How to Get Scotch Tape Off of Varnished Wood

How to Get Scotch Tape Off of Varnished Wood
Written By
Mel Frank
Mel Frank
Published: Oct 30, 2010
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • Paper towels
  • White vinegar

Just like any other household surface, when Scotch tape gets stuck to the surface of your varnished wood, you want to figure out a removal routine that safely gets all of the tape and tape adhesive off of your wood surface without damaging the wood itself. This can be done with a low-cost ingredient that is commonly found in many homes.

  1. Peel off as much of the tape as possible with your fingers. Start at one end of the Scotch tape, and pull slowly to keep the tape in one piece while removing.

  2. Soak a paper towel with white vinegar, and wring out the paper towel.

  3. Sit the paper towel on top of the Scotch tape and let it sit there for about two minutes.

  4. Remove the paper towel, and lift off the Scotch tape. It should now be loose and easily lift from the surface.

  5. Rub the paper towel over the wood to remove any leftover adhesive, and let your varnished wood surface air dry; the vinegar is a safe solution and leaves behind no residue.

Photo Credits

Tascha Mae Horowitz/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Tascha Mae Horowitz/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Mel Frank

Mel Frank is a professional freelance writer with over 15 years of writing experience. She has completed a wide variety of writing assignments for a number of publications that include CNN and various websites. Frank received a Bachelor of…

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