Remove stickers: The best home remedies and label removers

glue residue
Remove stickers: This is how labels can be removed easily(er).

Stickers and labels leave a stubborn adhesive residue on most surfaces

© Andrii Borodai / Getty Images

In order for labels to stick to different surfaces for as long as possible, they are provided with a special adhesive – and this is often the undoing when you want to remove a sticker again.

Depending on the area of ​​application, quality and manufacturer, labels cannot always be removed without leaving any residue. For this reason, two different solvents are needed: on the one hand for the sticker, which is usually made of paper or plastic. On the other hand for the adhesive – and that has it all. So-called hot-melt adhesives can be dissolved by heat, for example, while others react with fat, water or alcohol. Accordingly, ordinary home remedies are often sufficient to remove stickers. However, some labels can only be removed without leaving any residue using special sprays.

Apply label remover: This is what you need to know

so-called label sprays contain solvents that can remove stickers from various surfaces such as paint, metal, glass, plastic, porcelain and wood – quickly and without leaving any residue. But there is also a catch: Aerosols are released during use, which can cause skin and respiratory tract irritation. For this reason you should only use label removers in well-ventilated rooms (or outdoors) and always wear gloves. In addition, the chemicals they contain can attack sensitive materials such as Styrofoam, rubber and cork. It’s a good idea to test the spray on an area that isn’t immediately obvious. Alternatively, there is the possibility of a Label remover pen to be used, which (according to the manufacturer) is intended to remove plant-based residues.

Remove stickers: The best home remedies

  • Water and detergent: An effective home remedy for removing residue is the combination of hot water and dish soap. Provided, of course, that the glue is water-soluble.
  • baking soda: It is also a popular classic among home remedies baking soda (alternatively you can use baking powder). Dissolve this in some water and put the mixture on the label. Let it work for a moment and remove the sticker.
  • Fat: Yes, you read it right. If paper labels and stickers contain a fat-soluble adhesive, this can be removed by adding cooking oil, butter or even margarine.
  • Alcohol: If none of the home remedies mentioned just want to work, you have to use alcohol. It removes almost every label, but can damage sensitive surfaces.
  • Eraser: If you can remove the sticker but not the sticky residue, a regular eraser should help loosen the adhesive.
  • Heat: Labels that contain a hot-melt adhesive can be removed with a hair dryer. Due to the effect of heat, the stickers can be easily detached from surfaces.

How to remove decals from a car

One or the other car seater has certainly attached stickers to his vehicle. Either directly on a pane or on the paint. The only problem is that if you want to remove the labels at some point, it’s not that easy. Ordinary stickers on one of the windows can be easily removed with glass cleaner or spirits by soaking them briefly and then with a glass scraper loosen carefully. Labels such as a sticker or vignette, on the other hand, are often more stubborn and often have to be removed with a chemical solvent (as described above). If you want to remove a sticker from the paintwork, you must be extremely careful not to scratch it. Try it first with hot water and washing-up liquid or a hair dryer – a supplement should also be used Plastic scraper be quite helpful.

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