Turn on a hair dryer and set it to warm – not hot. Too much heat could defeat your purpose, damaging the paper more than if you simply ripped off the tag.
Aim the hair dryer at the tag. The warm air should begin to melt the tag adhesive, weakening the bond with the paper. This will make the paper less likely to tear when you carefully peel off the tag. Heat the tag for up to 30 seconds.
Insert a small metal spatula or a thin pocketknife between the tag and the paper to test for adhesion. If the tag is still stuck tight, set the hair dryer to a slightly higher setting and apply heat for another 30 seconds.
Test the tag again. If it begins to lift away from the paper, slowly use your spatula or pocketknife to separate the tag from the paper. Work carefully along the perimeter of the tag. Discard the tag once you’ve detached it from the paper.
Brush your fingers lightly across the paper to determine if the tag left behind any adhesive. Brushing the residual adhesive with your fingers can help decrease the stickiness. Alternately, use a clean, dry cloth to gently buff away leftover adhesive.