Non-marking blu tac alternatives for a student hall of residence room?

[thoughtofeverything]

DS is off to uni and his hall handbook says no blu tac or adhesive fixings (including command hooks, presumably because they pull paint off if you don't remove them properly). There is one small notice board in the room, but otherwise it's very bare and I'm sure most of the students will want to put something up, risking having to pay for a re-paint at the end of the year. I know you can get white tac alternatives to blu tac, which claim to be non-marking, but when I've bought them years ago they sort of melted onto the wall after a while, were very sticky, and did leave greasy marks. Does anyone have any recommendations?

white tack

Hmm I have found new blu tac to be okay, older stuff takes paint off more easily. Best to take it down once every couple of months. We also had success with command hooks - I know it says they're banned but if they're removed properly there shouldn't be an issue?

Is that recommendation based on recent experience? As I said in my OP, my experience of white tack was negative, but that was a few years ago, so maybe it has improved?

Washi tape maybe? I use this in my classroom and it doesn’t leave any marks

If the room is in quite good condition when you enter it, then you can expect that use of blu-tak or similar will be 'sniffed out' and you may indeed be fined. If the university has a good conference trade in the summer months, then this is more likely to be followed strictly. If there's evidence that you might not be the first to do slight damage to the walls then you could have a go.

My favourite solution was to buy a quality roll of wrapping paper and to paper the back of a door, using masking tape. Then stick things like photos and cards on it as much as you want. Door paint is usually glossy and less easy to peel off or get a greasy mark. Much masking tape can be used, carefully.

If there is still sticky residue left afterwards, quite a lot of hand gel will rub it off (but only on shiny surfaces - not wall paint).

Masking tape is a good idea - thanks! I'm not sure he'll be organised enough to do the wrapping paper thing, but I'll suggest it!

We've seen the room and there aren't any marks, so may have been recently painted.

We had picture rails (but the building was not modern).
One of the first shopping expeditions was to Athena to buy posters.

I am interested in this too. No blue tack rule but there was a poster sale on as we arrived? Paint is unmarked but room isn't pristine or brand new. Have sent them with white tack and command strips, will see if they are feeling brave enough to put up.

In case this is something that may appeal to him or friends at some point: cramming a polystyrene cup over the smoke alarm in the ceiling, to head off the discovery of a crafty smoke in the room, is also something Facilities departments are wise to as well. Perhaps I've been in places where they do make good on fines or redecoration charges readily, but...they do.

I am here to second washi tape. Have tried all sorts, and find white tac leaves greasy marks, masking tape takes off paint and command strips do too. Washi tape has never left marks or removed paint in my experience.

Sticky dots

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Or toothpaste. It will tear the corners of the poster when you remove it, and won't work on heavy good quality paper, but washes easily off the wall. Change every term.

For light paper / posters: toothpaste.

Wash off wall with a wet sponge. 😁