Are you wondering how to securely destroy VHS tapes? If you are wondering how to destroy VHS videotapes, you need to make sure the footage is completely gone when you are done. You also need to make sure you dispose of the tapes in a way that is helpful for the environment. As a result, it is important for you to think carefully about how to destroy old VHS tapes. If you do not do a good job, the footage might still be recovered by someone else. This could place your confidential information at risk. What do you need to know if you are looking for a way to destroy your VHS tapes? There are a few important points you should keep in mind.
Options for Destroying a VHS Tape: A Microwave
If you want to destroy your VHS tapes, understand that there are multiple options available. You need to think about which is best for you based on the type of VHS tape you have and your specific needs. If you have a single VHS tape you need to destroy, you may want to microwave it for approximately one minute. It is not going to cause any harm to your microwave, but it will melt the plastic portions of the VHS cassette. Therefore, it will not be used in a VCR at any point in the near future. At the same time, the actual tape inside the VHS cassette is probably going to remain intact. If you want to completely destroy your VHS tapes, you may want to look at another option. Furthermore, if you put a bunch of VHS tapes in the microwave, you run the risk of harming your microwave.
Use a Toxic Solution
If you really want to destroy the tape inside of the VHS cassette, then you will need to use a toxic solution to help you with this. You will need to remove the tape from the VHS cassette to complete this task. Then, you may want to place the VHS partridge in a toxic solution. Paint stripping liquid is a good option. Keep in mind that this is a caustic solution, so you need to use appropriate protection.
Another option for getting rid of a VHS cassette is to cover it in gas. If you have a canister full of gasoline in the garage that you use to power the lawnmower, you simply need to take this and dump it on the VHS cassette. After this, you simply need to light it on fire. Keep in mind that you need to put safety first before you light something on fire that has been covered in gasoline. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area so that you do not inhale toxic fumes.
You Can Physically Destroy the Tape
A more straightforward option is to physically destroy the tape. You may have seen videos on YouTube of people taking a hammer and using it to pound the tape into submission. This is a bit silly, and you aren’t going to do much damage to the physical tape. There is a more efficient way to do exactly that.
First, you should make sure the VHS cassette has been rewound all the way. Place it on its edge. Make sure the left side is up. Then, take a drill, and drill into the center of the reel. You will need a relatively large drill bit if you want to completely destroy the tape. You can also destroy multiple tapes at the same time if you drill a hole through all of them. Make sure the tapes are lined up for you to do this. This is one of the easiest ways to destroy your VHS cassettes and make sure they are totally unusable.
Recycle the VHS Tapes
If you are thinking about the best way to get rid of your VHS tapes that will also protect the environment, then you may want to recycle them. You don’t necessarily need to destroy the footage on the VHS tape if you would like to recycle them. You should reach out to a local techno trash disposal service. This is a service that specializes in taking old technology and destroying it in a responsible way. Furthermore, a lot of these locations will also guarantee that they will destroy the tapes for you. That way, you don’t have to worry about someone else ending up with the footage.
You may want to consider selling the tapes as well. There are some news outlets that have reported that old VHS tapes could be worth a lot of money. You need to confirm just how much the tapes are worth before you decide to sell them. Of course, before you sell the tapes, you may want to preserve the footage on the videos for posterity.
Work With ARS Video To Get Your VHS Cassettes Converted
Before you decide to destroy your VHS cassettes, you need to make sure you convert the video footage. That way, you can preserve it for future viewing. If you want to take care of the video footage, you should convert it to a digital format. You should work with a professional video conversion service that can help you do this, such as ARS Video.
