Goo Gone is the stuff!! I use it all of the time and my wife was the one that got me hooked on it. I have a lot of vintage machines come in the shop that have tape on the beds for a seam guide and I use Goo Gone to take it all off and it never has hurt the finish.

Billy

Stupid Answer: Try peanut butter.

Goo Gone is great for taking off sticky stuff and doesn't smell bad either.

The same thing happened to me. I'll never use it again. I'm still rubbing it off.

Im not sure what to use to get rid of the sticky stuff, but I was thinknig last night about seam quides on my featherweight as it does have any. I thought possible the thin tape stuff that is used to put on whiteboards, to create sections on a whiteboard. Im not sure what its called, but you can get it in thin strips from any office supplies store.
When this is peeled off a whiteboard, it doesnt leave any residue behind.

Just a thought

I often try heat first, as heat softens most adhesives. I use a hair dryer. However, this usually works best while the sticker or whatever is still on; I heat the sticker, then peel off. 9 times out of 10 I get a clean peel this way. Sometimes there is a little adhesive left, in which case I use Goo Gone.

I use white electrical tape on Little Miss Featherweight and it NEVER leaves a residue.

I DO know what will safely remove your mess though. Avon Original Skin So Soft. Put some on a cotton ball and dab it on the sticky mess and let it sit for a while to penetrate. Then using a paper towel start to rub it off. If there is a lot of sticky it will take a few applications and paper towels, but Skin So Soft will absolutely work.

No harm to the machine and it will smell great when you're done. I've used that stuff for years on all sorts of things and it works every time. Don't use it though on painted surfaces because it will leave an oil stain.

BTW - I've also used it for "ring around the collar"!!! Put some on the colar, rub it in, throw it in the wash and voila!! Also takes tar and bugs off your car safely and my DH uses it in the garage especially to clean the chain on his chain saw when it gets full of pine pitch. Soaks it for a few hours, brushes it, dries it and good as new. Takes soap scum off the shower walls too (but be careful to clean it all off the floor cause it's slippery).The stuff is amazing but I don't think I'd ever actually take a bath in it.

Good luck!

409 should do it

W D 40 works well. I saturate a piece of tissue or paper towel and cover with plastic wrap for stubborn stickys.

Don't know if this would work with your situation, but WD 40 will remove sticky labels from bottles, etc.