Removing OLD masking tape - HELP!

[Vince Shriver]

I have some natural birch kitchen cabinets that have been masked off for painting the walls. Here's the rub: the tape has been on those cabinets for about five years or more, and it does not just peel off, it has become "at one with" the polyurethane finish. How do I remove it, lighter fluid, paint thinner, laquer thinner - steel wool - anyone? TIA, Vince

[Chris Padilla]

So, latex paint for the walls and polyurethane for the cabinet finish? Is that about right?

I would try some sort of CITRUS based cleaner/fluid. Goo Gone is a good one but here is the catch: I'm not sure of its impact on the poly so test it on your cabinets at an inconspicuous spot.

In fact, any other fluid anyone else here suggests I would test at an inconspicuous spot. :)

Good Luck

[Steve Clardy]

Goof Off or WD 40

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Like Chris says; test whatever you use in an inconspicuous spot first. I wouldn't think you would want to use anything abrasive as that would risk marring the finishes. I would start out with plain water (soak a strip of the tape, keep it wet and wait a while) and go from there with water based solvents(water, houshold cleaners, etc) and petroleum based solvents (naphtha, WD-40, etc). Hopefully mixing solvents on tape test strips would have no adverse effects.

[Carl Fox]

What about trying soaking the tape in water and using a hair dryer to soften the tape adhesive?

[David Eldridge]

I have used a hair dryer before. It softens the adhesive and makes it gummy. When it is gummy you should be able to get the tape off and then use a citrus base cleaner or goof off to remove the residue.

[Douglas Robinson]

Like Steve Clardy recommended. I swear by it for just this purpose. Learned it the hard way 30 years ago.

[John Thompson]

Agree with Chris on Goo-be-Gone or something with a citric base but... test it first as suggested to see if any ill effects with the reaction on poly. I keep a bottle on hand because every idiot that applies those stickers to merchandise for sale at retail stores makes a point to put them exactly where they shouldn't. :)

Sarge..

[Jack Briggs]

Goo-gone or mineral spirits.

[Lloyd McKinlay]

The active ingredient in Goof Off but about way less money. You may want to ape off the wall (it removes water borne finishes but not solvent based), dampen a spot on a rag then use the flat side of a putty knife to rub the old adhesive.

It evaporates pretty fast so keep the rag damp. The same procedure takes paint off door jambs.

As others mentioned test a spot first.

[Jack Gingerich]

I've used lighter fluid on some pretty old auction labels on nice antique furniture with no adverse effects.

Jack