Removing Carpet Tape from Hardwood Floors or Stairs

[@e-spy]

THANK YOU! I had also tried the goof off (not the spray) and it didn't work. I ended up sanding and refinishing (color match was challenging). I did two stairs and a landing before giving up, lol. I'm gonna try this! Thank you so much!

[@BarryGrueter]

Very cool, thanks for sharing 👍

[@annatruckenbrod4645]

Thank you, this really worked even on the plastic strip residue from cheap carpet tape, which I will never use again because it took a bit more time than I thought it would, but your method worked in the long run. Merry Christmas.

[@homerepair23107]

I appreciate you letting me know.

[@lesleymcclelland6557]

This worked perfectly! Thank you!

[@homerepair23107]

You're welcome

[@suzyQsz]

We did this today and it worked great, thank you!

[@homerepair23107]

Thanks so much for letting me know.

[@liamlinson7563]

hi can you give me the name of the scraping tool you are using?

[@homerepair23107]

It's a Anvil 1.5 in. Flexible Putty Knife from Home Depot. Meaning flexible not stiff. www.homedepot.com/p/Anvil-1-5-in-Flexible-Putty-Knife-18PT0824/309976487

[@laurap3857]

Thanks for this very helpful video! Do you think this method will work to remove the residue from blue painter’s tape on hardwood floors? The tape was peeled up but residue remains.

[@homerepair23107]

Yes, it should work just fine. It should come up a lot easier than the carpet type tape I am removing in the video. Painter's blue tape is a wonderful product that will usually come up fairly easy without harming paint or a sheet rock wall, etc. That being said if you leave painter's tape on for days or weeks it can be difficult to remove or it "can" damage paint on a wall, etc. The tape residue on your hardwood floor should come up with the products I used. More importantly they should not harm your floor when trying. Try using just a rag and the spray Goof Off, that may be all you need to do.

[@annatruckenbrod4645]

It does work, but as explained by Home Repair, blue tape will damage wood floors if left on too long, my experience exactly. But it did remove stickiness.

[@kiteman357]

Use Murphy Oil Soap for painters tape residue. Let sit for 10 minutes.

[@homerepair23107]

RBS, thanks for comment. It was deleted by mistake. Please add it again. Thanks

[@BrentsTreehouse]

soak the tape residue with murphy's oil soap for 30 minutes, cover with towel so it doesn't evaporate, and then scrape up with a old credit card.

[@harrychristie8107]

Personally, no goof-off product has ever worked for me. However, WD-40 is spray on, spread and soak and WIPE off. Might need 2nd or third round. It has ever failed me. In this example, spray WD40 liberally on several or all steps. Let soak for 15-30 min, then wipe the gunk off. Once done, mild degreaser (water and white vinegar) to wipe WD40 residue off. I'd also EVER use a putty knife on hardwood. Ouch! 0

[@homerepair23107]

Thanks so much for watching and for taking the time to comment. As I mentioned in the video regular Goo Gone and Goof Off products did not work well. However, as stated and shown Goof Off Aerosol Pro Strength worked quite well. I do agree that WD-40 can be a good choice for jobs like this. There is however, a wide variety of carpet tape and adhesive strength where one product may work well on one brand and not so well on another. It pays to experiment. As far as the putty knife goes it was a blunt edge knife and not one scratch or scuff was made on the hardwood Oak stairs that had several layers of Polyurethane on them. I am a retired finish carpenter and cabinet maker. Like any other tool in the hands of a professional or qualified handyperson there is little chance of damage. The video and the final outcome speak for itself.

[@CbrF4i600cc]

Looks like you burnt the putty knife, so I guess you tried the heat method

[@homerepair23107]

LOL, no that was from another project. Heat often works on some type of projects, but I wouldn't want to apply heat on my finished oak stairs. Thanks for watching

[@becartier6875]

Yes that spray is incredibly flammable. So hopefully folks out there not try to add a hot putty knife. EItHER use the Professional’s Formulation GO spray method OR the hot putty knife, but DO NOT MIX THE TWO METHODS for risk of fire, life threatening explosion, fumes,, and burns to skin, as well as property damage, inhalation injury and death.

[@homerepair23107]

Good advice. No fire or hot knife was used in this process.

[@DarkLouie76]

Tried both the Goof Off pro strength, and WD 40. WD 40 for the win. The Goof off was a waste of money and smells bad. If you use it open the windows....

[@homerepair23107]

Hey Mark, thanks for watching and commenting. There is a smell with the Pro Strength Spray but I didn't mind it. I use to make laminated Formica tops and cabinets and dealt a lot with Contact Cement and Lacquer Thinner smells all day, lol. There is always more than one way to do something, I found this method very successful and as the video shows the Pro Strength cut right through the old tape and helped remove it fairly easily.

[@debrab2766]

Just be careful with using polish on the stairs, makes it very slippery and my son wiped out. So glad it wasn't my mother

[@dr.bobSACC.23107]

Indeed, but we have those carpet treads and they are stuck down. The Polish was to clean up the stairs and it was only about 5 inches of wood on each side of the tread that no feet touch,

[@jondeak]

my god im glad I didnt use rug tape, this stuff destroys floors.

[@ricksmith5230]

WD 40works good too