Getting Sticky OFF

[hqueen13]

So I couldn't figure out where this goes... recycling, homemade remedies... ahh, anyway.

I have some jars that I am reusing, and I can't stand having leftover labels on things. I don't know why, but stickers drive me nuts.
So I am curious to know the best way to get stickers off of things. I know lighterfluid will do it, but I am trying to stay away from caustic things like that. Lemon oil works pretty well, but some of these labels are just not coming off. I tried putting HOT water into the glass jar, but that didn't help much. I might not have had it hot enough, but I was also afraid that it might break the glass from the sudden heat.

Anybody got any other ideas??

 

[Big_White]

Idk if you would have any just layin around. But my mom used to use skin so soft in a spray bottle to help get the labels and the sticky part off. If that didn't get it clean enough she soaked it in extremely hot water. Hope this helps

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Rubbing alchohol, skin so soft, wd-40, veggie oil, vaseline, baby oil, to name a few. Oh, orange oil works wonders too.

 

[Wannabefree]

Chore Boy or S.O.S. scouring pads will scrub it all off in hot water. I haven't had it to scratch the glass up either.

 

[k15n1]

A plastic scraper is a valuable tool for getting labels off.

If the adhesive is coming off, but keeps getting stuck elsewhere on the jar, use a little baking soda. The soda and rubbing it with your damp hand does the trick. I don't know why it works---maybe it's like shortening in pastry dough, keeping the sticky particles separated.

The home-brew forums have lots to say about this topic. There are commercial products out there, like oxiclean, and PBW (or something) that are marketed for label removal.

 

[Joel_BC]

All the suggestions above are useful and offer lots of choices.

Some labelling used in the canned-products industry seems to be applied using a heat-sensitive adhesive. We've found that using a heat gun (the type sold in building-supply stores), or if you don't have that then a hair dryer, will often help remove labels that were stuck on with a heat-sensitive glue. You know, heat up the label or the remaining paper with the hot air, then use a knife or scraper or razor blade to scape off the glue and paper traces. Finish up by using a scouring pad, the type made for dish washing.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Speaking of gummy sticky things....if I step in gum...I immediately go find some sand..or dry dirt. Rub it in that, then ...it scrapes right off. It has to stick to the sand particles...can't help it

 

[the funny farm6]

Watch out for that skin so soft! We spilled some on out truck on a camping trip once and the next morning the paint was bubbled up where we spilled it and I took my finger across it and the paint and primer came off down to the shiny metal! And I was putting that stuff on my kids! If it did that to a truck what was it doing to my kids.

 

[ORChick]

I hate labels on things as well, and also don't know why If the label is too hard to remove I won't even save that jar; there are enough other ones without labels
I let the jar soak in a bowl of water overnight; that often takes care of it. Sometimes it will need a little scrub with a plastic scrubbie. I have a bottle of Citra-solv under the sink for the tough ones, and a razorblade.

 

[moolie]

If you've got the paper part of the sticker off, and all that's left is the gummy adhesive, often oily things like peanut butter will break it down if you smear it on and leave it for a while before cleaning if off. As Joel notes, some stickers are applied with heat, but often these will come off with peanut butter as well if you separate the paper from the adhesive--just leave it on for a while before scrubbing.