The Scotch Tape Myth

I have read numerous emails and helpful hint columns that suggest people use a piece of Scotch Tape to remove splinters. I wanted to put this tip to the test, so the next time my family had a splinter, we dug out the clear tape to see what happened.

My family has been remodeling our home lately, so the occasional wood splinter was floating around our house just waiting for an unsuspecting finger or foot to brush by just right. At that very moment, the wood splinter would attack and dive into the flesh of one of my kids.

Well, my husband has a fear of needles and I can't see, so we were aiming to find another method to remove the stubborn splinter from my child's foot. Trying my best attempt at SuperMom one day, I reached for my office supplies and found my Scotch Tape handy. Wouldn't I be the hero if this clear piece of sticky tape could remove that splinter without a hitch?

My children were all huddled around the victim as I casually placed the Scotch Tape over the wound. Amazingly enough, there was a brief moment with no tears or screaming as we waited for the results.

I quickly grabbed the corner of the Scotch Tape and pulled it back with one quick motion. Stuck to the tape was...nothing. The splinter was still embedded into my child.

Everyone was disappointed in the crowd, and there went my Mother of the Year award. The Tears flowed again until I decided to try again.

With no luck, we tried small pieces of tape, large pieces of Scotch tape, and a variety of techniques for removal. Nothing worked. The Scotch Tape trick is merely a myth. We attempt this method every single time one of us get a splinter and so far, it hasn't worked.

I would personally recommend you skip the tape and move on to the trusted tweezers method. Although using tweezers to remove a splinter is not as much fun as playing SuperMom with Scotch Tape, the method is much more effective.

There are numerous great uses for Scotch Tape around the house. Scotch Tape is my favorite brand for wrapping Christmas gifts and birthday presents. Clear tape is preferred for fixing ripped pages in a paperback book or a torn homework assignment, but Scotch Tape is not something I will keep in my first aid kit for splinter removal.