How To Remove Sticker Residue

From dinner plates to furniture pieces, the worst part of buying new home items peeling off the price tag and stickers. The super-strong adhesive often leaves behind an annoyingly gooey residue that can be difficult to remove. No matter how much you scrape or peel, there always seems to be a little gunk left behind.

Don’t drive yourself nuts trying to get off the sticky residue by hand — there’s a better way! There are lots of tried-and-true methods to clean off sticker goo, all of which use products you likely already have at home. This is how to remove sticker residue.

Sticker residue can be difficult to remove completely from any surface. Even for tough-looking adhesives, we recommend starting with a gentle method and moving up to more abrasive methods if needed. Remove as much of the residue as possible using your fingers or a plastic scraping tool, like a credit card. Then, try one of these residue removal methods.

When removing residue from glass, mirrors, ceramics, and other non-porous materials, the biggest challenge is not scratching the surface. Instead of sponges or steel wool, try one of these tactics.

Metal is one of the easiest surfaces to remove sticker residue from, but the process still requires caution. Scrubbing too much can buff bare metal or damage painted metal. To remove a sticker without harming bare metal, use baby oil.

If the metal surface is painted, you can use a mixture of equal parts coconut oil and baking soda. Baking soda helps break up the residue, and the oil prevents any damage to the finish. Follow the same instructions above, but instead of baby oil, dip a microfiber cloth in this solution.

With plastic items, you can use many of the same residue removal methods as glass. Keep in mind that plastic isn’t as durable as glass, and rubbing too hard can dull the surface. For a gentler tactic, try one of the solutions below.

Since wood is porous, sticker residue can sometimes get into the grain and become very difficult to remove. To get rid of any sticky goo:

Occasionally, stores place stickers directly on clothing items such as cotton T-shirts or denim jeans. If those stickers leave residue, here’s the best way to remove it:

Sticker residue will always be an annoyance, but with these simple methods, you can save yourself a lot of frustration. These easy techniques use products that you likely already have in your home, so you don’t have to worry about special ordering any expensive products. Plus, they’re safe to use and won’t damage your new product. Next time you buy something new for your home, rise above sticky residue with these simple solutions.