Removing very old masking tape was my weekend challenge. While re-purposing this old metal flat file into an industrial coffee table, I was faced with getting rid of 20-30 year old masking tape that was all over the metal.
 |
Insta-Clean™ has a pleasant smell and doesn't evaporate
as soon as you apply it. It stays put to penetrate
the old tape or sticker and breaks down the adhesive. |
I started out using Acetone which helped, but was still a tremendous amount of work. Plus the odors were horrible (even while working outside); the acetone solvent evaporated so fast that it wasn't working through the tape; I also knew it was bad for my hands and rubber gloves didn't help. My husband reminded me about this bottle of
BSI Insta-Clean™ we had, so I tried it. The directions recommend leaving it on for 1-5 minutes, but I had to leave it sit longer (5 minutes per decade was more like it). I sprayed it on the tape –saturated it, then went to Home Depot. When I got back I was able to pull off big chunks at a time. Some places I had to pull the tape up a bit and then spray some more Insta-Clean underneath where the tape met the metal, wait a few seconds then pull some more. I still had to use my straight-edged blade, but this stuff REALLY works. Since it is attacking the glue and softening it things got pretty sticky, but the oil in the solvent kept it from just evaporating and it also helped to move my straight-egde blade along the top of the metal without gouging into the painted surface.
 |
| Old masking tape is well saturated with Insta-Clean™ and left on for a bit to do the job. |
After I got all the tape off, the final clean up with Acetone or Windex was a breeze.
 |
| From this shot you can see how much tape I had to removed. This is just one side! |
If you're a DIY weekend warrior you have to have this product in your bag of tricks! I have used it on the sticky residue left on mirrors from tape or stickers. I have also used in on glass, metal, Formica, and plastic. A friend also told me they use it on their painted white makeup vanity. When they get makeup on it and 409 or other cleaning products won't take it off, Insta-Clean seems to be the only thing that works, and it doesn't harm the surface!
 |
| I Love it! My finished Vintage Metal Flat file Coffee Table. |
Insta-Clean™ Sticker Remover is a new product from
BSI, the manufacturer of adhesives such as QUIK-CURE™ Epoxy and MAXI-CURE™ Super Glue. They certainly know their stuff. Insta-Clean is starting to be available in a wide variety of hardware stores and you can also buy it from them on-line at
Amazon.
Deborah Swanson
Self-proclaimed DIY Weekend Warrior
