Removing double-sided foam tape from your walls requires harsh chemicals!

The daughter of a client on mine had covered her walls in her room with posters adhered using a strong version of this tape. Since she moved out to college, clients would like to paint and furnish it as a guest bedroom.
The painters were trying to remove the tape residue to no avail. They called me in!

They had already tried sanding and scraping, and the foam residue was still there and the sander was just getting clumped up.

They said they had to get "Goof Off" to soak it and hope it would come off and they knew I was not going to be happy at this solution.
They needed my approval before proceeding. I was terrified at the thought of using it especially when I advise against bringing in anything with VOCs in a house. Any product that removes adhesives has strong chemicals with VOC's. .

After some research and agony, decided to send the clients out for the entire day, open all the windows, bring in a large fan to circulate the air and let the paint contractor do his job wearing gloves and masks. Needless to say I was having a headache as soon as they opened the bottles. It was heart-breaking to see the chemical applied all over the walls. Strong chemical was doing its job, but the odor was definitely harsh.
It took about two hours to remove and scrape off the tape residue. It took another 3 hours to really air out the room, so the painters could paint without using respirators. The paint was zero VOC, so it covered the walls and eliminated the remaining odors.
I always recommend to let the room ventilate for 24 hours after painting and before moving in.
Never paint while pregnant. Never move your baby into a freshly painted room. In this case allow 72 hours to one week.

So how do you adhere posters? Use thumb tacks now available in variety of fun colors and shapes at your office supply store.

Lesson learned...

major contributors to allergies around your home or office

If you look closely around an average home or office you will find several allergens that can cause you or your children to react to. Major causes of allergies can be:

• animal dander- pets of any kind can cause allergies. Cats and dogs are the most common. If you have a pet, vaccuum and dust regularly. Groom your pet regularly and periodically, but never groom your pet inside your home or office.





• mold and mildew- any time you have moisture buildup indoors, you are likely to get mold or mildew. Not only in your bathroom, but in dark closets, under your bed, or under your house. Inside near windows, or inside your walls. Look around closely if you suddenly experience respetory issues that occur when you are inside. Never clean mold without adequate protection and wipe it clean without spreading it around. Do not spray cleaning solution onto the area, but spray the rag and then wipe. Be sure to wear gloves and a mask. Make sure your room has adequate ventilation to prevent further mositure buildup.

• dust- number one cause of allergies is dust. Use a duster or dust mop that attracts dust instead of pushing it around and into the air. Make sure your furniture is high enough to reach under for cleaning. Clean often. Declutter, declutter, and declutter. Get rid of small non-functioning niknak dust collectors and piles of paper and magazines.



• VOCs- Furniture, fabric, paint and stains offgas VOCs that can cause headaches. Choose zero-VOC paint and stains. Ventilate the room for a few hours before occupying a freshly panted room.






• Chemicals and cleaning products- Any chemically formulated cleaning product can cause alelrgies or health problems. Use natural simple products. Home made solution of vinegar and baking soda is a good general purpose cleaner.