How to remove old adhesive residue on frame?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Chesterton, Indiana
Posts: 298
Bikes: 1984 Sekai 5000 Superbe, 1987 Raleigh Seneca Mountain Tour, 1984 Schwinn World Sport, 1978 Raleigh Grand Prix, 2021 Handsome She Devil, Mystery Vintage purple road bike
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 99 Post(s)
Liked 124 Times
in
61 Posts
How to remove old adhesive residue on frame?
What is the best cleaning material to use to remove this caked on old adhesive residue on this frame?
#2
Live Healthy
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 417
Bikes: Wabi Classic
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 183 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
92 Posts
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Chesterton, Indiana
Posts: 298
Bikes: 1984 Sekai 5000 Superbe, 1987 Raleigh Seneca Mountain Tour, 1984 Schwinn World Sport, 1978 Raleigh Grand Prix, 2021 Handsome She Devil, Mystery Vintage purple road bike
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 99 Post(s)
Liked 124 Times
in
61 Posts
#4
Half way there
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,957
Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 986 Post(s)
Liked 880 Times
in
527 Posts
Goof off, WD40, or plain old mineral spirits should be effective. Wait a while after application to let the hardened glue soften up before you try to scrape. I'd opt for an old credit card instead of a razor blade since I lack finesse with sharp steel. Have patience and let the solvent do most of the work.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,380
Bikes: 1982 Bianchi Sport SX, Rayleigh Tamland 1, Rans V-Rex recumbent, Fuji MTB, 80's Cannondale MTB with BBSHD ebike motor
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 668 Post(s)
Liked 529 Times
in
355 Posts
good gone/goof off, a Popsicle stick and a paper towel.
Likes For Pop N Wood:
#6
Banned
3M maker of adhesives also makes an adhesive solvent ..
.. in my father's medicine cabinet, after his death , I found there is a medical adhesive solvent category too.
.. in my father's medicine cabinet, after his death , I found there is a medical adhesive solvent category too.
Likes For fietsbob:
#7
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
#8
Junior Member
Goof is OK, but my favorite, which is not as easy to find, is a product called Citra Solv. It's a concentrate, but I always use it straight. A little goes a long way.
Likes For fujidon:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Eastern VA
Posts: 1,724
Bikes: 2022 Fuel EX 8, 2021 Domane SL6, Black Beta (Nashbar frame), 2004 Trek 1000C for the trainer
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 270 Post(s)
Liked 447 Times
in
266 Posts
Simple Green or Purple Power I have found to work the best. Just check the surface to make sure it does not remove what you want left. Goof or Goop Off I have found useless.
Likes For biker128pedal:
#11
two wheels only
I'm a WD-40 user. I always have some around and it has always worked. You may need to let it sit and I sometimes use an old credit card as a scraper or a plastic dish washing "scrubbie" to remove the softened residue. The thought of taking a razor blade to a painted scares me. Clean it with dish soap and hot water after.
Likes For T.W.O.:
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947
Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times
in
936 Posts
Goo Gone works on just about anything I've ever had to get adhesive residue off of.
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Chesterton, Indiana
Posts: 298
Bikes: 1984 Sekai 5000 Superbe, 1987 Raleigh Seneca Mountain Tour, 1984 Schwinn World Sport, 1978 Raleigh Grand Prix, 2021 Handsome She Devil, Mystery Vintage purple road bike
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 99 Post(s)
Liked 124 Times
in
61 Posts
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947
Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times
in
936 Posts
I wouldn't use a cleaning wipe, I'd just spray the Goo Gone on it, let it sit for a while to loosen up the adhesive, and then wipe with an old rag, reapplying Goo Gone as needed. Some elbow grease and a bit of friction is needed.
#15
Senior Member
I would try ZEP Orange degreaser first and if that doesn't work, plain turpentine. Goof Off contains some harsher chemicals than turpentine and "can" dull the finish on some paints especially if you rub on it.
#16
Senior Member
My favorites are WD-40 or Mineral Spirits w/ a fingernail.
The recent removal of old adhesive residue on one of my bikes was effected flawlessly using WD-40.
The recent removal of old adhesive residue on one of my bikes was effected flawlessly using WD-40.
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 356
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 325 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 109 Times
in
72 Posts
Anything that requires scraping is not a good solvent; the glue should wipe off with a rag if the solvent is actually working. Try some acetone, and if that doesn't work, browse the paint solvents section at the home center. Xylenes could help, but without knowing what type of glue you're dealing with it's hard to make a good recommendation. If you really get desperate, you could always try a little gasoline or kerosene, but I doubt you'll need to resort to that. Good luck!
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,380
Bikes: 1982 Bianchi Sport SX, Rayleigh Tamland 1, Rans V-Rex recumbent, Fuji MTB, 80's Cannondale MTB with BBSHD ebike motor
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 668 Post(s)
Liked 529 Times
in
355 Posts
Threads like this make me think there is something wrong with me. I've used kerosene, gasoline, acetone, all sorts of harsh solvents and nothing works as well as goo gone/goof off. I do use a piece of wood or plastic (or fingernail as someone suggested) to stir in the solvent, but once loose everything just wipes off. Never had it dull a finish or damage anything.
Wonder what I'm doing differently that others would have such a different experience.
I use purple power for lots of thing, cleans a gas grill like nothing else, but that stuff eats flesh. Acetone is expensive and is super flammable. Xylenes are for huffers and cause cancer. Probably messes with sea turtles as well. goo gone has a nice citrus smell and cleans up with hot water and soap.
Wonder what I'm doing differently that others would have such a different experience.
I use purple power for lots of thing, cleans a gas grill like nothing else, but that stuff eats flesh. Acetone is expensive and is super flammable. Xylenes are for huffers and cause cancer. Probably messes with sea turtles as well. goo gone has a nice citrus smell and cleans up with hot water and soap.
#21
Junior Member
Likes For blknytro:
#22
Junior Member
Vinegar. Cheap, easy, benign, non-toxic and not messy. Let it soak in and do the work to minimize it being smeary from wiping too soon. It also does wonders to remove rust and corrosion from little parts. Just put them in a container and let them soak, sometimes a few days. Loosens rust and crud and wipes off easy or with a toothbrush. Just make sure the parts are otherwise clean before you put them in. I soaked some parts that had some Brasso residue on them and the chemical reaction gave a weird patina that looked pretty cool but I would have been shocked if it had happened on something i wanted shiny