Removing Masking Tape Residue off Enamel Surface Advise Needed

[DerRedMax]

Well, it looks like I left the green masking tape on too long on a rocket being painting with multiple colors. I tried to remove the residue with a little rubbing alcohol but no luck. What's the best way to remove the residue? Please avise.

Thx

 

[neil_w]

I'm surprised at this. How long was it on? What kind of tape is it?

Goo-gone will take it off.

 

[DerRedMax]

Will Goo-gone it take off the underlying enamel paint?

 

[cwbullet]

I have had good success with Goo Gone or Goof Off.

I have also had good success with WD-40. Use a rag with a bit of texture to it — for example, terry cloth as opposed to an old t-shirt — and soak a small area of it with WD-40, then scrub at the residue. If there is a lot of residue, you can spray the residue and let it sit for just a minute before scrubbing. Obviously, don’t do this on anything that the oil in WD-40 would harm! After removing the residue, it’s really important to wash off any WD-40 remnants with soapy water and dry before reapplying new adhesive.

 

[cwbullet]

Will Goo-gone it take off the underlying enamel paint?

I have never had it do that. WD 40 might. I really think it depends on the paint type.

 

[neil_w]

Will Goo-gone it take off the underlying enamel paint?

You can always test it somewhere, but I strongly doubt you will have any problem. Goo-gone is meant to work on ordinary household surfaces, and enamel is very tough stuff.

 

[DerRedMax]

I'm using 3M green masking tape. The tape was on for 3-4 weeks.

 

[Hobie1dog]

Goo-gone will take it off.

+3

 

[David Schwantz]

Use tape. Get the good yellow stuff and then just start dabbing the residue with the sticky of the new tape. Will lift it right off with a few dabs.

 

[prfesser]

Caution with WD40. The silicone oil that is a part of it may cause paint problems afterward. If you're not painting that part, no worries. If you are, some thorough cleaning with soap, water, and alcohol might be advised.

 

[Lord Rory Gin]

Well, it looks like I left the green masking tape on too long on a rocket being painting with multiple colors. I tried to remove the residue with a little rubbing alcohol but no luck. What's the best way to remove the residue? Please avise.

Thx

I've tried rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) and ethanol. It was a bad choice on Tamiya silver paint as it rubbed the paint off too. So on a later rocket with enamel paint I tried the safest method - soap and water but that didn't work at all. So I gingerly wiped Goo Gone on it and that did the trick. I will keep that in my arsenal from now on.

 

[OzHybrid]

Well, it looks like I left the green masking tape on too long on a rocket being painting with multiple colors. I tried to remove the residue with a little rubbing alcohol but no luck. What's the best way to remove the residue? Please avise.

Thx

The green tape I've got is a has water based-ish expansion additive that is activated when you use wall paint. Is that what you're using? Try some water on a cotton bud in an area that's not too important.

 

[Dane Ronnow]

If you have any orange or lemon essential oils, that stuff will remove adhesive residue. Orange oil is the active ingredient in Goo-Gone and other removers like it. And no, citrus oils will not harm the enamel finish.

If you don't have any of that stuff, @David Schwantz 's suggestion to use the sticky side of yellow masking tape is also a tried-and-true method. In fact, I'd probably try that method first, since it doesn't leave an oily residue, which you would want to remove with Windex, Simple Green, or Dawn dish detergent.

 

[tsmith1315]

While it’s too expensive for a single small job, Acrysol is a great solvent for grease and sticky things on paint. Made for automotive use, paint prep and such.

 

[mtnmanak]

When I was worried about the underlying finish, I have found some vegetable oil to be useful. Won't be as good as goo-gone or other solvents, but it does work sometimes on tape/sticker residue and won't hurt anything.