# How to remove tape from the cover of a paperback book.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 20, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553 "2003-08-20T23:53:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/1 "2003-08-20T23:53:05Z")
Hi. I used to put scotch tape around the corners of my paperback books, as well as on the top & bottom of the spine.
I did this to reduce wear & tear on the cover.
Then, I discovered Amazon Marketplace. :smack:
If I can’t remove the tape from the covers, I have to list it at a lower price. ☹
I’ve tried window cleaner. No good.
I’ve tried razor blade scraping. Even though I use razor blades on a daily basis, no good. Damages the cover.
What to do? 😕
How do I remove tape from the cover of a paperback book? 😕 😕 😕
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### Author:  [@MajorTom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MajorTom)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/2 "2003-08-21T00:31:31Z")
naphtha based lighter fluid seems to remove the adhesive from tapes and pricing stickers from most hard surfaces without damage, but i don’t know how well it would work on the book covers.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/3 "2003-08-21T00:53:23Z")
Try rubber cement thinner (can be bought in any art supply store). It has tons of uses.
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### Author:  [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/4 "2003-08-21T00:57:35Z")
Goo Gone will dsolve the tape
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### Author:  [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/5 "2003-08-21T01:30:50Z")
Use a heat gun or a hair dryer to remove the plastic, then a solvent for the glue, maybe the stuff they sell to remove price tags.
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### Author:  [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/6 "2003-08-21T05:37:30Z")
How much would you pay yourself per hour to remove this tape?
Answer that and then decide if it’s cost effective to worry about the tape.
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### Author:  [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/7 "2003-08-21T06:57:13Z")
Undiluted eucalyptus oil is the standard Australian remedy for removing stickytape. I’ve always found it worked quite well
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### Author:  [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)
#### Post date: [August 21, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/8 "2003-08-21T07:02:35Z")
UnDu Adhesive Remover, available at your local Office Depot, or whatever big office supply store is near you. Marvelous stuff.
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### Author:  [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/9 "2003-08-22T06:10:36Z")
**Motog** - wow! I never hear that, and I use eucalyptus oil all the time.
Is there anything it can’t do?
God, I wish I could eat it. Although maybe it’s not a good idea to eat such an effective bug repellent and deodorizer.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2003, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/10 "2003-08-22T06:27:05Z")
I’ve read that freezing some adhesives will eliminate their stickyness. If nothing else, you won’t have to buy anything or risk damaging the book by trying it.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/11 "2003-08-22T14:58:17Z")
I use denatured alcohol, about $3.50 a quart. Oil tends to hang around but this stuff just evaporates.
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### Author:  [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/12 "2003-08-22T17:32:28Z")
Lots of suggestions here already, but I thought I’d add mine too.
Check out a scrapbooking store (or online scrapbooking supplier if there’s not one in your area). There’s a relatively new product out specifically for removing adhesives. It’s shaped like a pen, but instead of a nub there’s a chisel-type scraper, and the barrel is filled with a dissolving solvent. You just need to squeeze the pen as you scrape gently with the chisel and the sticker/tape/etc. comes up easy as pie.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [August 22, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/13 "2003-08-22T18:45:55Z")
Many thank yous to one and all. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/14 "2003-08-25T01:36:39Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by j.c. \*
> \*\ ***Motog** …
> God, I wish I could eat it. Although maybe it’s not a good idea to eat such an effective bug repellent and deodorizer. \*\*
There are such things as eucalyptus lollies (sweets to you Americans), that taste just like eucalyptus smells (if that makes any sense). Don’t you get these in the US?
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/15 "2003-08-25T04:28:57Z")
> [@](#):
>
> lollies (sweets to you Americans)
If it’s hard sugar candy on a stick, we call those lollipops. “Sweets” is a more general term, and can refer to any sort of candy or sweet baked good.
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### Author:  [@Motog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motog)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-tape-from-the-cover-of-a-paperback-book/196553/16 "2003-08-25T06:56:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chronos \*
> \*\*If it’s hard sugar candy on a stick, we call those lollipops. “Sweets” is a more general term, and can refer to any sort of candy or sweet baked good. \*\*
Similarly, “lolly” is the generic term here for any type of confectionary but not baked goods, which are cakes, slices etc