How to remove adhesive tape from plastic. Here is the method

How can you remove adhesive tape from plastic? This is something many people can ask themselves, from those who want to remove a label from a plastic jar, to people who find themselves dealing with adhesive prints on their bike’s plastic fairings.

Or, you may ask yourself how to remove double-sided adhesive tape from a piece of plastic you need to clean; for example, a company’s vending machine, on the sides of which posters have been hung with professional and very resistant adhesive tape.

Understanding how to remove adhesive tape glue from plastic is therefore a fairly common problem, due to the simple fact that plastic is a ubiquitous material in our lives.

And, as we know, adhesion between a good adhesive tape and a plastic surface can be very strong: it is, in fact, a smooth, homogeneous surface, which offers an optimal support for the double-sided tapes glue (unlike, for example, plaster or wood).

However, unlike cardboard, plastic surfaces have the advantage of being able withstand strong double-sided adhesive tape removal without incurring in any risk for the support itself. The real difficulty lies in understanding how to remove tape and glue residue quickly and effectively!

Let’s see what the best method is, without leaving any traces!

How to remove adhesive tape from plastic: the most effective technique

The most effective method to remove the industrial double-sided adhesive tape from plastic is to have three tools on hand, i.e., a solvent (in the absence of anything else enamel solvent, or acetone, are also fine), a sponge, or a clean cloth and a delicate scraper.

What do we mean by this last term? We use it to describe any plastic object that can be used to “scrape” the plastic surface where the adhesive tape is placed without the risk of ruining it.

A phone card, an old supermarket card, a windshield scraper: all these are possible options. Where do you start? First of all, wear gloves, because you’re going to use a solvent which could be aggressive for the skin.

After this, apply the solvent on the affected plastic surface: you can pour it directly drop by drop (if the surface is horizontal) or apply it with a soaked cloth. In all cases it will not be necessary to use a lot of solvent: it is enough for the tape – or rather, the adhesive tape glue – is soaked with the liquid.

Leave the solvent to act, and then try to remove the industrial double-sided adhesive from the plastic: at this point the glue should be quite soft, and it will therefore be easy to lift the adhesive tape and remove the glue residues using the scraper. In some cases – think, for example, of long pieces of adhesive tape – it may be necessary to repeat the solvent application phase several times.

Once all the glue residue has been removed, in any case, we suggest you clean the surface with water and soap, or even better with a degreaser: this way, you can be sure to have removed all the residue, both glue and solvent.

How to remove adhesive tape glue from plastic: other effective methods

·         Heat: You can make the adhesive tape softer and pliant through heat. The glue holding it to the underlying surface will in fact start to lose its grip, making its removal easier. The most suitable method, from this point of view, can be to use a normal hair dryer for about 30 seconds, and then use a plastic scraper to remove the adhesive tape.

·         Vinegar and lemon: excellent in general to remove adhesive tape from any smooth surface, the mixture of vinegar and lemon leaves no traces, it is absolutely low cost and can be prepared at home by everyone. Just squeeze half a lemon in a saucepan, add half a glass of vinegar, heat slightly – the mixture does not need to boil – and apply as we saw above, as if it were a solvent.

·         Baking soda and olive oil: here is another home remedy to remove adhesive tape from plastic, or glue or label residue. In this case, too, these are ingredients present in all our homes, i.e., baking soda and olive oil (seed oil is also fine). All you have to do is mix two tablespoons of olive oil with a tablespoon of baking soda, and then apply the solution obtained directly on the adhesive tape and its glue residues Leave it for about half an hour, and then start to remove the tape, always using a scraper with care and patience.

Removing adhesive tape from plastic, with the right accessories and techniques, is easy and safe: enjoy!