# What's the best way to clean tape residue off metal (aluminum, I think)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578 "2023-07-04T20:01:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/21 "2023-07-05T14:21:29Z")
If all else fails, try steel wool. As someone suggested above, test it on an invisible area first. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/22 "2023-07-05T14:28:26Z")
Goo Gone I keep a bottle for removing sticky glue from price tags and tape. Be careful on wood. It can leave a dull mark on varnish finshes. Other solvents do the same thing. Price tags and bar code labels are a source of frustration. I hate buying something and then have to remove a sticky tag. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/23 "2023-07-05T15:45:51Z")
> [@Yosh99](#): > > None of these adhesives are very soluble in polar solvents like alcohol. I agree. The polarity of the solvent should be close to that of the goo. Toluene, zylene, hexane, mineral oil and petroleum distillates would be the best bet. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2023, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/24 "2023-07-05T22:07:21Z")
It depends on how thick it is. It may just wipe off, or need to be scraped or scrubbed a bit, or even repeated a time or two. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/25 "2023-07-06T02:22:35Z")
It’s going very well with just the WD-40 so far, to the point that I may even be able to say it’s in like-new condition when I list it. I’ve been laying it flat so the oil can “soak” the debris. It’s on the back side now; the front side looks almost pristine now. As an aside, I’ve heard of people cleaning garage tools with oil, but I never understood why until now. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/26 "2023-07-06T13:49:12Z")
WD40 is pretty useful for some things, though not for what it is advertised for generally speaking. It’s sort of the Velveeta of the garage world, there are much better products available. It isn’t much of a rust preventive, and it isn’t particularly great as a penetrating oil to free rusted nuts and bolts. It makes a dandy skunge remover, it’s a pretty handy solvent, and as the name implies it is good for displacing moisture. Back in the cretaceous period it was good at blasting moisture out of distributor caps, and made a dandy quick way to seat big tractor tires on steel rims, though decidedly not OSHA approved. “Off Label” for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/27 "2023-07-06T16:53:15Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > and as the name implies it is good for displacing moisture. I’m curious… How does the name imply that? W.ater D.isplacement? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/28 "2023-07-06T17:17:41Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I’m curious… How does the name imply that? > > W.ater D.isplacement? Yes. > **[WD-40 | History](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40#History)** > > Sources credit different people with inventing WD-40 formula in 1953 as part of the Rocket Chemical Company (later renamed to WD-40 Company), in San Diego, California; the formula was kept as a trade secret and was never patented. > According to Iris Engstrand, a historian of San Diego and California history at the University of San Diego, Iver Norman Lawson invented the formula, while the WD-40 company website and other books and newspapers credit Norman B. Larsen. According to Engstrand, "(Iver ... > “WD-40” is abbreviated from the term “Water Displacement, 40th formula”,[[10]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40#cite_note-10) suggesting it was the result of the 40th attempt to create the product.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40#cite_note-latimes-1) The spray, composed of various [hydrocarbons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocarbon), was originally designed to be used by [Convair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair) to protect the outer skin of the [Atlas missile](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM-65_Atlas) from rust and corrosion. WD-40 is OK as a solvent, but having to spray it generally results in a mess. Alcohol and acetone are good solvents, but they evaporate quickly and they also dry out your skin unless you use nitrile gloves. My vote goes to Goo Gone. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/29 "2023-07-06T17:33:57Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Alcohol \> naphtha (Goo Gone, but VSOP Naphtha from the hardware store is cheap) \> acetone That’s pretty much my sequence, and I usually end up using the big can of Naptha I bought for the purpose years ago. From the aroma, I suspect Zippo lighter fluid is very similar in composition, and that was my mom’s go-to cleaning solvent. > [@Common\_Tater](#): > > WD40 is pretty useful for some things, though not for what it is advertised for generally speaking. It’s very good as a cutting fluid when machining aluminum. And when you get a new machine tool that is all covered in cosmoline, a big spray bottle of WD-40 and a handful of rags will take care of things nicely. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/30 "2023-07-06T20:15:02Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > From the aroma, I suspect Zippo lighter fluid is very similar in composition AIUI Zippo fluid/Ronsolol are, basically, just naphtha. They might be somewhat ‘cleaner’ than the VSOP naphtha you can buy by the quart at a significantly lower price. It’s what I’ve been using for thirty years in my Zippo. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/31 "2023-07-06T23:54:00Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > I suspect Zippo lighter fluid is very similar in composition, and that was my mom’s go-to cleaning I do have some lighter fluid, which I could certainly use for that; I sure as hell can’t seem to make it go into a lighter. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/32 "2023-07-08T05:02:34Z")
Coating garden tools with a light layer of oil before storing them slows the formation of rust. p.s. We don’t do this at the library, probably because nobody’s brought any in, but some used bookstores use lighter fluid to clean “sticky” off new-to-them books. If we get a book with lots of gunk on it, we use isopropyl alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/33 "2023-07-08T07:18:37Z")
BTW, I just looked at an aerosol can of electronic “contact cleaner”, and it contains “aliphatic hydrocarbons”. A different contact cleaner product contains perfluorobutyl methyl ether. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/34 "2023-07-10T02:30:23Z")
A lot of the substances mentioned here are flammable. When working with flammable materials, keep the area well ventilated, and obviously avoid sparks, open flames, & other possible sources of ignition. Acetone is a great cleaner, but it will dissolve many plastics, so be careful where you use it. Nail polish remover contains acetone, that’s a good source when you need only a small quantity. I L-O-V-E Goo Gone! ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/35 "2023-07-10T06:44:49Z")
Here’s a technique I’ve found useful for really stubborn sticky residue: 1. Cover sticky area with a piece of a paper towel, cut to be just large enough. 2. Apply lacquer thinner to the paper towel (moderate amount). 3. Cover with plastic sheet or aluminum foil. Use tape to hold it in place, as necessary. 4. Wait about 5 - 10 minutes. 5. Scrape up the sticky residue (which is now quite soft) with a popsicle stick sharpened to the shape of a small wooden chisel. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/36 "2023-07-10T19:37:05Z")
> [@3AxisCtrl](#): > > lacquer thinner In other words, acetone, more or less. > **[Lacquer thinner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacquer_thinner)** > > Lacquer thinner, also known as cellulose thinner, is usually a mixture of solvents able to dissolve a number of different resins or plastics used in modern lacquer. > Previously, lacquer thinners frequently contained alkyl esters like butyl or amyl acetate, ketones like acetone or methyl ethyl ketone, aromatic hydrocarbons like toluene, ethers such as glycol cellosolves, and/or alcohols. > Modern lacquer thinners increasingly have to comply with low-VOC regulations. These formulations are often mo... > Modern lacquer thinners increasingly have to comply with low-VOC regulations. These formulations are often mostly acetone with small quantities of aromatic solvent. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/37 "2023-07-11T01:24:16Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > Nail polish remover contains acetone, that’s a good source when you need only a small quantity. I think that is actually no longer (universally) true. I checked a couple of those around the house (4 women HH) … and all mentioned “acetone free” … it seems that acetone fell out of favor, just like Toluene did a couple of decades ago. Sometimes - I find - the easiest way to get sticky gunk off, is by using sticky tape (or the same sticky label you just took off… just dab the spot over and over … and normally the gunk will start sticking to the sticky label … ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578/38 "2023-07-11T13:58:26Z")
I know the OP is mostly doing well with WD-40, but I would like to second the idea of vegetable oil. I have used it to remove adhesives from many surfaces, and it does a great job. It does take longer, so it’s going to require patience, but it’s MUCH less harsh than solvents if you have a sensitive surface, especially plastics. If it’s a porous surface like wood, it can absorb the oil and discolor, so don’t use it on that. But it works on most other nonporous surfaces without the danger of dissolving or discoloring them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-clean-tape-residue-off-metal-aluminum-i-think/986578.md?page=1)