How to Remove a Broken 3M Command Strip

Command strips made by 3M offer a convenient alternative to making holes or otherwise permanently damaging a wall when attempting to hang pictures and other items upon it. While they're designed to lift off the wall with a simple tug of the strip, tugging too hard or at too much of an angle could break the strip. When this happens, use dental floss or thread to slice through the foam material. If it still won't come off completely, heating it up a little helps loosen it.

Here's how to remove a broken 3M Command strip from a wall.

Remove bits of Command strip from the wall by making a tiny saw from dental floss, though any strong thread works well.

1. Cut a piece of the thread about 8 inches long or long enough to pull taut between your fingers with several inches of space between them.
2. Hold the string tightly in both hands or even wrap your fingers around either end to ensure a strong grip.
3. Hold the string saw against the wall above the strip and then slide it behind the back of the remaining foam and adhesive as close to the wall as possible.
4. Move the string back and forth a little like slow-motion sawing as you apply pressure downward and all the way through the Command strip remnants.
5. Tug the remaining strip slowly and straight downward to remove it from the wall.
6. If it doesn't all come off at once, repeat the sawing process, getting the string even closer to the wall as you saw back and forth.

If the string saw method doesn't work, heat the Command strip for 30 seconds or so with warm air from a hair dryer. Avoid using a heat gun, as that's likely to damage the wall. After you've heated the Command strip, tug straight down on it again or retry the string saw method.

Though there should be no sticky bits left behind, if there are, remove them by scraping them off with a plastic scraper, the edge of a plastic gift card, the bowl of a plastic spoon, or even your fingernail. Wipe the area with a damp cloth afterward. A razor-blade-style paint scraper may also be used with caution on walls or windows. Hold it so the blade is as close to parallel to the wall as possible so the blade doesn't damage the surface.

The Command strip's design allows it to be easily removed from most surfaces provided the strip is tugged in a specific way. Grab the tab and pull it straight down slowly, as if you're trying to stretch the strip to make it longer. During this process, the Command strip should come right off the wall. Tugging it at even a slight angle toward yourself is likely to break the strip.