StickerYou Blog

Use a Plastic or Metal Scraper

To help you peel the sticker off cleanly, you may need to use a plastic or metal scraper. However, we recommend using plastic as there’s less risk of scratching the glass. You may also be able to get away with using a credit card or disposable plastic knife for this process.

With the blunt edge of your chosen scraper, carefully scrape the edges of the sticker off the glass surface. If you encounter resistance, start again on another corner.

Hot Water and Soap

If you’re able to, try soaking the surface. If it’s a jar, submerge it in water and let it sit. If you’re working on a larger surface, give the area a good soaking with some soapy hot water.

After that, there are 3 product options for breaking up the adhesive that you most likely already have at home such as WD40, hair dryer, and oil.

WD40

The best option for breaking up gunk is applying some WD40, as this is a lubricant that will loosen and remove the particles. If you don’t have that, apply some room-temperature cooking or baby oil to the area to soften it.

If you don’t have either of these products, going in with rubbing alcohol and some elbow grease will also do the trick.

Hair Dryer

Heat can help loosen up the adhesive on your glass surface, which will make it less challenging for you to peel or scrape the sticker off. Get your hair dryer and turn it to low heat. Point the nozzle toward the sticker and keep it there for 30 seconds.

When the sticker becomes pliable, it should come off easily. But if not, take your scraper and gently remove the remaining residue.

Oil

Oil can soften up the sticker and make the adhesive less sticky, making this a good solution to remove stickers from glass while preventing damage to the surface. Apply any type of cooking oil onto the sticker and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

When the sticker softens, take your scraper and remove any sticker or adhesive residue. To finish off, rub the area with a soft clean rag.

Carefully Peel Off the Sticker

Start by peeling off as much of the surface as you can. Go in with a sharp-edged product like a credit card or razor blade, and break up as much of the remaining material as you can (just be careful not to damage the surface).

Soak the Area in Acetone/Rubbing Alcohol

After that, soak the area in some acetone or rubbing alcohol for a few minutes. You can hold a cloth against it to ensure it absorbs as much product as possible.

Scrape and Wash the Remainder Off

Finally, go back in with your sharp object and wash the remainder off. Then use a dry cloth or paper towel to remove the remaining little bits, and restore the shine of the surface!

Wood can often be the toughest surface to remove residue from, given the fact that it’s a natural material full of pores and texture. That being said, it’s not impossible!

Soak a Cloth in White Vinegar

Soak a cloth in white vinegar, and lay it on the surface for a couple of minutes.

Gently Peel Off All of the Pieces

After soaking, gently peel off all of the pieces you can. Use a scraper (you might want to stick with a credit card or a rubber-based product to avoid damaging the wood) to remove the leftover adhesive.

Clean and Polish the Wood

All that work may have compromised your wood surface’s shine. To restore its integrity and finish, give the area a good cleaning with some wood polish of your choice!

Reusing plastic is always a good idea when possible. This may mean removing tags and stickers that have previously been placed on the surface.

Oil

Any cooking oil you have in your pantry will work well in removing stickers from plastic surfaces. Just pour a small amount over the sticker or, if you’re working with cooking oil spray, spray directly onto the sticker. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

After such time, scrape the sticker off with your plastic scraper. When all of the adhesive has been removed, wipe away excess oil with a clean rag.

Peanut Butter

You probably didn’t expect peanut butter to be a solution for your sticky problems. But because of its high-fat content, it can be really effective at dissolving adhesive from plastic. With a spoon or bread knife, smear a thick layer of smooth peanut butter onto the sticker and let it sit for an hour.

You’ll notice the oils in the peanut butter start to separate and soak your sticker. Clean the peanut butter off the surface then peel the sticker off. You can use your plastic scraper to help scrape away residue.

Of all the surfaces you can place and remove stickers, paper is probably the most challenging. Removing stickers from paper should be done with the utmost care and precision. Otherwise, you risk tearing the paper surface. Here are some methods that might work.

Use Your Fingernails

Using your fingernails to peel off the sticker is the least invasive method — and the one that’s less likely to damage your paper surface. Choose a corner of the sticker and slide your fingernail beneath it.

Lift the edge and hold it with your thumb and finger. Very slowly, start peeling the sticker off. If you encounter resistance at any point while doing this, stop and try another corner.

Use a Razor Blade

You can also get a bit more help peeling the sticker off with a razor blade or sharp knife. Hold your blade at a 20 to 40-degree angle and coax up a corner of the sticker. Start pulling up slowly — make sure not to peel up from the sides. Maintain a sharp angle as you pull.

If your paper is thick enough, you can try working the blade around the edges of the sticker to help loosen up the adhesive.

Nail Polish Remover/Rubbing Alcohol

If the sticker won’t budge with the non-invasive methods above, then it’s time to add a bit of liquid to the mix, specifically nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol. Dab a bit of either solution onto a cotton swab and gently apply it to a corner of the sticker.

This should help loosen up the adhesive enough for you to peel it off with your fingernails or a razor blade.

Low-Setting Hair Dryer

If putting liquid on your paper surface doesn’t sound ideal for you, then you can try heat. Take your hair dryer and put it on a low setting. Point the nozzle directly toward the sticker and blast it with heat for 30 seconds. If the sticker doesn’t soften after this time, you can try slightly adjusting the heat setting or exposure time — but never use the highest heat setting.

You can also use a steam cleaner for this method. But because a steamer uses moisture, you’ll have to be extra careful with this alternative. Other people have tried ironing the sticker on low heat before using the fingernail or razor blade method, but before you do so, put a thin piece of fabric over the sticker before proceeding to pass over it with your iron.

Remove Leftover Residue

If you’ve managed to remove the sticker but are left with adhesive residue, you can remove it with rubbing alcohol, Goo Gone, or acetone. Apply a tiny amount of your chosen solution on a cotton swab and use it to dab the residue. Do this until the residue is gone then dry the area with a cotton swab.

You can also use clear oil to remove leftover residue, but we don’t really recommend it because it can leave stains on the paper surface.