oh no... masking tape residue stuck on plastic...

SayNoToPistons

New member
so this morning i decided to do a full detail to the Infiniti QX4. well i properly used 3M blue masking tape on all plastic trims and vents. ran about because there was about 2 ft left lol... so i dug up some other masking tape. its white and it was a pain in the arse to peel off the roll (since it was so thin... it started ripping).. today was warm and its pretty sunny (82 degrees). after polishing i started to notice that the white masking tape started sticking and melting onto the plastic. i tried peeling it off but all the plastic areas that was taped by the white tape had sticky glue like residue on it! but the 3m blue maksing tape left zero residue... so im done with everything but i still have the masking tape on... so any ideas guys? :(
 
The answer is 3M again : Goo Gone... It is a gel which will dissolve the gooey gunky adhesive. If that fails go for some ammonia mixed 50/50 with distilled water or some pure acetone (not nail polish remover; pure acetone)



Do not forget to dress them well after you are finished...



One last trick : One of my buddies said he smears the trim with vaseline gel before he starts polis and wax and simply wipes it off when he is finished !!! Sounds much easier and even beneficial for trim...
 
Murat said:
The answer is 3M again : Goo Gone... It is a gel which will dissolve the gooey gunky adhesive. If that fails go for some ammonia mixed 50/50 with distilled water or some pure acetone (not nail polish remover; pure acetone)



Do not forget to dress them well after you are finished...



One last trick : One of my buddies said he smears the trim with vaseline gel before he starts polis and wax and simply wipes it off when he is finished !!! Sounds much easier and even beneficial for trim...

hmmm. i dont think theres any 3m goo gone around me. ill try vasaline first (but doesnt petroleam [sp] eat away plastic? i remember when i used to play Airsoft i was told to stay away from vasaline especially on the plastic seals). klnyc said claybar and wd40 might work too so ill try that too. thanks
 
havent tried it yet. im going to try to get rid of the sticky stuff tomorrow when i put on ex-p. i slowly peeled off the tape and left the residue on the plastic.
 
Any mild solvent will remove it. As posted earlier either...



Goo-Gone (get it at any store including a gas station).

Mineral spirits on a rag

Fingernail polish remover on a rag

WD-40

High concentrate of car wash soap on a rag and rub it.
 
another qx4 said:
hmmm. i dont think theres any 3m goo gone around me. ill try vasaline first (but doesnt petroleam [sp] eat away plastic? i remember when i used to play Airsoft i was told to stay away from vasaline especially on the plastic seals). klnyc said claybar and wd40 might work too so ill try that too. thanks





I'm talking about the Vaseline brand hand gel, not the chemical stuff...
 
I think the Acetone in fingernail polish remover would /could damage the plastic ...



3M adhesive remover will take it right off and is plastic safe ...
 
^ thats what i thought since acetone will melt most types of plastics. i tried clay today... that didnt work. it was already dark out so i just left it on. ill try WD40 and Vasaline tomorrow.. rubbing it doesnt get it off either...
 
another qx4 said:
so this morning i decided to do a full detail to the Infiniti QX4. well i properly used 3M blue masking tape on all plastic trims and vents. ran about because there was about 2 ft left lol... so i dug up some other masking tape. its white and it was a pain in the arse to peel off the roll (since it was so thin... it started ripping).. today was warm and its pretty sunny (82 degrees). after polishing i started to notice that the white masking tape started sticking and melting onto the plastic. i tried peeling it off but all the plastic areas that was taped by the white tape had sticky glue like residue on it! but the 3m blue maksing tape left zero residue... so im done with everything but i still have the masking tape on... so any ideas guys? :(



For a mild case use this, otherwise try 3M Adhesive Remover which is my favorite, but you need to re-wax or re-seal whatever it touches.
 
You guys sure about the goo gone does not hurting the paint. I think I had some tree sap on the car today (think thats what the stuff was) and I tried to get it off with some goo gone. I put some on a rag and rubbed a little. Did not do a good job of getting the stuff off but it did but some scraches in the paint. I put some wax on over them and it was hard to see the scraches but them were still there. So did the goo gone do it or the rag (was cheap terry cloth)?
 
Stuff said:
You guys sure about the goo gone does not hurting the paint. I think I had some tree sap on the car today (think thats what the stuff was) and I tried to get it off with some goo gone. I put some on a rag and rubbed a little. Did not do a good job of getting the stuff off but it did but some scraches in the paint. I put some wax on over them and it was hard to see the scraches but them were still there. So did the goo gone do it or the rag (was cheap terry cloth)?



Yes, it was the cheap terry cloth. A chemical like goo gone won't marr your paint. The worst it would do is remove your paint protection (wax or sealant or both).



I can see why you wouldn't want to use your nice microfiber with this stuff. I'm the same way. When I use the 3M adhesive remover, I use Griots 100% Cotton Disposable Wipes which work great and aren't abrasive like paper towels (which can marr your paint). Some people like the disposable wipe down towels but they are too expensive for my taste. However, they would come in handy for larger jobs like drying under the hood for an engine detail and for door jambs (which is really what they are for).
 
so far i tried clay and vasaline. doesnt work at all... i have 1 layer of EX-P and im wondering if WD40 will strip or damage the paint? meh.. dont feel like going out and working on it because i gotta celebrate my bday! :D
 
Yup been there, done that. A painful lesson. Try some plastic trim cleaner (example from armour all or meguiars) that comes in those plastic cans that you'll find at Autozone. Do not try to scub the stuff off, or you'll ruin the trim.
 
^ ok ill try that. i tried WD40 today.. no luck... in the morning it was hardened... kind of like crazy glue on plastic... i couldnt even scratch it off with my nails.
 
does anyone know if WD40 strips sealants? i tried it the other day and some dripped on the paint where i put ex-p... just wonder if it strips the sealants even though i washed it later.
 
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