How to Remove Duct Tape from Clothes

Removing duct tape from clothes is easy. But you need to put more effort to remove the residue off the cloth while keeping the fabric and colors intact.

Try Simple First

Some people scrape off the sticky glue with their fingernails. Others just soak their clothes in detergent water for about 30 minutes and follow it up with light scrubbing. Of course these simple measures work at times.

But sometimes some duct tapes leave behind rigid stains. Then we need to look for chemical options such as adhesive remover. 

Chemical Options

In the case of non-washable fabrics, just scrapping off the glue may work. If any stain remains, use either Afta Cleaning Fluid or K2r Spot Lifter

If the fabrics are washable, there are various ways to be done away with the messy glue.

One of the much followed practices is rubbing alcohol on the affected part. Even nail polish which contains acetone or paint thinner which contains toluene is used to get rid of sticky stains. However, these chemicals may not safeguard the color of the fabric. 

It is always safer to try any chemical solvent on an inconspicuous part of the cloth before applying it on the duct tape residue in more visible areas.

People have experimented with solvents like De-Solv-It, or Goo Gone to remove the glue with good results. It is advisable to work it a little at a time with the solvent and should not be too abrasive while scrubbing. The glue should be scrubbed out before the fabric gets dry. Or else, we should re-soak the cloth. Once the glue is gone, rinse the cloth before washing. Some people claim Goo Gone can remove any residue, no matter how sticky it is. Another solvent called Desolve is also recommended by some users.

There are others who have successfully used Hhirspray to remove stains. Again, the advice is - try it on a hidden spot of the cloth first. The removal process consists of saturating the affected part with hairspray and then washing it with warm water and mild detergent. If the stain is not washed away in one attempt, repeat the process – treat the spot with hairspray and then wash it.

One can also use WD-40 instead of hairspray. WD-40 softens the glue, making it easy to come off.  The adhesive remover Un-Do can also be used for that purpose and it is relatively inexpensive. Un-Do works well in taking off price tags and stickers as well.