We talk a lot about tape because we’re really good at it. What we haven’t talked as much about is removers, however, we’re equally as good at those. We’ve noticed that many of our customers don’t know about or understand removers and their importance. Walker Tape has been creating and bottling removers for over 30 years. During that time we’ve been able to save businesses a lot of time and money by finding removers that suit needs they might not have even realized they had.
Removers in Production Settings
Some of the most apparent needs for removers exist in production settings. During manufacturing, the knives, tools, and blades involved in the production process get gummy over time. Adhesive buildup on machines causes machines to run less efficiently. This costs your business time and money. If your machines aren’t running at full efficiency, you’re spending more labor dollars to get less product. With the correct remover and best practices in place to ensure proper service intervals for your machines, your machines will continue to run efficiently at all times. Another issue we’ve seen our customers run into during production is when the tape touches something it’s not supposed to touch. This often leads to a good amount of downtime, especially if you’re using a high tack adhesive tape. Without the correct remover, it can sometimes take hours to remove the adhesive tape from the area it was exposed to. With the correct remover on hand, situations like this can be solved quickly and easily with far less downtime.
One of the biggest culprits for these scenarios is foam tape. When working with foam tape in production, everything gets messy. The dies, knives, and any other tools or machinery used would get gummy. That can lead to a lot of downtime cleaning machines and getting rid of residue. Using the correct remover, the adhesive is broken down quickly and can be easily wiped off of these surfaces, saving a lot of scrubbing time. That means you spend less money paying people to clean your machines while losing time that could be spent making product.
Other Important Uses for Removers
Sometimes customers assume that if they’re not using tape in production and/or they’re using a permanent adhesive tape they don’t need a remover. However, almost every tape application requires a remover before the tape is applied. Removers aren’t just to remove tape, they also remove residue and grime before application to clean surfaces in preparation for proper tape adhesion. Removers are used in many industries for cleaning purposes from removing asphalt from machinery to removing bird excrement from cars.
Types of Removers
When it comes down to it, there are three types of removers:
- Alcohol Based
- Oil (Petroleum) Based
- Citrus Based
Alcohol based removers work quickly but are not always the best option for full removal of aggressive adhesive tapes. This type of remover is perfect for the final touch of preparation before application of adhesive tapes. They’re also great for medical applications because they also kill bacteria.
Petroleum based removers are great for very aggressive cleanup. Petroleum is a naturally occurring mixture of hydrocarbons. It’s often used to make different types of fuel. Petroleum based removers work well on grease, oil, tar, and asphalt. They work quickly but leave some oily residue that can be cleaned with 99% alcohol and/or an aggressive soap and water if needed.
Citrus based removers are very common. You’ve most likely used a citrus based remover around your house. They generally have a citrus scent and work very quickly. There are several options that are safe for human skin. Because they are oily they do leave behind an oily residue, however, it can be easily cleaned with a mild soap and water or with 99% alcohol.
So how do you find the correct remover for your situation? Just ask Walker Tape. We’ll ask several questions to ensure you have the correct remover to save you time and money. The remover you use needs to be specific to the adhesive tape you’re using. The correct ingredients are required to ensure they react properly with the tape and break down the adhesive quickly and completely. There are also several other factors to consider when making this decision.
Questions to Determine the Correct Remover
- What type of adhesive tape are you using?
- Will the remover come in contact with human skin?
- Does your application allow for oily residue from a remover?
- What is most important: remover cost or the time it takes to remove? (Be sure to consider labor costs associated with longer removal times and missed sales from downtime)
- How long has the adhesive tape been sitting?
After these questions have been answered, we’re able to find the correct remover for you. We have access to so many removers we can easily find one that meets your exact needs. If you have a need for a remover and aren’t sure where to start, we’ll help you every step of the way. Contact us today and we’ll figure out how to save you some time and money on your adhesive tape projects.
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