How to remove contact paper from shelves

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Moderator Post (s) for this thread: > Heat gun.... by doug seibert on 08/04/2004

I spent hours searching for an answer and the best offered was using a hair dryer to heat the glue. Well, if you don't have a life and time restraints, then go ahead, but I have a better solution. Use 'paint stripper'. Follow the directions as if stripping paint - protect your eyes/face, where clothing to cover all body parts and keep a bucket of soapy water close by just in case. If you are stripping cabinets too, then you can do both at the same time. If you just want to remove contact paper, tape off the surrounding area so no stripper makes contact. Apply the stripper on the contact paper using a paint brush, wait 15-20 minutes, then carefully remove the contact paper. It will have the feel of a slightly heated Glad kitchen garbage bag; will stretch and may tear, so again, be careful of splashes. Wash the area with hot soapy water and you are done! This also works to remove the stickty residue left from contact paper removed some other way. It works! I am in the process of refinishing some old pine cabinets and this worked like a charm and I wanted to share.