How to remove sticker residue
IF you have kids, writing on walls or sticky labels on glass windows could test your inner peace. But there’s no need to react because there are always great tips on how to remove stickers.
Whatever situation you’re at, no need to worry. According to website cleanipedia. com, kids often have a bit of a passion for stickers.
“They’re one of the simplest activities you can use to keep them occupied for hours,” reported the website.
“But turn your back for five minutes, and those stickers will be slapped on to all kinds of hidden surfaces.
“Of course, you’ll only discover this later, when their stickiness has had time to well and truly settle in on walls, windows, and your favourite clothes.
“If you think it’s about time you learnt how to remove sticker glue, whether from surfaces kids have decided to ‘decorate’ or just from jars, then follow our easy guidelines below.”
How to remove sticky label residue from clothes
Removing sticker residue from clothes can actually be fairly simple:
1. If at all possible, don’t let a sticky stain dry or go through the tumble dryer — once it has dried out, it’ll be much harder to remove;
2. Check the care label of your garment before treating it — this means you can choose a suitable detergent and wash cycle. If your garment is wool, silk, lace, or any other delicate fabric, you’ll want to use a mild detergent and to treat the stain with a little extra care;
3. Rub a good quality detergent directly into the area. You can also splash out on a specialist adhesive stain remover, but check the label carefully to ensure that it is suitable for your fabric, as some powerful stain removers can be a little too strong for delicate fabrics. When dealing with any cleaning product, always protect your hands and follow the instructions on the label;
4. Wash the garment according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This guide on how to interpret wash care symbols can help you with this. Wash at 40 degrees or below to ensure that the heat from the wash doesn’t set the stain; and
5. If some of the residues persist, re-treat the area. Alternatively, you can try blotting rubbing alcohol directly onto the stain and washing again as normal. But always make sure you test any treatments on an inconspicuous area of the fabric first to ensure that your method and the material are compatible.
How to remove sticky residue from plastic, wood, and metal
Removing stickers from plastic, wood, and metal can be a little bit trickier if you don’t know the safest method to use. Chemical removing agents can damage these materials, and anything abrasive can leave marks or dents. Instead:
1. Apply vegetable oil to the area and let it soak in for a couple of hours;
2. Use a warm (not hot) hair dryer to soften the glue, and wipe the residue off; and
3. Use hot soapy water and cloth for a final clean.
How to remove stickers from walls
These days we often use large vinyl stickers to decorate our walls — but what if you want to take them off?
Most manufacturers of wall decals have their own recommended method for removing their stickers, but if the packet instructions have long since disappeared or a normal sticker has mysteriously made it’s way on to your walls then you’ll need to:
1. Remove as much of the paper part of the sticker manually;
2. Use a pencil eraser to rub away excess residue; and
3. Use a cloth dampened with hot soapy water to get the wall totally clean.
How to remove sticker glue from windows
Letting your kids put stickers on the inside of the windows of your car can seem like a fun idea at the time, but when you try to remove them (or they naturally deteriorate), their remains are very unsightly.
Torn bits of sticker are not the best of accessories, but neither are scratched windows, so:
1. Avoid the temptation to use something sharp to scrape the glue off — this could scratch the glass;
2. Moisten any paper residue with a damp cloth;
3. Then, apply an acetone-based nail varnish remover and rub or roll the glue away from the glass; and
4. Use hot soapy water to remove any remaining glue. If the sticker has been stuck to the window for a long time, it will be harder to remove. If the above technique doesn’t do the job, you may have to resort to using something like a palette knife, but be very careful to protect your fingers and make sure you use it flat against the surface of the glass to avoid causing scratches
How to remove sticky labels from jars
Glass jars are incredibly useful things to keep around the house, either as simple flower vases or as a useful way to keep hold of small objects, like spare beads and buttons.
The easiest way to remove sticky labels on your jars is by following these steps:
1. Plunge the jars straight into a big bowl of hot soapy water — use a good quality washing up liquid to make the lather;
2. Leave them to soak for half an hour. By the time you come back to them, the glue should have dissolved, and the labels will slide off easily!; and
3. If any residue remains, use neat vinegar and a microfibre cloth — or a small nail brush — to scrub the glass bottles clean.