Here are two tricks will save much grief when removing masking tape from painted surfaces: 1. Use a hair dryer to heat the tape. This softens the adhesive and lets the tape peel off like limp spaghetti. If you leave it for several days the glue can polymerize and then you're going to have problems regardless. 2. If you've overpainted the surface onto the tape, cut the seam with a single edge razor blade, apply the hair dryer, and peel it off. Be sure to pull the tape off almost flat to the painted surface if you are at all unsure of thr quality of the surface.
I remove several yards of masking tape from two day old jobs on a daily basis (i respray bathtubs for a living) and with these techniques I seldom have any paint-lifting problems. Remember that paint lifts usually when the job was poorly done in the first place or if the painted surface has not yet properly dried. Good prep and patience make for a lasting job.
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