Penance for past sins - removing adhesive residue from masking tape?

[Marty Gulseth]

Sometimes I never learn. I started a project several years ago, I used masking tape to mark all the rough cut pieces. Then life events, along with my own bad habits, sidelined that particular project. Now I have time and pulled out all of the pieces. Of course it’s no surprise that all the masking tape markers took a bit of struggle to remove, and residue from the adhesive is left where each piece had been. Before I go off on a high school chemistry experiment, what does the group recommend for cleaning or removing the residue, hopefully without damaging the wood? The wood is cherry, if that matters.

Thanks, all! Marty

[Mike Henderson]

I'd probably just sand it off but that clogs up your sandpaper. Otherwise, I've found that lacquer thinner takes most adhesive residue off.

Mike

[Stan Calow]

Goo Gone is one product to try for this. Some other solvents with names like that that are made for removing adhesives and labels. I infer you're concerned about staining or color changes from the chemicals? Try it on a scrap piece first.

[Andrew Seemann]

I usually would fix something like that with a cabinet scraper. The adhesive won't have penetrated the wood more than a few thousands, so it should scrape to clean wood quickly. I just did that to remove 3M Super 100 from the top of the Baltic Birch of my Biesemeyer fence side I just replaced.

[Frederick Skelly]

I use plain old paint thinner to remove labels and residue. I have only used oli based finishes after doing so. (I have a hunch that a water based finish wouldnt work well after removing residue with paint thinner, but that's a guess.)

[Alan Lightstone]

I usually use Mineral Spirits, which works for most, not all adhesive residue.

I use Goo Gone for stubborn ones.

[Brian Tymchak]

...I used masking tape to mark all the rough cut pieces.

...The wood is cherry, if that matters.


You mention that the pieces had been rough milled. This implies to me that further milling (joint/plane/cut) is necessary. I would just scrape the tape off with whatever residue comes with it, then mill to dimension. Being cherry, you probably need to mill all faces anyway to remove uneven darkening of surfaces.

[Mark Salomon]

Sometimes I never learn. I started a project several years ago, I used masking tape to mark all the rough cut pieces. Then life events, along with my own bad habits, sidelined that particular project. Now I have time and pulled out all of the pieces. Of course it’s no surprise that all the masking tape markers took a bit of struggle to remove, and residue from the adhesive is left where each piece had been. Before I go off on a high school chemistry experiment, what does the group recommend for cleaning or removing the residue, hopefully without damaging the wood? The wood is cherry, if that matters.

Thanks, all! Marty

Featured alcohol works fine and doesn't effect the wood. Goo Gone is oily.

[David Kreuzberg]

Do not use lacquer thinner if the pieces are stained or finished.

I use Toluol (I get mine at Menards). Same as Goo Gone, only a lot cheaper.

https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media/SUNNY001/ProductLarge/82132.jpg

[Vince Shriver]

3M Adhesive Remover.

[Tom Paulley]

Acetone is the champ for adhesive residue

[Steven Cooper2]

depends on the adhesive but alcohol or mineral spirits are good suggestions. Wd40 too but on wood it may leave residue for a while.