DIY cleaning
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
On flat surfaces, wipe with water first to help a razor blade scraper glide while removing residue.
Water helps the scraper glide.
- Only use on flat surfaces.
one person who lived it
Soak jars in an OxyClean mix for several hours to help labels come off.
The stickers tend to slide away without leaving residue.
- Does not work for Firestone Walker labels.
3 people, independently
Exhale warm breath slowly onto the sticker's glue to heat and loosen it if no tools are available.
Warm moist air helps pull the sticker off.
- You may get weird looks.
- It is not as effective as a blow dryer.
2 people, independently
- Apply heat from a hairdryer to stickers or band-aids briefly to loosen the glue before removing them.7
- use a heat gun or blowdryer to warm up the adhesive before peeling the sticker off3
Replace emergency duct tape in your car with gaffer tape, as its vinyl adhesive does not melt or leave residue at high temperatures like polyethylene resin does.
Duct tape adhesive breaks down around 140F/60C, while gaffer tape holds up until about 200F/93C.
- Gaffer tape is more expensive.
- It doesn't work especially well when it's cold.
one person who lived it
Heat stickers with a blow dryer for 15-30 seconds before peeling to prevent tearing.
The heat loosens the glue, reducing the chance of ripping the paper top and leaving adhesive behind.
one person who lived it
Use 90%+ Isopropyl alcohol to remove residue, as it leaves no residue and often works better than other methods.
It leaves no residue and works better in many cases.
2 people, independently
- apply 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol to clean glue residue from computer screens and bezels1
Apply rubbing alcohol directly to labels and leave it on for a bit before rubbing it off.
It dissolves the sticky part.
- Some users report that alcohol never works.
2 people, independently
Scrape loose lumps of PVC glue from a deck; if the adhesive has penetrated the wood, it cannot be removed without ruining the finish with solvents.
Solvents will ruin the finish.
one person who lived it
Use a hair dryer to warm shipping labels to remove them, as it is more controllable than a lighter.
It is more controllable.
one person who lived it
20 more on this
Use liquid scotch to remove temporary tattoos.
It doesn't have to be in tape form.
one person who lived it
Use alcohol pads to clean off gunky residue quickly, as they do not smear the mess around.
They clean without smearing.
one person who lived it
Place a tiny amount of peanut butter on the label to dissolve and lift the glue.
3 people, independently
Use an eraser wheel to remove decal residue without damaging the clear coat.
It removes gunk without touching the clear coat.
one person who lived it
Use Bestine hobby solvent to loosen tape and stickers from paper products like board game boxes.
It evaporates with little to no residue.
one person who lived it
Use Frog tape for painting projects.
Everything else is crap.
one person who lived it
Choose a solvent like Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone, Isopropyl alcohol, Ammonia, or Acetone that matches the chemical composition of the adhesive.
Like dissolves like.
- Ammonia smells terrible.
one person who lived it
Apply screen protectors or stickers after a hot shower to use air humidity to keep dust from settling.
Humidity in the air helps keep dust from falling down.
one person who lived it
Avoid using nail polish remover on sensitive surfaces like laptops or car paint unless you know exactly what you are doing.
It can corrode aluminum panels causing rust or damage car paint.
one person who lived it
Store jar lids separately from jars to avoid chemical smells.
Storing them with lids attached can cause a rank chemical smell over time.
one person who lived it
Use brake cleaner to remove adhesive, as one person found it dries completely without leaving residue.
It dries completely leaving no residue.
one person who lived it
Use Goof Off from metal cans rather than plastic spray bottles for stronger solvent action.
The formula in metal cans is believed to contain xylene, which is different from the plastic bottle version.
one person who lived it
Use Windex or ammonia-based cleaners to loosen adhesive without leaving grease.
They eat up the adhesive.
one person who lived it
if possible, use warm water to remove stickers instead of solvents like Goo Gone or alcohol
solvents may affect gloss/matte finishes
one person who lived it
Use mineral spirits to clean residues on matte surfaces where alcohol might cause glossiness.
Denatured alcohol can turn matte surfaces semi-gloss, while mineral spirits restore the perfect matte finish.
one person who lived it
Use citrus-based products to remove adhesives naturally and safely on painted surfaces.
They are natural and paint friendly.
one person who lived it
To remove degraded spray-on rubber coatings, scrape them off using Goo Gone, rubbing alcohol, and a rough hand towel.
one person who lived it
Apply baking soda paste with your fingers and rinse with a wet cloth to clean sticky umbrella handles.
one person who lived it
Try using vodka to dissolve hot glue.
Alcohol is an effective solvent for hydrocarbon-based adhesives.
one person who lived it
To remove stray labels from labeling machines, use mineral spirits (as recommended by manufacturers) or Goof Off.
one person who lived it