What is tape made from?
Scotch tape is the name for a piece of sticky tape that only had glue on the edges, and legend has it that the inventor was nicknamed Scotsman, hinting at his greed, because a fully glued surface would stick much better.
The material from which the tape is made depends on its purpose:
| Type of adhesive tape | Application | Material |
| Packaging and office | Gluing parcels, stationery needs | Polypropylene |
| Painting | Refurbishment, painting and wall cladding | Rough paper |
| Bilateral |
Construction works, installation |
PVC, paper, foam materials |
| aluminum or metallized |
Insulation of duct parts |
Aluminum foil, aluminum coated polypropylene |
|
Reinforced |
Connection of pipe elements during installation |
Aluminum film reinforced with fiberglass and a layer of polyethylene from moisture |
Glue is used rubber (natural and artificial) or acrylic.
In order not to face the problem of removing adhesive tape residues from plastic, it is recommended to use an easily removable version of this product.
What you should pay attention to before you start cleaning plastic
So, how to remove the glue from the adhesive tape, it turned out to be not such a difficult task.The answer is simple, there are enough solutions. All you need to do is follow some rules:
- Do not use acids to process materials. They can damage, burn plastic, turn snow-white window frames into faded shadows, in other words, they will become yellow and ugly.
- In some cases, it is allowed to use vinegar (but not acid, but a 9% solution).
- Read the instructions before using chemical sprays and follow their exact instructions. This will save plastic surfaces from trouble.
- Do not leave adhesive tapes on the surface for a long time. Fresh marks on the plastic can be easily removed.
- Avoid rubbing sensitive, delicate surfaces. It is better to choose another method.
- Before using any of the above methods, conduct a small safety experiment.
General principles
Acrylic glue is used in the manufacture of adhesive tape. Therefore, many standard cleaning methods are powerless, for example, it is useless to rub traces of adhesive tape with a sponge or wash off. Over time, the glue eats away, leaving dirty, ugly stains. Wiping it off after a long period of time becomes almost impossible.
You also need to consider the material of the surface where the adhesive tape remained. For example, high-quality plastic will endure exposure to aggressive chemicals without consequences for itself, while low-quality material may lose color, change texture, burns, etc.
Usually, to remove traces of adhesive tape, both improvised means are used, for example, vegetable oil or an eraser, as well as special household chemicals or solvents such as white spirit. You should study each method, how to remove stains from adhesive tape on plastic, in more detail.
Best methods and means
Adhesive tape is made from different materials, it can be construction, painting. Glue for it is usually used acrylic. The cleaning method is selected based on this fact. The most effective means:
- the same adhesive tape;
- sunflower or essential oil;
- pencil eraser (it will take a lot of effort and patience, especially with a large area of \u200b\u200bcontamination);
- ethyl alcohol or vodka;
- purchased aerosols;
- petrol;
- soapy water;
- cleaning powder.
The choice of technique depends on the material on which traces need to be eliminated.
How to remove traces of adhesive tape on plastic: step by step instructions
Scotch tape is a very necessary and practical thing. But with all the advantages, he has the only significant drawback - after himself, he leaves a sticky stain. If you do not know how to remove traces of adhesive tape on plastic, then removing adhesive tape stains will not be so easy. Before proceeding to solve the problem, let's get acquainted with the basic rules:
- do not use metal scrapers, abrasives so as not to scratch the surface;
- before using aggressive chemicals, test the product on a small area of \u200b\u200bplastic;
- Removing fresh traces of adhesive tape on plastic is much easier than old ones.
A universal way to clean adhesive tape from plastic is as follows:
- Test the selected product on an inconspicuous area;
- Soften old stains with hot air, for example, with a hairdryer;
- Apply the product to the contamination;
- Leave for a while;
- Wipe off with a cloth or paper towel.
If you work with chemicals, use gloves and a mask.
How to remove tape marks on plastic? Top 20 ways
How to wash adhesive tape from plastic without damaging the object? Consider the best ways to rid plastic of glue.
Folk remedies
- Soap
You can wash off traces of adhesive tape from plastic using an ordinary soap solution. Do not use too hot water, so as not to deform the material.
- Eraser
A simple and budgetary way is to erase traces of glue with an ordinary rubber band. This is the most efficient option. After the glue has come off, treat the surface with a damp cloth.
- Scotch
The wedge is knocked out with a wedge. If a glue stain has just appeared, then there is no better remedy than tearing off the glue with duct tape. Place a strip of duct tape on the dirt, then pull hard so you can peel the dirt off. This method is not suitable for old stains.
- Soda
Mix baking soda with a little warm water until it becomes a paste. Apply it to a rag and treat the sticky dirt.Then wipe with a damp cloth. - Toothpaste
One of the most unusual options for cleaning tape marks on plastic. Apply some toothpaste to the stain. Wait 10-15 minutes. Wipe the area to be treated with soapy water. Use paste without dyes!
- Nail polish remover
Pure acetone is not recommended. But nail polish remover does not contain it in concentrations that can damage the material. Just in case, test the product before use. Apply liquid to a cotton pad, treat the contaminated surface. Then wipe with soapy water. Minus: the pungent smell will last for a while.
- Petrol
The tool, which also delivers unpleasant emotions with its specific aroma, is quite effective in the fight against old stains. Using a cotton pad, apply the product to the surface. Then wipe with soapy water. Keep in mind that gasoline should not be used near a fire!
- Vegetable oil
Oddly enough, ordinary vegetable oil will help to clean plastic tape at home. Apply the oil to a cotton pad and apply to the stain for 2-3 hours. When the adhesive mass softens, it can be removed with a simple cloth. Do not use on surfaces where oil is difficult to remove.
- Vinegar
It will help to wipe the adhesive tape from the plastic with ordinary vinegar, which is in the kitchen of every housewife. In a bowl, dissolve 1 cup of water and a quarter cup of 9% vinegar. Add a few drops of liquid soap. Wipe the dirt with this mixture in a circular motion with a sponge.
- Alcohol
Soak a cotton pad in alcohol. Treat the sticky spot. Wipe with a damp cloth after 5 minutes. Not suitable for colored plastic as alcohol has a bleaching effect.
- Stationery knife
Holding the blade at a slight angle from the surface, gently scrape off the dirt layer by layer. Be very careful not to damage the plastic.
Household chemicals
- Melamine sponge
Dip this magic eraser in water. The melamine sponge should be able to easily remove the sticky stain. It is a mild abrasive, so use it with care.
- Cleaning agent
Dry scouring powder can help solve the problem, but to avoid scratching the surface with this scrubber, proceed as follows:
- Dampen the sponge and sprinkle the powder on it.
- Press the sponge onto the stain.After 5 minutes, wipe off the adhesive without applying force. Wipe with a dry cloth to remove any remaining powder.
- Window cleaners
If there is an area with an old stain on the plastic, then this method is for you. Spray glass cleaner onto the sponge. Start scrubbing off the dirt, rinsing the sponge if necessary and applying the product again. After the stain has been removed, wipe off any remaining product with a cloth. Ventilate the room.
- Dishwashing liquid
This tool will help to wipe the adhesive from the adhesive tape not only from the plastic, but also from the machine body. Use it the same way you would a soap solution.
- Sticker Remover
It is sold on the market in various forms (in an aerosol can, in the form of a pencil or liquid). This is a fairly budget tool, but it effectively helps to remove the remnants of stains from adhesive tape with any base.
- Kiehl Tablefit
Tackles many stubborn stains. It must be applied to a napkin or rag, and then wipe the contamination with it.
- Taygeta S-405
Sold in a convenient spray bottle. It is applied to the remains of adhesive tape, removed after 15-30 seconds.
- Grass Antigraffiti
This is a professional stain remover from various surfaces. The liquid is colorless and odorless, however, it must be used with gloves. After application, it is necessary to ventilate the room. Since this is a fairly aggressive chemical, test on a small area before use.
- White Spirit
95% ethyl alcohol can not only clean the stain, but also remove yellow stains from window frames. You need to check the reaction of the plastic before use. The drug is inexpensive, but effective.
wedge wedge
The stain from the adhesive tape can be removed with the same adhesive tape.To do this, cut off a piece so that it is convenient to hold it. Then quickly press the sticky side to the stains and quickly tear off. Pieces of adhesive will stick to the tape. So you can clean a fairly large surface. To completely get rid of stickiness, the plastic will have to be washed with soapy water or any other means.
Use of oils
Do not even hesitate, it is oil, whether sunflower, linseed, rapeseed or any other, that will help you remove the problem in a few simple steps.
To wash the plane, use the soft side of the sponge, not rough cloths, as the plastic can be scratched very easily.
- Apply the agent of your choice with a sponge or in any other way convenient for you on the surface with glue and leave it for 10 - 15 minutes. Due to the oily substance, the glue is impregnated and swells, while losing its properties.
- Next, you need to remove the resulting mass with a napkin.
- After that, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the surface with a soapy solution, which will remove the remnants of greasy stains.
Keep in mind that a specific fragrance may remain in the room for a while, so one of the best options is to use citrus essential oil, which can be found in a pharmacy or specialty store.
Other improvised means
Acetone nail polish remover or acetone itself is great for removing tape marks from glass, plastic, and other surfaces. The only limitation is that it cannot be used on metal surfaces, because all the shine is “killed” very quickly, as well as spraying or paint. Also, light bald spots may appear on tinted windows because of this.
Acetone easily copes not only with glue, but also with the remnants of the adhesive tape itself. To do this, it is moistened with a tool and left for a few minutes. If the film does not separate immediately, then the procedure is repeated. Adhesive tape after such processing will easily separate from a smooth surface.
Cleaning agents such as alcohol, vinegar or window cleaning solutions are also recommended for cleaning. They are used similarly to acetone. All these products perfectly clean both traces of glue and adhesive tape residues. To remove acrylic, wipe it with a cloth or cotton swab dipped in the selected product. To remove the tape itself, alcohol or vinegar is applied to it and left for 5-7 minutes. After that, the film separates on its own, leaving no sticky residue. These are the main means than to wash the remaining glue.
If the stains are old, it is recommended to soften them with a hair dryer before cleaning. After that, dealing with them will not be difficult.
All these products are suitable for removing stains not only from plastic, but also from glass, tiles, mirrors, ceramic and other smooth chemical-resistant surfaces.
There are many methods to clean up the sticky marks left by stationery. Finding the best option for how to wipe them is not difficult.
What is the best way to clean double sided tape?
Double-sided tape is special in that it has an adhesive surface on both sides. Accordingly, it can be peeled off by heating it with a hairdryer or an iron, but in the second case, it is necessary to lay paper. After that, the surface can be cleaned with a knife or scraper, and then with a solvent.
Festive decor must be removed sooner or later. Scrapbooking jewelry is not very easy to wipe off the table or glass.
The better to wash tape from a plastic window
The technology is not much different from the methods described above.
- Stage. Dissolve or wash.
- Stage. Heat up with a hairdryer.
- Stage. Remove with a scraper or wipe off the remaining tape with a napkin.
You need to act carefully so as not to scratch the surface, it is better to use scrapers with rubber pads.
Advice! If you don't have a scraper handy, you can use an old plastic card.
Another way to remove glue is to use tooth powder, or better, ready-made paste.The fact is that fluorine compounds negatively affect adhesive elements. The paste is applied to the place of contamination and after 15 minutes the residues are removed, along with the glue.
If you didn't know, toothpaste can be used instead of stain remover. It does an excellent job of "whitening" greasy stains on jeans.
In addition, to get rid of adhesive tape stains, you can use a simple iron (with a steam function) or a steam generator. Heating will most often change the structure of the adhesive and you can safely remove it from the surface.
How to remove the remaining adhesive tape on the car?
You can remove the remnants of stubborn glue from the machine (windshield, instrument panel, hood, rubber, fenders, headlights, paintwork) using:
- vegetable oil;
- ammonia;
- apple or table vinegar;
- soapy water;
- adhesive tape.
Do not use White Spirit, gasoline, acetone and other solvents when processing paint and varnish coatings in a car.
You can clean the tape with folk methods or with an aerosol preparation of WD-40 (a water-repellent agent that prevents corrosion).
How to remove duct tape from refrigerator
It happens that he glued a magnet to the refrigerator, and he took it and fell off, leaving behind a stain from the glue. Or the child wrote a congratulation or a note to his mother on a piece of paper, hung it on an adhesive tape, and after it there was a dirty adhesive strip.
After such amenities, an unpleasant sticky mark appears on the surface of the refrigerator, which attracts dirt and dust. How to wash scotch tape from the refrigerator, miracle tips will tell.
So, how to wipe the adhesive tape from the refrigerator? We bring to your attention the most effective methods.
hair dryer
To clean tape marks:
- Prepare a warm water solution with soap.
- Turn on the hair dryer and direct hot air at the layer of stuck glue. Hold for 2-3 minutes.
- Wash off the heated adhesive residue with a sponge dipped in soapy water.
- Try again if necessary.
White Spirit
White spirit will help to clean the refrigerator from traces of glue:
- Apply it to your sponge.
- Wipe the problem area (without pressure), regularly wetting the sponge.
Advice. Try it on an inconspicuous area of the refrigerator first so you don't lose the paint.
How to wash tape from plastic on a machine video:
The most effective ways to deal with glue stains from adhesive tape
In most cases, it is quite difficult to clean the plastic surface from the adhesive remaining on it. Therefore, many consumers use for this purpose a variety of sharp and cutting objects (knives, spatulas, metal rulers, etc.). Do not under any circumstances do this, as you may severely scratch the surface, ruining the appearance of the plastic product. It is better to give preference to one of the substances listed below:
- alcohol;
- petrol;
- White Spirit;
- kerosene;
- acetone.
True, these substances must be handled very carefully, as they can corrode plastic. So, before you start using this or that drug, be sure to try it on a small piece of the surface (where the damage, in which case, will be invisible). And when you begin to process the plastic that needs to be cleaned, make sure that the solvent does not remain on its surface for a long time - a few seconds are enough, after which you need to gently wipe the surface to be treated with a dry cloth.
If the plastic, despite all your efforts, does not clean off, try using the following method: wipe the surface with acetone, wait until the plastic dries, and gently go over it with fine sandpaper. After that, you will need to once again quickly treat the plastic surface with acetone and wipe it with a dry soft cloth.
More gentle methods of exposure
There are safer ways to clean plastic surfaces from traces of adhesive tape, which, however, are more laborious.So, for example, plastic doors, windows and furniture can be cleaned with ordinary sunflower oil (however, after that, all surfaces should be washed with dishwashing detergent to remove residual grease).
Well, if you can’t wet the surface that should be cleaned of glue with water, then try using an ordinary eraser. Under the action of the eraser, the glue will gradually roll into lumps, which are very easy to remove. However, this method is only suitable for small amounts of dirt, because otherwise you will have to spend a lot of time cleaning the surface.
Thus, in each case, it is necessary to choose your own method of cleaning the plastic surface. However, whichever one you prefer, be extremely careful not to damage a good thing!
What not to use
As in any business, removing traces of adhesive tape from plastic should not be overdone. Not all types of such surfaces are the same in their chemical composition.
Polycarbonate products - greenhouse walls, outdoor advertising, canopies, kitchen containers with lids - cannot be rubbed with acetone, because this will lead to their dissolution.
Machine interior parts are made of ABS plastic, which is also not compatible with acetone.
It is not recommended to clean adhesive tape from colored plastic with chlorine-containing substances: after that, the black surface will become lighter, and yellowness will appear on the white.
Washing powders with visible abrasive fractions will leave scratches on the surface. Metal brushes and washcloths also deform the surface, and the furrows from them remain much deeper and more noticeable.
Before you wipe the adhesive tape from the plastic using one of the methods, you need to figure out what it is made of so that the color and presentation of the surface does not go away with the adhesive tape. If it is impossible to determine this, then you should start with the most harmless.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes attempts to wipe off sticky marks lead to the fact that the dirt remains on the surface, which also turns out to be damaged. To prevent this from happening, always remember a few important rules.
- Do not scrape the base without preparation, especially with something sharp. The sticky mass must first be softened with any suitable preparation.
- For a base coated with varnish or paint, never use acetone or alcohol.
- Essential or vegetable oils do not clean untreated wood.
- It is possible to use toxic compounds for cleaning only with the use of protective equipment: gloves, a respirator, etc.
- Flammable substances must not be used near an open flame or within its reach.
When it has already been decided how to wipe the glue from the adhesive tape, it is advisable to conduct a small safety test. The agent is applied in small quantities to the most inconspicuous fragment, see how it behaves. If the base remains intact, you can get to work.
Helpful Hints
Do not scrape adhesive marks with your fingernails. Most likely the nail will be broken, and the stain will remain. This operation is preferably carried out with a knife, a spatula, an unnecessary plastic card and other similar items that are more effective than nails.
Contamination will be easier to wipe off if citrus ingredients are present in the detergent. The citric acid contained in them destroys the adhesive base remaining on the surface. If there is no such remedy, use halves of lemons or oranges to treat pollution, rubbing stains with them - you can soak and wipe the glue from the adhesive tape in this way. In order not to puzzle over how to remove traces of adhesive tape, use adhesive tapes that do not leave stains even if they have been pasted for a long time.
