Cleaning With Duct Tape

I'm sure that just about everyone has at one time or another tried to peel a label or tape off of something, only to be left with a sticky mess. You could try and scrape it off, but it hardly ever comes totally off this way. Or you can dissolve it with acetone, but acetone will break down some plastics and paint, and it also has to be wiped off very quickly, as the acetone will evaporate very fast and leave behind the residue. WD-40 can also be used, although it can be a real mess. But I've found a little trick I've been using for many years now that almost always removes all traces of sticky junk left behind by labels and tape. Just peel off as much of the label or tape as possible, then cover the remaining gunk with a piece of duct tape. Remove the duct tape then repeat as necessary.

I like to roll the duct tape back and forth over a small portion of the sticky surface by wrapping the end of the tape over my index finger and holding it on my finger with my thumb. I then rock my index finger over the gunk applying some pressure to help it grip on, and gradually work my way down as the residue is removed.

In really messy cases, you may need to get a fresh piece of tape if the tape starts to loose its stickiness and stops removing the gunk. But most of the time one piece of tape big enough to cover the entire mess is all you need. Sometimes you can even remove the gunk with the label that left it there in the first place. And yes, duct tape will remove its own residue.

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