Back when I was on sea duty I had this CO who specifically ordered the crew not to tape signs up around the ship. His rationale was the tape emulsified into the paint, and when you eventually took the sign down it would rip some paint along with it – what I call the “surface lifting” effect. This is pretty much the case with any type of sticker, tape, or backing that you find around your house, and if you are into home improvement like me you will eventually find a need to remove it from a surface without leaving a big mark.
When you are painting, painter’s tape is usually easy to remove. However, if you read the fine print on the label, it says you should only leave the tape up for a maximum of 14 days, otherwise you may get that surface lifting effect. Or like the time we were redoing our kitchen cabinets and drawers were lined with this really old, dirty, and nasty contact paper. Or perhaps when you are trying to ship something in an old box, but it already has a shipping label on it that will surely tear off a big chunk of paper if you remove it. Or if you are a parent (which we are not, but we have lots of little nieces and nephews) and you end up with stickers on your walls & floors.
I learned a long time that a hair dryer comes in especially handy in these situations. Run the dryer at high heat over the surface of the sticker/tape/backing for about a minute and then carefully peel from one side. The hot air will heat up the glue and let you pull up the material without “lifting” the other side.
Of course, you just need to remember to put it back when you're done. Otherwise you have to explain to your wife why her hair dryer is in the garage.
Removing a shipping label
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