If you’ve ever had to remove a sticker from something, you know how frustrating it can be. Stickers are designed to be extremely sticky, which means they don’t like coming off.
The more time you spend trying to get that sticker off the wall, the less time you have left in your adult life before retirement.
If removing a sticker is one of your least favorite activities but putting up wallpaper makes you want to cry for some reason, what do you do? A
lot of people think that 3M adhesive on walls is permanent and unchangeable, which makes them think twice about putting up wallpaper or stickers.
However, this is not an entirely accurate statement. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to remove 3M adhesive from walls without leaving behind any damage. Let’s take a look at 6 tips that will get the job done.
Read More: How to Remove Adhesive from Shower Wall?
How to Remove 3M Adhesive from Walls?
Use heat to melt the adhesive
Heat is by far one of the most effective ways to remove 3M adhesive, especially if you use a hair dryer or a heat gun. Many types of adhesives, including 3M, become softer when they are heated up. Once they have been heated, they can be scraped away with a putty knife or scraper very easily.
If you have ever had to remove a hook from wall or bumper sticker from your car, you’ve probably melted the glue on it with a hair dryer or heat gun. The same principles apply here, only this time you are using it to remove the wall adhesive. You’ll want to put the dryer on low heat. You don’t want to accidentally melt the wall!
Spray the area with solvent
If you are dealing with a very light adhesive, you may be able to dissolve it away with a simple solvent. Most el-cheapo adhesives that you find on posters and bumper stickers are made from solvents. So, if you spray the adhesive with that same solvent, it should dissolve and fall right off the wall! Solvents like WD-40 are good for this type of light adhesive removal.
You can spray the solvent directly onto the wall, and then let it sit for a few minutes. After a while, the solvent will dissolve the adhesive and you can wipe it away with a sponge or cloth. Solvents are a good option for light adhesives since they are usually non-flammable and non-toxic. However, they are not a good option for oily adhesives.
Scrape the adhesive off
If you are dealing with a very thick and sticky adhesive, scraping it off might be the best option for you. Scraping is best for removing things like duct tape, super glue, and other adhesives that are extremely sticky.
Depending on how thick and sticky the adhesive is, you may need a putty knife or other heavy-duty scraper.
All you have to do is scrape the adhesive off the wall with the scraper. The best way to do this is to start at one corner of the wall and move along the wall until you have scraped off as much as you can. When you are done scraping, you can use a sponge or cloth to wipe away any leftover residue.
Read More: How to Remove Adhesive Hooks from Tiles?
Use a vinyl scraper for light adhesives
A vinyl scraper is like a putty knife on steroids. They are very effective at scraping off thick adhesives and are usually pretty easy to find in your local hardware store. If you are dealing with a light adhesive and a regular scraper just isn’t able to get the job done, it might be time to go get a vinyl scraper.
Vinyl scrapers are usually thicker than your average putty knife, making them better at scraping off stubborn wall adhesives. They can often be found in the same section of your local hardware store as putty knives.
You can usually find two types of vinyl scrapers: straight and curved. The straight scraper is best for scraping along a flat surface, while the curved scraper is better for scraping curved or uneven surfaces.
Use an epoxy paste to glue down the wallpaper
If the spot on your wall where you have the 3M adhesive has wallpaper, you might be able to get rid of the adhesive and the paper at the same time. By mixing together an epoxy adhesive with wallpaper paste, you can create a very sticky substance that can be applied to the wall.
Once the epoxy has dried, you can peel it off the wall with very little effort and it will remove the 3M adhesive as well. Epoxy adhesives are usually sold in hardware stores or online. They are usually pink or purple in color and usually come in a two-part system. You can also find wallpaper paste in most hardware stores.
Read More: How to Install Wall Panels Without Adhesive?
What is the easiest way to remove 3M adhesive?
If you’ve tried all of these methods and the 3M adhesive on your wall is still winning, don’t worry! There is one more method you can try, and it might be the easiest way to get rid of the adhesive.
If you are dealing with a thick and sticky adhesive like super glue or duct tape, you can use a heavy-duty chemical solvent like TSP or Goo Gone. These solvents will break down the glue and make the adhesive much less sticky.
After you have used the solvent, you can scrape away what’s left of the adhesive or wipe it away with a sponge or cloth. If you are dealing with a light adhesive and none of these methods seem to be working, then you can either try harder or just give up. There is no shame in admitting defeat!
Last Opinion
If you have ever had to remove a sticker from something, you know how frustrating it can be. Stickers are designed to be extremely sticky, which means they don’t like coming off. The more time you spend trying to get that sticker off the wall, the less time you have left in your adult life before retirement.
If removing a sticker is one of your least favorite activities but putting up wallpaper makes you want to cry for some reason, what do you do? A lot of people think that 3M adhesive on walls is permanent and unchangeable, which makes them think twice about putting up wallpaper or stickers.
Thankfully, there are some simple ways to remove 3M adhesive from walls without leaving behind any damage.
