Removing masking tape with petrol

firsttimebuild

Hi
I have just read a few posts about similar ordeals to my own and I don't feel so stupid now.
We got our new windows into our house a while ago and even as I was putting the masking tape on the windows to protect them from the render, I was a little scared at the thought of the masking tape sticking to the windows. Should have read the posts here first or at least listened to my inner voice!
Anyhow, went about cleaning the horrible sticky stuff off today and I was almost in tears. It was a soul-destroying job. We rang the guy who put in the windows (I was waiting for a telling-off which I think we deserve) but he told us that petrol was the job and that it was okay to use on the windows.
We did a little until I decided it was enough for one day. I'm going to go at it again tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about the petrol and I'm just wondering if anybody else has used it before and what were their experiences?

Buford T Justice

How long did you leave it on for?

firsttimebuild

Oh it's been a while now, maybe two months...eek

meercat

white spirits might be better
less of a smell and less dangerous

firsttimebuild

why less dangerous? Was going to wear a mask to lessen the inhalation of the fumes. Just want to be sure it won't ruin my windows.

Carlow52

firsttimebuild wrote: »

why less dangerous? Was going to wear a mask to lessen the inhalation of the fumes. Just want to be sure it won't ruin my windows.

unless the mask has carbon filters to remove the fumes then ..

petrol is v volatile and dangerous and if it ignites your moniker might be lasttimebuild

The petrol is not good for the rubber seals and will shorten the life therof

annieoburns

Use a blade to clear off tape if sticking badly but be careful not to scratch surface of glass then use metholated spirits or surgical spirits to deal with the sticky stuff. Might be cheaper than petrol You will get in a chemist and might have to sign a book (poison!) and say why you want it for the meths. I have also found those white cleaning sponges (available various places Aldi, Euro shop etc) good for clearing sticky stuff also.

cram1971

You could try rubbing alcohol which you can get in a chemist or acetone again from a chemist but test it first are the frames upvc

5uspect

Isopropyl alcohol is probably much better for cleaning glass than the above solvents.
Less likely to do serious damage compared to acetone.

Also use something like an old credit card instead of a metal blade as a scraper.

cram1971

5uspect wrote: »

Isopropyl alcohol is probably much better for cleaning glass than the above solvents.
Less likely to do serious damage compared to acetone.

Also use something like an old credit card instead of a metal blade as a scraper.

Agreed acetone and petrol would be a last resort Isopropyl alcohol is = rubbing alcohol = surgical spirit etc

Feardorca

firsttimebuild wrote: »

Hi
I have just read a few posts about similar ordeals to my own and I don't feel so stupid now.
We got our new windows into our house a while ago and even as I was putting the masking tape on the windows to protect them from the render, I was a little scared at the thought of the masking tape sticking to the windows. Should have read the posts here first or at least listened to my inner voice!
Anyhow, went about cleaning the horrible sticky stuff off today and I was almost in tears. It was a soul-destroying job. We rang the guy who put in the windows (I was waiting for a telling-off which I think we deserve) but he told us that petrol was the job and that it was okay to use on the windows.
We did a little until I decided it was enough for one day. I'm going to go at it again tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about the petrol and I'm just wondering if anybody else has used it before and what were their experiences?

Commiserations ! I had a similar problem with the residue from DUCT tape and tried everything under the sun, untill an old sage suggested WD 40 and it worked a treat, it was the only thing that worked. Please try it.

paddy147

5uspect wrote: »

Isopropyl alcohol is probably much better for cleaning glass than the above solvents.
Less likely to do serious damage compared to acetone.

+1 to the above.


Its so good that its used in the IT industry for cleaning and also polishing fibre optic cables when making off/splicing fibre ends and attaching the fibre pig tails to the minute glass strands in the fibre optic cables.

RO 06

if the windows are WHITE pvc you can use the cleaner for expanding foam gun.

YouTookMyName

This Stuff is brilliant for removing gunk.

bothyhead

30 years ago my dad used to use Duraglit to remove the gum left behind from sticky labels. It comes in a tin as a wadding, which is convenient. I haven't seen Duraglit in a while, but you can easily get Brasso, which does the same thing. (I regularly use it for de-gumming)