StickerYou Blog

A clear favorite for sticker fans, plastic surfaces and objects are their number one spot to slap stickers. Whether it’s die-cut or kiss-cut stickers, plastic is the perfect surface for these!

However, when your plastic items need a style update and you’re itching to get new stickers, decals, and custom art stickers, we’ve provided easy-to-follow solutions on how to remove stickers from plastic.

How to Remove Stickers From Plastic With Oil

Oil is the standard go-to solution for removing stickers from most surfaces. This includes plastic.

• Step 1: Apply a small amount of any common household oil like olive oil, coconut oil, baby oil, or cooking oil to a paper towel. Fortunately, paper towels are not abrasive enough to scratch the surface.
• Step 2: Place the soaked paper towel over the sticker area. Allow it to sit on the sticker for a few minutes until the edges start curling up. 
• Step 3: Use the edge of a credit card or plastic scraper and gently scrape the sticker off the surface. 
• Step 4: Once you remove the sticker, wipe the surface with soapy water and dry it with a cloth.

How to Remove Stickers From Plastic With Nail Polish Remover

Many individuals reach for nail polish remover to eliminate stickers and their residue. And rightfully so, as the acetone in the nail polish remover is an effective ingredient for sticker removal for various plastic surfaces like laptops. 

• Step 1: Soak a ball of cotton in nail polish remover. 
• Step 2: Place the soaked cotton ball over the sticker area. Allow it to sit on the sticker for a few minutes until the edges start curling up. 
• Step 3: Use the edge of a credit card or plastic scraper and gently scrape the sticker off the surface. 
• Step 4: Once you remove the sticker, wipe the surface with soapy water and dry it with a cloth.

How to Remove Stickers From Plastic With Lacquer Thinner

More potent than nail polish remover, lacquer thinner is an even better solution and works well for older, more stubborn stickers. Use gloves when working with stronger solutions to protect your hands.

• Step 1: Soak a cotton ball in the lacquer-thinner solution.
• Step 2: Place onto the sticker area and leave for at least 10 minutes.
• Step 3: Once the sticker has been soaked for long enough, use a plastic scraper, credit card or your fingernails to scrape off the sticker, starting at the edges.
• Step 4: Once you remove the sticker, wipe the surface with soapy water and dry it with a cloth.

How to Remove Stickers From Plastic With a Degreaser

Degreasers like WD-40 are great products to use on plastic, as they remove the sticker easier and quicker than elbow grease, dish soap, and water. 

However, as WD-40 and similar products are robust solutions, we recommend you test the product on a sample area first to ensure it does not damage the plastic.

• Step 1: Spray the degreaser on a clean cloth or directly onto the sticker if the plastic surface will not be damaged from this.
• Step 2: In a circular motion, rub a clean cloth over the sticker once it has been soaked with the degreaser for about 5 minutes.
• Step 3: Once you remove the sticker, wipe the surface with soapy water and dry it with a cloth.

Common Mistakes When Removing Stickers From Plastic

• Forgetting to reach for the wet wipe to remove the leftover glue or adhesive from the sticker. Excess glue collects dirt very quickly and can become an eyesore fast. 
• Not holding the plastic scraper or plastic blade at an angle. This makes scraping off the sticker more challenging. 
• Not soaking a sticker in a solution long enough and trying to scrape it off too quickly. This will likely result in the sticker coming off in small bits.
• Using the wrong scrubbing tool or too much heat, which may damage the plastic. As durable as they are, plastic containers can be damaged.
• Avoid using hairdryers to remove stickers from plastic. While this is a common method to remove stickers from other surfaces, we don’t recommend it with plastic.
• Not using vodka when your rubbing alcohol or other solvents are unavailable. Vodka is a great, safe substitute. 

We hope with these easy steps and tips on how to remove stickers from plastic, you’ll get your plastic surfaces and objects looking new again and ready for the next wave of stickers!

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StickerYou blog posts are written and published by members of the StickerYou team at our headquarters, located in the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada.