How to remove tape "residue"?

[Safire6]

The Tamiya yellow tape I used for masking for this stripe has left a faint residue on the green. Tamiya paints used in this example. I've used the Tamiya tape many times before but haven't had (or noticed) this problem. The tape was on there for approximately 24 hours. What can I used to remove it without harming the paint sheen? Thanks in advance!

[vintagerpm]

I can't really see what happed in your photo but I have had Tamiya tape react with Tamiya clear coat. I had masked to spray a flat black area. Don't remember if I just re-clear-coated, or if I re-shot the color coat and re-clear coated to fix it. Never leave Tamiya tape (or possibly any other) on longer than needed. I remove mine as soon as the paint has flashed over (a few minutes).

So if the reaction is on the white, you will probably have to mask the green and re-shoot the white.

Mike

Edited March 6, 2022 by vintagerpm

[yh70]

Steve Broerman you should be able to use a small amount of Mequiar's car wax or their clear plastic cleaner and polish on a Q tip to remove it. then lightly buff it with a old tee shirt of soft cloth..

[Bainford]

5 hours ago, vintagerpm said:

I can't really see what happed in your photo but I have had Tamiya tape react with Tamiya clear coat. I had masked to spray a flat black area. Don't remember if I just re-clear-coated, or if I re-shot the color coat and re-clear coated to fix it. Never leave Tamiya tape (or possibly any other) on longer than needed. I remove mine as soon as the paint has flashed over (a few minutes).

So if the reaction is on the white, you will probably have to mask the green and re-shoot the white.

Mike

I have had the same problem with Tamiya tape, once on Tamiya white lacquer and once on some vintage Color Match lacquer. Both times it left an alligator skin texture in the polished paint surface, and had to be colour sanded out. The tape had been on several days. I love Tamiya tape, but I also won’t leave it on a painted body long at all. 

[Sandboarder]

I just use some more Tamiya tape and dab it one the residue. The residue should be pick up and stick, to the sticky side of the tape.

 

This is the same technique I use to remove pricing stickers off CDs I buy 

[Plowboy]

WD-40 works well and won't harm the paint. Then you can simply wash it with Dawn dishwash to remove the WD-40 residue.

[espo]

Another thought on removing the tape residue. Use the same type of tape and make a loop around a couple of your fingers with the sticky side out. Lightly roll the adhesive side of the tape over the residue on the model. I would not drag the tape, just sort of press the tape and slowly lift.     

[Hi-Po]

When I have encountered this problem using Tamiya and other tapes, I use Simple Green to remove the residue.  I apply the Simple Green using a Q-tip and once the residue is removed I wash the area with a mild soap followed by a wash of clean water.  

[bill-e-boy]

Is it tape residue or paint reaction to the tape. Colour sanding will most probably get rid of it. I had some reaction recently on some Humbrol clear. I sanded then shot some ore clear. Looks OK now. Sorry no pix

[Safire6]

Thanks for all your responses everyone! It must not have been tape residue. I guess though it was some reaction of the tape with the paint, although this has never happened to me before with Tamiya tape. I first tried Simple Green with no effect. I then tried WD-40 also with no improvement. Then I tried espo's and sandboarder's ideas with the tape but again it did not remove the "residue" or whatever it was. Then I tried yh70's idea using Meguiar's plastic cleaner and polish. That did the trick! However I rubbed a bit too hard near the edges and removed some of the paint around the hood opening. Lesson learned...and thanks again for your ideas!

[peteski]

I had masking tape's adhesive (not just Tamiya) imprint in a surface of a clear coat.  I don't think it has anything to do with the chemistry -- it is that the clear is not fully dried or hardened, so the tape just makes an impression on the surface. I suspect that if you were to push the edge of your fingernail into the paint, it would also leave a depression.  To avoid this from happening I try to make sure the paint is fully hardened or dry, and I remove the tape as quickly after painting as possible.

[Michael jones]

This happens usually because the part is left to dry in the sun with the tape left in place. The tape etches into the paint. This question often comes up on facebook and is not usually, if ever - residue. Ever since I stopped this practice, the problem totally disappeared for me.

Mike