Can old masking tape residue be removed without harming the paint?

[LDO]

I dug out this project from 2005/2006. It is painted with Tamiya spray can lacquers. Colors separated with Tamiya masking tape. I would like to avoid stripping the paint and starting over. The work was done while I was deployed to Afghanistan. 

Thanks

[Snake45]

First thing to try is fresh masking tape. Sometimes that will pull it off. 

Then you might try Windex. 

Rubbing alcohol would probably remove it, but is likely to damage the Tamiya lacquer. TEST it somewhere first to see. 

I've heard of WD-40 and Goo Gone working but have never used them. Again, TEST them on the actual paint. 

[Draggon]

Goo Gone will definitely eat the paint off. Probably damage the plastic too. Perhaps just letting it sit in a pan of warm soapy water for awhile. I agree with Snake, windex might work. 

[gman]

I can confirm that isopropyl alcohol will ruin Tamiya lacquer paint jobs ?

I laid out a 2 tone paint job on some interior panels, and after spraying the second color and lifting the masking tape, it left a bunch of adhesive behind...I broke some of my trusty 70% isopropyl alcohol out (used many times over enamel 2 tone schemes), and began to swab off the residue. Much to my surprise, it took the lacquer off with the residue. I avoid inexpensive masking tape like the plague now, and life has gotten much simpler. 

I have used naptha (lighter fluid) to remove masking tape residue, but not over Tamiya lacquers. Tape residue gets harder to remove as it ages, so I would suggest trying whatever you use on something that doesn't matter before using it on a paint job you don't want to strip. The milder the solution, the better. Dilution is an option, but will reduce the effectiveness of a solvent in removing the residue also.

[Deuces ll]

Yeah! What they said....

And thank you for your service!!!!!..... ??

[Can-Con]

I'd try some polishing compound. Might be able to rub it off with that. 

[DiscoRover007]

Maybe try some rubbing compound or wax?

[Matt Bacon]

Try lemon juice? The “Sticky Stuff Remover” I have is based on lemon/orange extract (and you can smell it!). Does the job very well on BMF or Tamiya masking tape residue... not tried it on something that old, but worth a shot...

best,

M.

[StevenGuthmiller]

WD-40 should do the trick nicely.

I use it all of the time for foil and tape residues.

Won't damage the paint, but be certain to wash the model in soap and water after treating with the WD, especially if you plan on doing any more painting or foiling or anything else that you want to stick.

 

If you happen to have access to an old Avon stash, look for "Skin So Soft".

It's the best thing that I have ever used for removing tape residues.

It works great for taking warning labels and bumper stickers off of your vehicles as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Bucky]

The AVON trick Steve mentioned should work well. A word of caution about using WD40....it really has to be COMPLETELY cleaned off before trying any more coats of paint.

I worked at a mechanical contractor in Detroit for a while, and we built paint systems for the Big Three, plus a couple of the Japanese concerns to use in their assembly plants. They would routinely send inspectors to our shop, and if they found any WD40, or similar products, they would cancel our contract. The claim was that the stuff would cause fisheyes in the paint. Can't have that on a new Cadillac, or Dodge Ram!!

Edited June 19, 2020 by Bucky

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 minutes ago, Bucky said:

The AVON trick Steve mentioned should work well. A word of caution about using WD40....it really has to be COMPLETELY cleaned off before trying any more coats of paint.

I worked at a mechanical contractor in Detroit for a while, and we built paint systems for the Big Three, plus a couple of the Japanese concerns to use in their assembly plants. They would routinely send inspectors to our shop, and if they found any WD40, or similar products, they would cancel our contract. The claim was that the stuff would cause fisheyes in the paint. Can't have that on a new Cadillac, or Dodge Ram!!

Absolutely.

 

Washing in a good degreasing  dish liquid like Dawn will remove the WD.

But yes, if you are concerned about leaving any residue from the WD, use something else.......if you can find a good alternative.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[LDO]

Ok. I tried WD-40 and it worked great. On one side, there were a few tiny spots that just would not go away. After cleaning several times with Dawn, a close look revealed that the spots were chipped paint. Kind of strange that it only happened on one side of the car. That’s OK, though. I can do some more masking and spray on some more blue. Maybe it sounds weird, but spraying more paint is a better option than stripping paint and starting over. I would like to finish up the cars I started while deployed and keep them together as a group. That deployment was so boring...I can’t describe it to someone who hasn’t done that. Working on model cars helped me keep my sanity. 

[Pete J.]

10 minutes ago, LDO said:

Ok. I tried WD-40 and it worked great. On one side, there were a few tiny spots that just would not go away. After cleaning several times with Dawn, a close look revealed that the spots were chipped paint. Kind of strange that it only happened on one side of the car. That’s OK, though. I can do some more masking and spray on some more blue. Maybe it sounds weird, but spraying more paint is a better option than stripping paint and starting over. I would like to finish up the cars I started while deployed and keep them together as a group. That deployment was so boring...I can’t describe it to someone who hasn’t done that. Working on model cars helped me keep my sanity. 

Ok, sorry to hear that you used WD-40 and have to repaint parts. Like Bucky mentioned above,  I use to use WD-40 for various things in the shop but it and paint really don't get along at all.  Any tiny droplet of it on the surface is guaranteed to cause a fish-eye.  I will get as far away from my models as possible if I have to use it.  The stuff carries on the air currents like you wouldn't believe.  I have never found any way to get it off except sanding down to bare plastic.  If you find a way.  Let me know. I'm all ears. 

[Deuces ll]

Ummm... Witch hazel???... ?

[peteski]

8 hours ago, Deuces ll said:

Ummm... Witch hazel???... ?

Isn't it alcohol-based?

[peteski]

9 hours ago, Pete J. said:

Ok, sorry to hear that you used WD-40 and have to repaint parts. Like Bucky mentioned above,  I use to use WD-40 for various things in the shop but it and paint really don't get along at all.  Any tiny droplet of it on the surface is guaranteed to cause a fish-eye.  I will get as far away from my models as possible if I have to use it.  The stuff carries on the air currents like you wouldn't believe.  I have never found any way to get it off except sanding down to bare plastic.  If you find a way.  Let me know. I'm all ears. 

I'm surprised at your WD40 experience.  What you describe sounds like effect of silicone spray lubricant, not WD40.  Silicone and paint just don't mix at all (fish-eyes).  AFAIK, there is no silicone in WD40. Just standard standard petroleum-based lubricant thinned with petroleum-based solvent.

I also don't think that Lee is contributing the paint chips specifically to using WD40.  I suspect that the paint was chipped by removing the old tape from the painted surface (and were there all along, obfuscated by the remaining tape adhesive).

[Deuces ll]

44 minutes ago, peteski said:

Isn't it alcohol-based?

Yeah, it is... ?

My apologies.... ??

[El Roberto]

I remove it with mineral spirits, very mild and doesn't affect many paints except enamel. 

[Bucky]

WD40 can possibly cause stress cracks and/or crazing on polystyrene.

[LDO]

2 hours ago, Bucky said:

WD40 can possibly cause stress cracks and/or crazing on polystyrene.

I didn’t soak it in WD-40. I put some on a paper towel and rubbed off the tape residue, then cleaned off the WD-40. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

21 hours ago, Pete J. said:

Ok, sorry to hear that you used WD-40 and have to repaint parts. Like Bucky mentioned above,  I use to use WD-40 for various things in the shop but it and paint really don't get along at all.  Any tiny droplet of it on the surface is guaranteed to cause a fish-eye.  I will get as far away from my models as possible if I have to use it.  The stuff carries on the air currents like you wouldn't believe.  I have never found any way to get it off except sanding down to bare plastic.  If you find a way.  Let me know. I'm all ears. 

I have used WD for cleaning adhesive residue, cleaned with dish soap and painted again with no issues on several occasions.

As "peteski" stated, it's just a lubricant.

It's not some kind of nuclear waste.

 

4 hours ago, LDO said:

I didn’t soak it in WD-40. I put some on a paper towel and rubbed off the tape residue, then cleaned off the WD-40. 

Make sure the parts are well scrubbed and cleaned and give it another shot of paint Lee, and let us know the results.

Let's put the WD-40 myth to bed once and for all.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

By the way, WD-40's main ingredients are Varsol, (mineral spirits) and mineral oil, which is also the main ingredient in Skin So Soft.

Apparently the mineral oil is the ingredient that works so well for removing adhesive residue.

 

 

 

Steve

Edited June 20, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller

[Reegs]

9 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

By the way, WD-40's main ingredients are Varsol, (mineral spirits) and mineral oil, which is also the main ingredient in Skin So Soft.

Apparently the mineral oil is the ingredient that works so well for removing adhesive residue.

 

 

 

Steve

IIRC Skin So Soft was a good insect repellent, too.

[stitchdup]

I've used those cheap spray deodrants you get in the pound/dollar shops. spray a load on to the sticky bits and let it sit for a few mins then simply wipe it offwith a lint free rag and give the parts a good wash with dish soap and water. I t will remove/leach out the colour enamel paints. I havent tried it on bare plastic and pretty much all my paint on bodies is auto acrylics. I think it may damage fresh paint (even auto acrylics) so be sure not to use it on new paint.

[Howard Cohen]

It is interesting that none of you suggested using a product made for styrene plastic model cars...NOVUS 1 and 2 will remove tape/glue/BareMetalFoil adhesive residue without damaging any paint  

Edited June 21, 2020 by Howard Cohen