It’s a dubious honor, but an honor just the same to have a product named after yourself. No it’s not Wonder Bread, Perfect Pretenders, Power-Ade, Special K, DumDum suckers, or Mr. Wonderful’s Potato Factory Chips.
It’s a Valspar product called Goof Off. The bright yellow can in front of me as I write is a 16 ounce round can with a twist off lid equipped with a safety catch. I’ve also seen in it a squirt bottle, a spray and now even in handy wipes. I’ve never used anything other than the can version.

The Claims

Goof Off® is billed as the ultimate remover and is mostly known for its use in removing adhesives and dried latex paint. It is also said to remove caulk, most glues, marker and pen ink, white correction fluid, crayons, asphalt tar, lipstick, chewing gum, oil, grease, scuff marks, candle wax, and more. On the side of the can is an extensive list of surfaces on which it may be used safely including among others wool carpet, painted surfaces, vinyl baseboard metals, glass, brick, wood, concrete, fiberglass and most fabrics.

The user is urged to test on an inconspicuous area first when in doubt. Goof Off may damage many plastics, worn vinyl floors, and some automotive paints.

Also the user is directed to wear safety goggles and solvent resistant gloves when using. I’ve not worn the safety goggles, but do always wear gloves when using this product.

Health Concerns

Goof Off should not be used recklessly or cavalierly. It is flammable, fatal or harmful if swallowed, can irritate the skin, and its strong smelling vapor is harmful and an eye irritant. It should only be used with adequate ventilation.

The National Institute of Health database lists many cautions and warnings regarding this potentially dangerous product. The NIH gives Goof Off a flammability rating of 3 (serious) and a health rating of 2 (moderate.)
A full column on the product itself details the potential hazards of Goof Off and can be quite intimidating. The consumer should exercise extreme caution and common sense when using this product and read the entire label BEFORE using.

From the Label: “ Reports have associated repeated and prolonged occupational exposure to solvents with permanent brain and nervous system damage.”

The primary ingredients of Goof Off are xylene, and 2-ethanol.


My Experience

Goof Off has such a strong, long lasting smell that I use it outdoors when possible. If I must use it indoors, I use as little as necessary and ventilate the area well. Dizziness, headache and/or nausea may result otherwise.

We mostly use Goof Off to remove sticker residue from recent purchases. Some stores diabolically put labels on the most inconvenient places, like on the item purchased and not on the packaging. To remove sticky residue I wet a rag or paper towel with Goof Off, saturate the area, and then rub gently. Often the glue traces wipe off on the first pass. Sometimes it takes several applications to remove all of the adhesive.
Several months ago I bought a clock with a sticker on its plastic face cover. The Goof Off took off the sticky stuff but also dissolved some of the clear plastic transforming it into a translucent mess.

Once I used Goof Off to remove the residue of Duct Tape from some old floor tile. I wasn’t making much progress so I puddled some Goof Off on the trouble spots and left it there for a few minutes. When I returned, some of the tile had dissolved. I’ve learned to use Goof Off judiciously and sparingly after that incident.

Last week I used Goof Off to wipe off tape residue from a failed lamp repair. I thoughtlessly threw the used rag into the trashcan. The kitchen quickly reeked with odor until I put the offensive rag into an outside trashcan.

Goof Off also works well in the removal of dried latex paint. I’ve actually removed paint that had been dried for years on wooden floors and wood baseboard and trim. It’s also bailed me out a few times by removing paint splatters from clothing. Removing ink from a Formica countertop with the Goof Off was child’s play and forestalled catastrophe.

I’ve been goofing off and using Goof Off for years with no tragic consequences. It’s a good and powerful product that performs as promised, but it’s one that requires extreme care and vigilance on the part of the user.







Recommended: Yes