How to remove label adhesive? Whether on the jam jar, on new toys or on the car - there is a way to remove adhesive from labels for every surface!
You love making syrup, making jam, or canning vegetables. But every year you get annoyed with the labels on the jars. At least it's always like that with me.
That's why I stumbled across this topic and thought to myself that I'm certainly not alone with this problem.
I collect empty jars so that I don't have to buy new ones every time. But the labels can sometimes get on my last nerve. They stubbornly stick to bottles and jars.
Whether with a sponge, washing-up liquid or a ceramic hob scraper - I've tried everything against sticky labels. It must be even easier, right?
The good news is that it really is easier. You can remove label adhesive by following a few tricks.
Why you should remove label adhesive
For one thing, it simply looks unappetizing. Anyone who fills a delicious homemade jam should also attach a little importance to the appearance.
Just stickers of bought Sugos, honey and Co stick most strongly on the glasses.
Still, it's worth reusing jars. If you buy jars and bottles, it can be quite expensive. And it is not necessary. When I buy food in jars, I consciously make sure that they are the right size for canning later on. That way, you can collect a whole lot of them throughout the year and be supplied with many different bottles and jam jars during the peak season.
If only there weren't those pesky labels.
My tip is very clear: If you want to reuse a jar, remove the label adhesive immediately. If you keep the bottles with labels, you will be very annoyed when you need them for syrup.
But even on gifts, annoying glue residues do anything but look good.
Tips to remove the label adhesive are many. From the hair dryer, which can loosen the labels with hot air. About the ceramic hob scraper with which the adhesive label can be scraped off. Up to hard measures such as cleaning gasoline, everything is there.
Others swear by sticking scotch tape on the labels and then simply peeling them off.
With such and similar tricks should be able to remove the sticky greasy remnants of labels. Often household hacks really make life easier. Since I have my Clean window panes with rinse aidI have to clean them much less often.
But back to the sticky residue on items. I have tried everything. Yet it can be so simple. Two home remedies help remove label adhesive.
What home remedies you can use to remove labels and glue
For me, there are two home remedies that work quite wonderfully. One is classic cooking oil and the other is Baking soda*. I'll now tell you how to do this.
It is worthwhile to resort to natural means. Those that are non-toxic, do not cause injury when removing the labels and do not endanger your food.
Let's look at both methods in detail.
For both methods, soak the jars and bottles in a bowl of water for at least 2 hours. This softens the labels and allows them to be at least partially discarded. I put them in my big salad bowl and cover them completely with water.
Remove label adhesive with oil
The most common tip for removing adhesive from labels is oil - and quite classic cooking oil at that. But beware: this makes the bottles very slippery. Be careful that they don't slip out of your hands.
Why this works? The oil binds the glue and loosens it from the glass.
You will need: cooking oil, kitchen paper.
Here's how you do it:
- Peel off the label as you can.
- Fold a paper towel until it is about 10×10 cm.
- Tip the oil onto the kitchen paper.
- Use it to rub off the adhesive of the label.
- If you like, you can also use your thumb for this.
I wouldn't advise using a sponge unless you were planning on disposing of it anyway.
Now you need to clean the bottle with detergent to remove the oil or just put it in the dishwasher.
Ingenious hack: How to clean the baking sheet in a minute!
Remove label adhesive with baking soda
If I have to choose between Baking soda* and oil, I will always be in favor of Baking soda* decide.
The great advantage is that the glasses are immediately ready for use. They are not covered with an oily film, which must now be removed again extra.
You will need: a teaspoon and about 1 tbsp. Baking soda*.
Here's how you do it:
- Give the Baking soda* into a small bowl or jar to make it easier to portion.
- Take the bottle out of the water, remove the labels as much as possible with your fingers.
- Sprinkle the baking soda on the label scraps with a teaspoon.
- Now you simply rub off the glue with the help of the natron. I do this with my thumb.
- It works quite wonderfully and removes even stubborn label adhesive.
- You may have to repeat the process and put another teaspoon of baking soda on the same spot.
Rinse the jars and bottles with water and they are ready to use. Great, isn't it?
Of course, before you fill them with jam, syrup and co. sterilize. For this purpose, you can use the oven, microwave or saucepan. use
Remove stickers from furniture, car, bike and co.
If the stubborn label adhesive is on items that do not come into contact with food, then you can use other means for this.
The hairdryer
Many manufacturers apply labels with hot melt adhesive. This can be released with hot air.
Therefore, it often works with the hair dryer. The sticker can be removed without leaving any residue when heated. If the adhesive is older, you can use a scraper to help.
I used the hair dryer to loosen stickers from my car, which worked quite wonderfully.
Water
Some adhesives are water soluble. Of course, these are the ones we all love. Because to dissolve them, all you really need is water. Many labels can be peeled off after a water bath.
You can help by adding a little rinsing agent to the water. Sometimes labels float to the surface of the water after a reaction time. Unfortunately, however, this is almost never the case.
Loosen adhesive residues with adhesive tape
I must say that this has never worked for me. But some swear by this trick. Scotch tape is helpful when the label or the adhesive is on a plastic surface.
Apply adhesive tape to the affected area, press down with your fingers. And tear off the adhesive tape in one piece with a jerk. Now the remnants should stick to the tape.
Oil and grease against label adhesive
All grease and oil based home remedies are a great tool if you want to dissolve label adhesive. If a fat-soluble adhesive was used for the sticker, cooking oil, margarine and butter can help.
The grease should now act briefly so that it can bond with the adhesive. And the label adhesive can already be removed.
Nail polish remover against sticky labels
If nothing really helps, then nail polish remover must be used. Also possible: benzine or white spirit. However, I would not use it to remove labels from jars and bottles that will later be filled with food.
Put on gloves so that your skin is not attacked, these agents are very aggressive and dry out the fingers. The chemicals can severely damage the surface. You should never use them to clean plastic and paint.
Our conclusion
If you want to remove label adhesive, you should try using oil or baking soda. Water can also sometimes work wonders. Nail polish remover, methylated spirits or petroleum ether should only be used in extreme emergencies. Note that they can attack the surface and should not be used on jars or bottles that are intended for food.
My favorite for everything is clearly baking soda. Give it a try!
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