How to Remove Masking Tape

Tap to Read ➤ Suketu Mehta

Masking tape is normally used while painting, to cover up places that you do not want to paint. However, people have difficulty with removing masking tape properly. Here is the simple solutions for this quandary.

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

Easy Ways To Remove Masking Tape

Used while painting the interior of your home, masking tape is nothing but adhesive and paper. This tape is used for covering the walls, windows or furniture, where you don't want to get the paint on. The tape can be used to 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. The given 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 in warm water and rub it over the dried tape. This will moisten the tape, soften the glue, and loosen it at its ends, making it easier to peel 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. Applying these spirits will help to 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 in your hairdryer and blow hot air on the tape. The warm air makes sure that the glue is softened for 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 glass surfaces 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 then 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. 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 the remaining residue with it.

Apply vegetable oil or mineral oil on the residue and keep it for a day. Then, rub it away with fingertips or use a wet cloth. 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 made for the removal of old masking tapes.

Hope that the mentioned tips and tricks will aid you in your impending battle with the masking tape. Make sure that this time you are the one who is victorious!