Removing Cellophane Tape
By Chuck Walker
Ref: Note from John Phillips.
As a one time chemist, I am always curious about the identification of materials of all kinds. My cross-reference chemical list does not have an entry for "white spirit". Can you enlighten me more, John?
Based on your comments I would guess that it is a hydrocarbon based solvent probably similar to what we might call naphtha in the U.S. Another possibility could be "mineral spirits" or paint thinner. The general term "spirit" is used for many volatile solvents ranging from alcohols to hydrocarbons. In this case, I would guess that an alcohol might not soften the tape residue as easily as a hydrocarbon but I could be wrong.
A product that I have found useful for removing dried masking tape residue from wood is "Gumout (tm) Carburetor Cleaner". This comes in a spray can and works very well for this nasty job. I have not tried it on paper but it might be worth a shot.
You are wise to stay away from benzene. It is a highly toxic solvent. Toluene has similar solvent activity, is not as toxic but is also good to avoid if possible. Toluene is not quite as volatile as benzene but still can be a problem.
Chuck Walker (cewalker@prodigy.com)
Hopewell Junction, NY |
(Message sent Thu 27 Feb 1997, 03:19:39 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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