try to completely get rid of the contamination.
How to remove the tape with Antisilicone solvent?
In this product, unlike WD-40, there are no lubricating compositions, only pure solvent.Anti-silicone copes excellently with traces of adhesive tape from a wide variety of surfaces (glass, plastic, paintwork).
Special equipment
Good results can be obtained by using special industrial products designed to combat various types of pollution.
These are the following brands:
- Liqui Moly – the product of the German company is specifically designed for such purposes. The active components of this substance are able to soften and completely remove traces of any stickers. Price from 442 rub.
- Abro – a product for removing all types of stickers and tape. Cost from 282 rub.
- Profoam – is a universal product designed to remove various contaminants on a car, including traces of adhesive tape. Price from 180 rub.
- Grass – helps to get rid of not only traces of tape, but also chewing gum, marker traces and other contaminants. Price from 188 rub.
- Runway - Available in spray and aerosol form. The cleaner is effective and reliable, does not damage surfaces. Price from 160 rub.
All these products can be bought at any automotive store or ordered online.
Paraffin based ignition agent
Such a remedy may also be useful if it contains paraffin. When using it, you do not need to make a lot of physical effort. The product is absolutely harmless to paintwork.
But there are adhesive bases that even a lighter can’t handle. You should pay attention to other methods.And you don’t need to immediately turn to specialists for help; you can do everything yourself.
Solvents
They should be used only in extreme cases. Exposure to an aggressive substance can lead to a matte stain or peeling of the paintwork. Such prospects stop even the most “ardent” and impatient vehicle owners.
Rubber disc
A special disc designed specifically for removing adhesive tape will cope even with such contaminants that even effective solvents and other cleaning methods are powerless against.
The disc is made of hard rubber, it is not difficult to use. Simply install it on a drill, screwdriver or other suitable tool. Turn it on at medium speed and carefully walk through the contaminated area.
The disk has a huge resource. Therefore, 1 circle can be used throughout the entire operation of the vehicle, even if the stickers and moldings are reapplied on it every year.
Auto magic 40
This product is safe and cannot harm the paintwork. In addition to the remaining glue, it can be used to remove:
- bitumen,
- chewing gum,
- technical dirt.
If after this the adhesive tape is not completely removed, the procedure is repeated. Auto magic 40 should not be used on hot surfaces or left in the sun.
Tint remover
When re-tinting a car, the old tint film must be removed from the car windows. After this operation, glue stains remain.
For cleaning glass surfaces You will need the following materials and tools:
- spray;
- pliers;
- soap solution;
- a stationery blade for a knife with a width of at least 20 mm.
You must proceed as follows:
- Part of the knife blade breaks off. Tape is wound around its blunt end.
- A soap solution is sprayed onto the glass using a spray bottle.
- The blade on the side of the tape is clamped with pliers.
- The adhesive base and old film are scraped off the glass. The blade must be held at an angle of about 30? to the glass.
When working, do not forget about accuracy. There should be no nicks on the blade, as they can scratch the glass surface.
Anti-scotch
The product that removes tape residues and washes off stickers is not made with a solvent. It includes a number of components:
- acid;
- alcohol;
- surfactant;
- water;
- salt.
Automotive air valve
If the solvent has dealt with the adhesive base unsatisfactorily, and there is no rubber circle or special cleaning agents against the adhesive tape, then a car air valve will help deal with the contamination.
This part is inexpensive. It is clamped into a drill and used at minimum speed for cleaning..
Accuracy and caution during work will not be superfluous. The surface is cleaned in stages. The treated area is then washed and wiped dry, and is now ready for polishing.
Removal from different surfaces
The choice of method may vary depending on the surface being treated:
- The easiest way to remove stationery tape from a paint surface is with alcohol, solvent or special compounds for removing just such contaminants.
Using oil, wet wipes, or ignition products, you will have to tinker a little and rub the area being treated with force.
But with methods such as heating, the use of rubber discs and other mechanical methods, you need to be careful. They can cause damage to paintwork.
- Remove double sided tape more difficult. Only powerful solvents or special products will be effective here.
Oil, napkins, kitchen detergent, eraser or other tape will be powerless against such marks. Before removing marks from mudguards and moldings, it is recommended to warm them up with a hairdryer.
- It is recommended to remove marks on the dashboard left with double-sided tape using solvents. “Antisilicone” and special liquids designed for such contaminants have proven themselves well.
All remaining tape will be removed more easily if you warm it up first. But for this it is recommended to use a household hair dryer, which is set to the maximum temperature.
- When removing double-sided tape from plastic, it is important to act carefully, as the surface can be damaged if aggressive or abrasive substances are used. Using oil, gasoline, erasers, and a household hair dryer can be considered safe.
Useful video
How to remove double-sided tape with PROFOAM 3000 auto cleaner:
Conclusion
Now you know how to remove tape from a car. Of all the listed and existing methods it is difficult to choose or say which one is suitable for a particular situation.
The adhesive base of different adhesive tapes is different, and this directly affects the effectiveness of a particular product used. Therefore, only by trial and error can you find the ideal method.