Removing sticker residue

Test on a hidden spot first, use the gentlest remover the surface can take, and wash the area with soapy water when you finish.

Area: HomeFrom age 10Time to learn: 10 minutes to learn; 15 minutes to an hour of soaking for a stubborn label

Peel off what you can, soften the rest with warm soapy water, rubbing alcohol or an adhesive remover that suits the surface, wipe it away, and wash the area with soapy water.

SafetyRubbing alcohol and acetone nail polish remover are highly flammable: use them with a window open, keep them away from flames and heat, and never use a hair dryer on a surface still wet with solvent. Children should use razor blades and solvents only with an adult.

Why it matters

The adhesive residue a sticker leaves behind softens in soapy water, rubbing alcohol or an adhesive remover, so you rarely need hard scraping or a strong solvent. The wrong method can do more damage than the sticker: acetone nail polish remover is safe on glass but can craze and soften acrylic plastic, and a hair dryer can warp or melt a plastic container. The two common solvents also catch fire easily: 70% rubbing alcohol has a flash point of 68°F (20°C), about room temperature, and an acetone polish remover's is 1.4°F (−17°C).

How to do it

Peel off as much as you can first. Lift one corner with a fingernail or an old plastic card and pull slowly. On fabric, roll the loose glue into a ball and lift it away, starting from one edge.
Pick a method from the chart for the surface, and test it on a hidden spot first, such as the base of a jar or an inside seam. Look for dulling, softening or lost color before you go on.
Glass jars and other items that can go in water: soak them in hot water with a splash of dish soap for at least an hour, or overnight for a stubborn label, then scrub off the softened glue with a sponge.
Paper labels on glass: blow a hair dryer on high over the label for 30 seconds, then try to peel it; repeat in 30-second bursts. Do not use heat on plastic, which can warp or melt.
Rubbing alcohol: soak a cotton ball or paper towel, press it onto the residue for at least 15 minutes, then wipe the softened glue away with a sponge dipped in alcohol. It is less harsh than nail polish remover, so try it first on delicate surfaces.
Adhesive remover such as Goo Gone: apply it, give a thick, gooey patch 5 to 10 minutes, and wipe it off. Its label lists glass, metal, plastic, painted surfaces, finished wood and fabric as safe, but not silk, leather, suede, rubber, drywall, unfinished wood or unsealed stone.
Acetone nail polish remover: use it only on glass, where it is safe. On clear plastic such as acrylic it can make the surface craze and soften, and on other surfaces it is harsher than rubbing alcohol, so use alcohol there instead.
Scrape only as hard as the surface allows. On glass, you can slide a razor blade, held at an angle, under the edge of the glue. Do not use a blade on plastic, tin or other surfaces that scratch; use a plastic card instead.
Clothing: put the garment in the freezer for a couple of hours, then peel and scrape off the hardened glue with a butter knife while it is still cold. Treat what is left with rubbing alcohol or an adhesive remover after a spot test, since alcohol can lift color, then wash the item separately with extra detergent. Never treat clothes while you are wearing them.
Finish by washing the area with hot, soapy water to remove any remover left behind, then rinse and dry.

Common mistakes

Using acetone on clear plastic, which can craze and soften it.
Heating a plastic container with a hair dryer until it warps.
Scraping plastic or a painted surface with a razor blade.
Skipping the spot test on fabric, painted surfaces or wood.
Leaving remover on the surface instead of washing it off with soapy water.

You can do this when …you can take a price sticker off a glass jar and a plastic container, leave no sticky film or scratches on either, and say which method you would not use on each.