Removing old masking tape from a wooden surface can be a super difficult task.
Because one little mistake will ruin your furniture. But you’ve got to do it anyway.
Or else it might get harder to remove afterward.
How to remove old masking tape from wood without damaging the surface?
Firstly you need to test the methods on a non-visible surface of your wooden furniture. If it doesn’t cause any harm, then you may proceed. Now, you can remove the masking tape by providing heat and then wipe the tape off. You can also cover the tape with oil then clean it off. Lastly, using alcohol on it can be useful as well.
Now, this is just a tiny part of the whole cleaning process.
We’ve prepared a step-by-step discussion on each of the methods. Therefore, do read till the end.
Now, my friend, let’s dive right into the methods:
How To Remove Tape From Wood
Wood surfaces are very easily damaged. That’s why a lot of people worry about thin-set sticking to wood as well.
Before getting into the methods, you should test the cleaning solvent that you’ll be using. Because wooden surfaces have varnish and paint on them.
Also, look out if there’s silicone adhesive stuck on the wood. You need to remove the silicone so there aren’t any further problems.
Therefore, if you use the wrong solvent, your furniture can lose its color. It’s quite similar to choosing the wrong wood for basement stairs and regretting later.
That’s why we suggest testing a bit of solvent on a place that’s not visible to the eyes. If it doesn’t damage the surface then you can definitely use the solvent.
Now, let’s check out the methods-
The Heat Method
This is probably the most useful option for you. Because this method won’t damage the surface of your wood.
Now for this method, you’ll need a hair-dryer and a microfiber cloth. Once you’ve got these in your hand, let’s look at the steps-
Soften The Tape Residue
First, melt the adhesive residue. For that, you’ve to keep your hair-dryer on full heat. Then hold it right on top of the tape.
After some time, touch the tape and check whether it’s softening or not.
If yes, then start peeling it off.
Wipe The Residue Off
After peeling the tape off, you might see some residue stuck on the surface. To remove it, either provide heat again or take some warm water. Then quickly wipe the residue off with a microfiber cloth.
The Oil Method
Yup, you’ve guessed it right. Oil is a great way to remove sticky substances. It can also be used to remove the made in China smell from rubber products.
However, you’ll need some specific oils for removing the tape from your wood. We recommend using vegetable oil, baby oil, coconut oil, and olive oil. You can even use these oils for removing tape residue from skin.
Now if you’ve got any of these oils, cotton pads, and a microfibre cloth, you can start the removal process-
Dab The Oil On The Spot
First, you need to put the oil on a cotton pad then dab it on the tape. You have to cover the whole tape with the oil. Then wait for 20-30 minutes. Within this time, the oil will start to dissolve the sticky tape glue.
Wipe It Off
After the glue softens, you need to wipe it off. You can use a microfiber cloth for that. Use a little bit of force and boom, the stubborn tape is gone!
The Alcohol Method
Alcohol can come in handy if you want to remove adhesive residue. So yeah, you can use some alcohol on the old masking tape to get rid of it.
Now, let’s see how alcohol helps, shall we?
Rub Alcohol On The Tape
Firstly, you’ll need to pour some alcohol on a cotton pad or soft rag. Next, you’ve to rub the tape with it. Keep rubbing for about 10-15 minutes. Or you can even just cover the tape with alcohol and leave it for 20-30 minutes.
Remove The Tape
After the time is over, check if the glue has softened or not. If it has them you can peel off the tape. And lastly, wipe the remaining residue off with the same rag or cotton pad.
What Should You Do If The Methods Don’t work
Now, there’s a very high chance that these methods will be very useful in removing the tape. But if none of these work for you, you can use baking soda. It’s a good option if you want to remove any adhesive substance.
Also, if you didn’t know, baking soda also helps to remove gear oil smell from clothes.
To remove the tape, you can either peel it off first and sprinkle some baking soda on the sticky residue. Or just cover the tape with baking soda paste. After waiting for 3-5hours, you can scrub the spot with a brush.
Using laundry detergent for the scrubbing can get the residue off easily. Last but not the least, clean the surface with warm water.
Also, you can use some popular adhesive cleaning products to remove the tape. And these are-
| Goo Gone Adhesive Remover – 8 Ounce | Check Current Price |
| Goo Gone Original – 2 Ounce | Check Current Price |
Therefore, don’t worry at all, buddy! Just use any of these and you’ll get a new-looking wood surface in no time!
FAQs
Does vinegar help in removing adhesive?
Well, yes vinegar does help to remove mild adhesive residue. So, if you think your tape glue is not that hard, then you can definitely use vinegar to get it out.
How to remove tape residue from wood floor?
You can use baking soda, alcohol, and oil to remove tape residue from your wood floor. But first, you need to test these solvents on a non-visible part of your wooden floor. Then you can apply any of these cleaning solvents on the wood floor.
Question: How to remove tape residue from painted wood?
We recommend using alcohol. By applying alcohol you’ll not damage the painted wood surface. That’s why just rub some alcohol on the residue with a soft rag. And you’ll see the glue coming off the wood.
Endnote
That’s all we had in store for you on how to remove old masking tape from wood.
So, were you able to remove the tape completely?
Best of luck!