The 8 best ways to remove double-sided tape from a car

Removing traces of adhesive tape from a car with improvised means can cost you not only wasted time, but also irretrievably lost nerve cells, unless you conduct a little online research in advance, of course. You are lucky: in this collection all the funds are collected that can save you from the problem at home!

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Typically, adhesive tape and electrical tape are removed with a bang, and have to deal exclusively with their traces. But what if the strip of adhesive tape was glued so long that it seems that it has already grown to the body? A new fresh piece of scotch tape can help you remove traces, which you need to glue on the old one, leaving a free end for which you will pull.

It would also be nice to slightly heat the old strip with a hairdryer, as increasing the temperature will make the glue a little more viscous and will facilitate the removal process.

Now it remains to pull the free edge of the fresh strip: the old strip should begin to move away with it.

Tip

It’s better to pull the tape not toward you at an angle of 90 °, but as parallel to the surface as possible at an angle close to 180 °. Thus, the paintwork practically does not feel the impact, which is especially important if the machine was not very well repainted or if the paint in the area of ​​the tracks cracked a little.

A gentle method using oils

If the traces of scotch tape are fairly fresh, you can wipe them off with oil: apply olive or sunflower oil to the glue, wait a bit and gently rub the area with a rag or sponge. They say that melamine sponges in this matter are the most effective, but they must be used with caution: some, but abrasive.

It is interesting that not only ordinary, but also essential oils can remove traces from the body. You can use tea tree oil, peppermint, eucalyptus or any of the citrus fruits, while not being afraid for the safety of LCP.

Tip

Any gentle way to remove traces may require soaking or repeating the procedure several times.

Dishwashing liquid or wiper

Another delicate way to rid the machine of traces of tape is to use dishwashing detergents and windows. Of course, when using them, you will need to work on your hands, wiping off the traces, and, possibly, spend several visits, but you will not need to worry about how the paint will react to such an effect.

Tip

Before applying any of these methods, it will be useful to heat up the scotch marks with a hairdryer, even if they are not very old. So stains can be removed much easier and faster.

Acetic acid solution

Some motorists remove traces of double-sided tape using a mixture of water and acetic acid in a 1: 1 ratio. Vinegar has the ability to display so many spots of different nature, which may help with an adhesive trace.

Eraser or special nozzle

In car dealerships, they often use a special rubber disc to remove traces of adhesive tape, and it is quite possible to buy and use it yourself. But if the surface of the glue spot is not very wide, you can use the usual eraser! Only not the side that is supposed to wash the handle.

Tip

Using tools with an abrasive does not help to remove the adhesive at all, since usually the particles simply stick to the stain and form a sticky adhesive mass, which is no easier to remove than ordinary adhesive.

Alcohol or acetone free nail polish remover

This option is for those who do not want to wait long, but at the same time fear for the safety of the paintwork. Yes, alcohol and acetone-free nail polish remover are more harmless than other solvents, but they can leave some mark on the surface. Do not be too lazy to check how your LCP will respond to such an effect in a small inconspicuous area.

Tip

Here are listed a lot of ways with which you can remove the tape, but no one can say exactly which one will help in your case, since the effectiveness depends on the nature of the adhesive base of the tape, and they may vary slightly. You have to choose the perfect method using trial and error.

Solvents

Usually car enthusiasts are in no hurry to use solvents in order to remove adhesive tape from the body, because the reluctance to see a matte stain or get bloated paint in a couple of days is usually stronger than the desire to remove glue stains. And, nevertheless, you can resort to this method if you check the reaction of the LCP to the solvent in an inconspicuous area in advance.

In this case, you can use:

• "White Spirit";
• acetone;
• petrol;
• diesel fuel.

These products will actually remove double-sided tape without a trace. The main thing is that their use does not leave a new mark on your car.

Paraffin-based igniter

This tool can become a real lifesaver, which will help to remove traces from the car in just a few seconds, but it only works with certain adhesive bases. We recommend starting with the means of ignition, because they are absolutely harmless to paintwork and can erase adhesive traces instantly with minimal physical effort to wipe off the glue stains.

Yes, if you are not lucky and the adhesive base of your adhesive tape will not be removed, you will have to switch to other methods. But if the glue is suitable, then the problem will be solved in record time!

Perhaps, it is not necessary to resort to the help of professionals in order to simply remove the traces of adhesive tape from a car, and this can be done with your own hands. We hope that among all the variety of ways you will find one that is right for you!