Home Painting

The Way to Get Scotch Tape Off a Wood Door

Clear tape may seem like a fantastic idea for hanging a photo or poster on a wood door: The tape is crystal clear and is probably something you have around the home. Removing the tape, however, is another story. Sometimes part of this tape pulls away but the remainder is hard to eliminate. Even if the tape comes up, sticky residue may remain. A razor knife, hot air or shortening all eliminate tape from wood.

Scrape It Away

A razor knife held using the blade nearly parallel to the doorway lifts the edges of the tape up enough to pull portions of it off. Keep scraping and peeling, keeping the knife angled as horizontal as possible to avoid scratching the wood. Do this only in the event that you won’t be angry if the wood will get scratched.

Grease and Heating

Shortening or olive oil spread over the remaining sticker residue softens it up enough to wipe it off. Apply the shortening and allow it to sit for 30 minutes or so, then rub off with a soft fabric. If a piece of adhesive remains, heat it with a hair dryer, then scrape it with a razor knife.

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