How to remove sticker residue with 6 easy tricks

Ever wonder how to remove sticker residue off of something? Stickers and the gunk they leave behind can be so stubborn, and it’s especially frustrating if you’re trying to remove sticker residue from a dish you plan to eat from — eventually, when you finally manage to get the sticky stuff off that new plate or bowl.

Removing a sticker when it’s no longer wanted can seem nearly impossible. Even if you manage to get the top layer off, the residue from the sticker’s glue can often put up a stubborn fight, leaving a tacky mess behind. Fortunately, there are a multitude of tricks to try for anyone eager to learn how to remove sticker residue once and for all.

Removing stickers effectively depends on the surface you’re working on. You want to make sure to use the right tools to cleanly get the sticker off, but keep the object undamaged. We’ve found six ways experts recommend how to remove sticker residue from a variety of surfaces.

Hair Dryer

Using heat to remove stickers is common in internet lore, but does it really work? The Kitchn’s Ashley Poskin grabbed a hair dryer to test its effectiveness in removing sticker residue from the bottom of a plate. She put the hairdryer on the highest heat setting and held it no more than two inches over the sticker for about three minutes.

She reported that this method was the easiest she tried for removing most of the paper sticker, but the hair dryer still left residue behind. With bigger stickers, getting the paper portion off can be a big battle, so this is a handy trick to know, even if you’ll have to follow up with another method — she mentioned trying peanut butter — to tackle the residue.

Peanut Butter

Poskin isn’t the only person who thinks peanut butter works well as for removing sticker residue. Better Homes and Gardens also highlighted the creamy sandwich spread as a go-to goo remover on glass, plastic or wood.

BHG instructs readers to remove the top surface of a sticker first, then dabbing some peanut butter on the residue. Then just let it sit and do the work for you. The peanut butter will soften the residue, so all you’ll have to do is wipe it away.

Lip Balm

Did you know that your favorite lip balm you pull out to keep your lips soft can also soften sticker residue, making it easier to remove? There are tons of unexpected uses for lip balm, and one of them is sticker removal. Bob Vila recommends applying lip balm to stubborn stickers and then letting it sit for at least 10 minutes before you get back to scraping off the now-softened glue.

WD-40

Using WD-40 to get the stick out of your doors or stop the squeaking of drawers around the house is a well known home hack. But a few squirts of WD-40 can help remove even something as sticky as duct tape, according to the product’s official website. Good to know!

Vegetable Oil And Baking Soda

You’ve probably heard the many ways baking soda can be used around the house, from making a cake to cleaning your carpet. So it’s no surprise that combining baking soda with a little bit of vegetable oil is works to remove sticker residue.

LifeHacker suggests mixing equal parts oil and baking soda and applying it to the sticky area needing treatment. After 30 minutes, give the item a good scrub and then wash it clean.

Vodka

When trying to remove sticker residue off of a bottle or jar, you might get frustrated enough to want to make yourself a drink! While you’re reaching into to liquor cabinet to make a cocktail, save some vodka, because it might just be your solution.

Numerous sources, including Krazy Coupon Lady, swear by vodka’s power to remove sticker residue. Just pour some vodka on a cloth and rub it over the pesky glue for at least a minute. The alcohol should help break down the adhesive and allow it to wipe away clean.

The next time you’re trying to figure out how to remove sticker residue, just look around the house for one of these simple solutions to help clean up the mess — and maybe pour yourself a cocktail!