How to Reuse LED Strips (Step-by-Step Guide)

LED light strips can be a great way to add some flair and personality to your home decor. They are versatile and can be used indoors or outdoors, making them a popular choice for lighting.

If you need to move your LED light strips to a new location, it’s easy to reuse them with just a few simple steps

How to reuse LED strips

1. Heating the Glub

If you attach the LED strip to your wall with glue, there’s a possibility that the paint might come off when you remove it. This is because the glue sticks strongly to the paint. Therefore, you’ll need to apply heat to the LED strips to loosen the adhesive.

You can use a hairdryer to apply heat. Aim the heat at the end where you want to start removing the strip. However, be cautious not to apply too much heat as it may damage the LEDs. The LEDs are designed to stick to the wall for an extended period, so take your time during this process.

2. Start to peel the strip at one end

Now that you’ve heated the glue, it’s time to start peeling the LED strip off the wall. Start by gently pulling one end of the strip while making sure the paint stays intact. To help with the peeling process, you can use a flat object such as a hand trowel or a small knife.

Slide the knife underneath the corner of the strip and carefully lift it. Be mindful of the paint on the wall, and wiggle the knife back and forth until you’ve successfully pulled a part of the strip. It’s important to have someone help you by continuously heating the strip while you peel it off.

3. Removing Any extra Adhesive

After you’ve peeled the LED strip off the wall, the next step is to remove any remaining adhesive. You can easily do this by rubbing it with your thumb, and it should come off easily. Alternatively, you can use a soft sponge to gently wipe it away.

If you still have a sticky residue on your walls after removing your LED strips, there are a few more options you can try.

For vinyl or acrylic surfaces, a damp cloth with lukewarm water can do the trick.

If the residue is stubborn, you can use a heat gun or blow dryer to warm and soften the adhesive. After a minute of heating, gently scrape away the residue.

Be cautious when using acetone or rubbing alcohol on delicate areas. While they can be effective at removing adhesive, alcohol can damage the paint.

Finally, you can try using WD-40 or a citrus-based cleaner. Apply it to a rag and gently massage the wall until the residue disappears.

4. Reapplying the Adhesive

To prepare the LED strip for your next design, you’ll need to apply a double-sided sticky backing. This will help the strip adhere to the surface it will be attached to.

If you want to reuse your LED strips in a different location, you’ll need to apply adhesive to them again. However, you may encounter a problem since the old adhesive layer is no longer sticky.

But don’t worry! There’s an easy and inexpensive solution. First, remove the old adhesive from the LED strip by using a citrus-based cleaner or acetone and a damp cloth. Gently rub the adhesive until it’s completely removed, but be careful not to use too much water as it may damage the LEDs.

Once the back of the LED strip is dry, you can apply double-sided tape to it. After that, you can stick the LED strip lights wherever you want.

Learn how to restick the LED strip

5. Re-sticking the LED strip lights

When re-attaching LED light strips, there are various adhesive options to choose from, such as command strips, glue dots, W3 tape, adhesive tapes, and double-sided tapes. However, these adhesives can be too sticky and may cause damage to your furniture or walls. Plus, if they failed once, you might be hesitant to reuse them.

But don’t worry! You have other options. Mounting putty, hot glue, and cable ties are a few examples.

Mounting putty is an alternative to nails, glue, and staples that many people use. You can shape the putty into the form you want and stick it to the back of the LED strip before mounting it on the new spot.

Hot glue is also a good option since it doesn’t contain toxic ingredients and won’t damage your strip or wall. Just make sure to control the temperature, or else the LED strip might melt.

Cable ties, which are commonly used for electrical wiring, can surprisingly be used to re-attach LED strips. Just make sure to use clear ties that won’t obstruct the strips’ light output.

Using this way you can easily reuse LED Strip light

Best led Strip lights

Conclusion

In today’s lighting design industry, flexible LED light strips are gaining popularity due to their versatility in color choices, brightness, and ease of installation. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about being stuck with their initial placement as you can move and reuse them in another location.

By following the steps mentioned earlier on how to reuse LED strips, you can confidently and conveniently redesign your space without worrying about additional lighting expenses. So go ahead and experiment with different lighting designs using your reusable LED strips!