Remove Masking Tape

"Damn it!" is a common, frustrated cry of some people who try to remove old masking tape for a long time without any success. They eventually give up their attempts in vain, as the triumphant tape still stays on, staring at the unsuccessful trier. But now its victorious days are limited, as we give you some simple suggestions to remove the masking tape and also its residue.

Clean Ways For Masking Tape Removal

Used mainly while interior painting of your home, masking tape is made up from adhesive and paper. This tape is used mostly for covering up the walls, windows or furniture, where you do not want to get the paint on. Also, the tape can be used to temporarily join two objects. More often than not, it is the process of removing masking tape that becomes a nightmare, as it tends to cause a lot of trouble to the person and also harms the surface on which it is stuck. If proper care is not taken, then it could also damage the surface. The following points should help you remove the tape effectively:

• An easy-to-use option would be, using warm water and a damp cloth. Dip the cloth slightly, in warm water and rub it over the dried tape. This will moist the tape, soften the glue and loosen it on its ends, making it easier to peel it off after wards.
• Using mineral spirits or thinners is another option for removing masking tape. Mineral spirits are milder and generally preferred, as they do not harm the surface much. Applying these spirits will help remove the glue and you can easily peel off the tape and wipe out the rest.
• Another viable option to remove it would be to use a hair dryer. You can plug your hairdryer in and blow it on the tape. The warm air makes sure that the glue is softened for an easy peeling of the tape.
• Various commercial products are available in the market, like Goo-gone, Murphy's Oil and WD-40, which can be used to peel off the masking tape. These chemical substances could at times damage the surface. Once the tape is removed, an additional scrapping, with the help of an razor blade, is needed to remove the residue.
• A homemade solution for removing masking tape from a glass could be, making a solution of vinegar, lime water and normal water. Mix all the three ingredients together in the ratio of 1:1:1 and spray the mixture on the tape. This mixture softens the glue and the tape can be peeled off without any trouble, or harm to the glass surface. In case of a residue, use paper or a razor blade to get it off.

Cleaning Masking Tape Residue

Once you are done with the removal procedure, there is a possibility that certain bits of tape or glue stays back on the surface. And you may be disheartened, considering that your previous effort has not yielded the expected results. Do not get demoralized as we have a few solutions for removing the residue as well.

• At times, the best way to remove tape residue is to apply more masking tape. This works, especially to remove glue residue on a nonporous surface. You need to apply the tape on the desired part, rub your finger over it so that it gels with the surface and then peel it off, in one quick motion, so that the tape also peels off with it the remaining residue.
• Using vegetable oil or mineral oil is also an effective method. You can apply the oil on the residue and keep it for a day, at least. Later on, you can simply rub the residue away with your fingertips or use a wet cloth for the same.
• Rubbing alcohol on the residue with the help of some cotton, also softens it up for easy removal.
• If the residue has not dried, or is wet, then even the rubbing of a warm fingertip can help to peel it off.
• Goo Gone, a commercial product, available in the market is a trusted liquid solution, especially for the removal of old masking tapes.

Hope the above mentioned armory will suffice you in your impending battle with the masking tape. Make sure that this time you are the one smiling at the end!