Many things and goods, including books, household and electronic appliances, dishes, cars, have a manufacturer's label or barcode, and sometimes a price tag. Often these stickers are located in the most inappropriate places and spoil the appearance of the products.
However, removing the label is not so easy, since they are glued with high-strength adhesive. This is done so that the sticker does not fall off during transportation and transportation of the goods.
Typically, label removal is done mechanically, when the sticker is pryed with a fingernail or a sharp object and an attempt is made to pick it off. However, often the glued label is removed only in small pieces, leaving particles on the surface, despite the applied efforts.
In addition, after removal, unsightly marks from stickers, paper or glue remain on the products. And sharp objects can scratch things.
In this article we will look at how to peel off a sticker without leaving marks or harming things. The method of removal depends on the type and type of product. Some methods are used for plastic, others for books, and so on.
You cannot use products designed to clean one material on another, otherwise you will ruin the thing! Next, we will learn how to remove stickers from various products. And let's look at how to remove traces of glue and paper from the surface of objects.
How to remove stickers from glass and dishes
Essential oils, especially eucalyptus and tea tree oils, remove stickers and eliminate sticky residue from glass, tiles and ceramics. How to wash ceramic products, read the article about the rules for caring for ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware.
Place a few drops of oil on a clean, dry cloth and wipe the dirty area. Then rinse the products with a composition for cleaning mirrors and glass, and finally wipe dry.
Vinegar and gasoline are only suitable for glass items. Apply a little of the selected product to a cotton pad, treat the surface and then remove the remaining label with a knife or other sharp object. Then wash the area with a damp cloth and wipe dry.
After the procedure, thoroughly wipe the surface with a solution for washing windows, glass and mirrors. Do not use brushes, rough or hard sponges to avoid scratching and damaging the glass. It is not recommended to use motor gasoline as it leaves streaks. Take a gasoline lighter.
For plastic utensils, you can use methods to clean plastic products. Essential oils are suitable for ceramic dishes; baking soda is suitable for porcelain and other types of materials.
In the latter case, a glass of soda is dissolved in a saucepan with hot water, where the product is lowered and left for half an hour. As a result, the label will fall off on its own. Remember that dishes with a label or sticker cannot be washed in the dishwasher!
Useful tips
Before you try to remove the glue left by the sticker on the surface of the glass, there are a few more important tips you need to know.
- It is often recommended to use hot water to remove glue from glass. However, the glass should not be doused with boiling water - under unfavorable circumstances it will simply crack.
- The adhesive from the sticker is easily dissolved by alcohol-containing products or natural food acids. But at the same time, they can cause damage to the glass itself, leaving indelible stains or cloudy spots on it. Before wiping off the glue using such compounds, it is recommended to test the product on the very edge of the glass surface, where the defect will be less noticeable if it goes wrong.
- The sticker or adhesive traces from it on the glass cannot be removed using sandpaper or other abrasive devices. Although it will be possible to wipe off the glue very quickly, the glass will be damaged and numerous microscopic scratches will appear on it even with the most careful work.
- It is not recommended to use a sharp knife to remove dirt - it can also scratch the glass very easily. If you need to pick up glue or a sticker with something, it is better to take a tool with a hard and thin, but blunt edge.
It is customary to remove glue from household dishes using improvised means that do not have an aggressive chemical composition. However, even after them, you need to thoroughly wash the dishes several times - residues of citric acid or alcohol on the plates can distort the taste of food or harm your health.
Five ways to remove a label from a book
- Take the tape, stick it to the label and carefully tear it off. Repeat the procedure with new tape until the sticker comes off completely;
- Iron the book through a thick fabric or warm it with hot air from a hairdryer. After this treatment, the adhesive composition will melt, and the base can be easily removed with a soft brush or cloth. You can also hold the book over boiling water;
- For a glossy cover, use alcohol, acetone or white alcohol. The solvent is applied to a cotton pad and the sticker is removed from the surface;
- Rub flour, starch, baby powder, laundry detergent or other non-abrasive dry crumbly product into the remaining glue;
- The remains of the label with a matte cover are removed with a school eraser.
How to clean plastic from stickers
If you decide to scrape off the paper with a knife, blade or other sharp object, a weak solution of a chemical will remove the remaining paper. First, rub the label with a knife, and then apply the product.
By the way, today in stationery and bookstores you can find a special sticker trace cleaner. However, there are more affordable cleaning methods using improvised means.
A hairdryer will help you quickly and effectively remove stickers from plastic. Carefully pry up the corner of the label with a sharp object and use the hot air of a hair dryer to warm the sticker for a minute. Then remove the stroke and wipe the surface with a damp cloth or cloth. Instead of a hairdryer, you can use boiling water or steam, but be careful not to melt the plastic!
Vegetable oil is an affordable remover of stickers and adhesive traces from plastic products. Take sunflower, olive or rapeseed oil, apply to the desired surface and leave for at least a day.
In this case, it is advisable to saturate the plastic with oil every hour to simplify and speed up the process. After waiting time, remove the remaining glued paper with a damp cloth.
Easier ways are to use a school eraser or wet disinfectant wipes. The disinfectant composition will destroy the adhesive base in a few minutes and help get rid of the label.
To speed up the process, sprinkle the problem area with salt and then wipe with a napkin. An eraser will also remove the glued paper, and the remaining labels are removed with a light cloth soaked in a soapy solution.
How to remove an old label and remove traces of glue from plastic
If the label has remained on the plastic for a long time, easy methods will not help. In this case, you need to use more concentrated products. White spirit works great. Mix the solvent with water.
Use only a weak solution to avoid damaging the plastic coating. Soak a cotton pad in the resulting mixture and soak the adhesive base. Wait ten minutes and wipe the product with a damp cloth or napkin.
The special product WD 40 will help to effectively remove stickers from plastic products. This composition quickly penetrates and loosens the adhesive composition, disinfects and cleans. Typically, WD 40 is used to lubricate locks and various mechanisms, as well as to remove rust.
By the way, read how to remove rust at home here. However, the product is also suitable for removing labels from plastic.
WD 40 aerosol is sprayed at a distance of ten centimeters from the surface of plastic products and left for ten minutes, then remove the residue with a damp cloth.
Instead of this composition, you can use alcohol, acetone or nail polish remover. Apply the solution to a cotton pad and wipe the pasted label, remove the residue with a blade or other sharp object, then wipe the product with a dry cloth.
After you remove the stickers, traces of glue may remain on the surface. This not only spoils the appearance of the product, but also contributes to the darkening of this area. In addition, dust and dirt will quickly stick to the sticky area. Peanut butter can remove traces of glue. Apply a little product on the sticky area, wait two to three minutes and then wash off with soap and water.
Masking or regular tape will 100% cope with sticker marks. Place the tape with the sticky side on the problem area and tear it off sharply. Then some of the glue will stick to the tape. Repeat the procedure with a new piece of tape until the remaining glue is completely removed.
If you don't have masking tape or peanut butter on hand, use regular baking soda. However, be careful, otherwise the concentrated solution will scratch the plastic. To avoid this, dilute the baking soda well with warm water. Apply the resulting paste to the sticky area and leave for five minutes. Then wash the plastic items with a soft cloth and warm water.
Recommendations
General rules and tips for removing stains from stickers will help you carry out the work efficiently and quickly:
When cleaning the surface of household appliances, it is necessary to follow safety rules for working with electrical equipment. So, you can only apply any products to a switched off device.
- When using acetone, solvents and other chemical solutions with a very pungent odor for cleaning, it is necessary to ensure a flow of fresh air in the room (for example, open a window).
It is also necessary to ensure that flammable materials are not located near open flame sources. - When using a hairdryer to remove stickers, it is important to adjust the heating temperature. Excessively hot air not only deforms the already cleaned surface, but can also cause hand burns.
- Before applying a previously unused cleaning agent to a sticker adhesive stain, it must be tested on an inconspicuous area of the product.
Regardless of what product was used to remove sticker marks, do not neglect hand protection (gloves).
How to peel off a sticker from a soft surface
Sometimes we can find stickers on clothes, upholstered furniture, cars and household appliances. To remove a label or iron-on adhesive from clothing, place the item on a hard surface and wrap it in a towel. Then heat the sticker with a hot air dryer for five minutes, take a knife and peel off the sticker. Use a stiff brush to remove any remaining glue from the fabric and wash the item.
To remove stickers from upholstered furniture, use vegetable oil, apply it to a cotton pad and carefully lubricate the desired area. The product is left for ten minutes and then the label is removed with a plastic knife. The remaining oil is washed off with soapy water and the furniture is wiped with a dry cloth.
Solvents suitable for fabrics, upholstered furniture and clothing, curtains and drapes, tablecloths and other textiles include white spirit, nail polish remover and acetone or refined gasoline (used in lighters). These products degrease the surface, making it easy to wash off traces of glue or tape.
After cleaning, the furniture should be cleaned with a damp cloth with soapy water or a special product for cleaning furniture upholstery. And things must be washed. Read how to wash and iron curtains made of different materials here.
Wallpaper remover
How to remove a sticker from glass? For these purposes, it is recommended to use a special product that removes the label and washes off the glue.
In theory, removing the old label is easy. By tearing it off glass or plastic. However, in practice, everything is not so simple.
To ensure that the label can come off easily, special solvents should be used.
How to remove glue from stickers:
- KELID DISSUKOL;
- Pufas Tapetenabloser;
- PUFAS TAP-EX;
- EC concentrate;
- WALLPAPER REMOVER;
- Primacol™.
How to clean glue? Any liquid is applied with a sponge or sprayed. The wallpaper remover works quickly. Such substances perfectly cope with their direct functions, being absorbed into labels.
Wear gloves when working with wallpaper removers.
A degreaser is great for removing the sticker if it is firmly glued.
WD-40 is a well-known product, a toxic chemical that has a number of positive properties. Removing stickers is one of them.
How to remove a sticker from a car:
- Spray a little WD-40 over the entire surface of the sticker, paying special attention to the edges.
- Leave the product to act for 2-3 minutes.
- Then peel off the label. Take a damp cloth and remove the remaining sticker.
WD-40 works well to remove sticker adhesive from glass. If you need to treat a plastic surface, be careful. WD-40 may damage it.
Before using on plastic, first clean an inconspicuous area with this product to see the reaction.
Stickers on cars and household appliances
To remove traces of labels or tape from a car, use special car cleaners. Alternatively, you can warm up the machine panel with a hairdryer and carefully scrape off the label.
By the way, at gas stations, stickers are removed using a hair dryer. Another option is to use steam or boiling water to heat the problem area of the metal, after which the adhesive composition will melt and it will be easy to remove marks.
Traces of adhesive tape on a refrigerator, stove, washing machine, microwave or other household appliances can be removed using vegetable oil, a hair dryer, a school eraser or special cleaning products. By the way, you can stick another one on top of the tape and tear it off sharply. Then the old tape will come off along with the old one.
To clean household appliances, use methods for plastic products, since plastic is mainly used in the manufacture of these items. A regular soap solution is perfect for washing.
For more information on how to clean and renew plastic, return the original color to plastic products and eliminate yellowness, see the link.
