If you are a car-owner, the chances are that you have faced problems from a
sticker, duct tape, or any such materials at some point in using the car. These
things tend to damage the aesthetics of the vehicle and leaves a heavy residue.
Removing it is a necessity. However, some people struggle with the process of
removing 3m adhesive. Rather than removing it, they make the situation much
worse. In this article, we will visit some points on how you can quickly remove of
the double-sided tape from the car's paint.
How to remove 3m double sided tape from car paint
Clean and wash the car first thoroughly and comprehensively. The freer the vehicle
is from dust, dirt, and debris, the more chances the process will recommend
following will work better.
When rubbing the affected area, use a clean piece of fabric, cloth, or a rag. When
applying heat, don’t use it too close to the surface. When the heat is used from too
close, it will damage the car's paint job.
Gasoline is extremely flammable. Handle gasoline with focus and caution. Keep in
mind not to keep any other dangerous materials near the worksite, which could
cause a spark to the gas. Use the gasoline-soaked fabric only when droplets are not
dripping off.
Step - 1
You can try to use some of the basic water displacers like WD-40. They tend to do
the job, but sometimes the duct tape can bake on. Once the duct tape is absolutely
baked on, it will take a lot of water displacer and consume much more time.
Step - 2
You can also opt for goof off. These heavy-duty ink removers can sometimes do
the magic. They can clean up mess ordinary water displacers cannot. They are safe
to use on the plastic materials that are being used to make cars.
To use the goof-off, apply it limitedly on the stained parts of the paint. Let it sink
in there for a minute or two. After the sinking is done, use a gentle cloth, fabric, or
rag to rub it gently. They come in spray-type bottles. Therefore, much easier to
use.
Special case on removing mounting tape
Step - 1
Suppose the process as mentioned above doesn’t work. Heat is a wonderful and
cheap way to remove that tape. The heat makes the bonds of the tape much weaker.
When exposed to heat, the adhesive qualities of the tape and the underlying residue
experience deformation. The material quality sees changes. The intramolecular
bond is weakened.
After you have applied heat, rub the affected area with water or any detergent. It
will hopefully come off
Step - 2
You might question why you would even apply the gasoline to the affected area.
But gasoline is an excellent deterrent to adhesives. It works pretty well as a 3m
tape remover. First, take a rag and soak it in gasoline. After it's absorbed, let it
settle down. Once it has reached a status where oil is not dripping, gently apply it
to the affected area. You will see the adhesive going away. Keep rubbing away and
chipping it.
It will do the job from 1 to 3 minutes. Use both sides of the rag. When one side
gets dirty, switch to another side.
Bottom Line
These were our tips on some of the ways how to remove 3m tape. The residue will
be gone completely when using gasoline. On the other hand, it's pretty flammable.
Do use it carefully and after you are done, wipe it down with a car wash again.
You could also adapt to some of the primary methods mentioned in the first part. Last but not the least, make sure you have chosen the perfect tape for your vehicle.
