How to remove labels/stickers from Xmas present books

[LostinVA]

Use a hairdryer. It only takes 15-45 seconds.

I was a big-box bookstore manager for several years, and would have to remove thousands of stickers after Xmas, etc.

Get a blowdryer, aim at the sticker for about 15 seconds and start peeling up a corner. If it starts to stick, stop peeling and keep aiming the dryer. It'll come right off with no residue.

Trust me on this one. It really works.

[Glorfindel]

1. Thanks! That's a great tip

n/t

[LostinVA]

2. Someone talked about it in another thread

[bettyellen]

3. you're so frigging nice. should i start a thread on how to free mice from glue traps?

ho ho ho!
:loveya:

[LostinVA]

4. I hate glue traps -- I think they're mean

Even if mice are vermin.

[bettyellen]

5. it's horribe to see them stuck i know! i just found out you can pour oil on them to set

to release or melt the glue.

[LostinVA]

7. Really? That's actually good to know

At least real traps usually kill them outright.

Our cats: one kills them outright and eats them, and the other one plays with them FOREVER. Haruka just picks up the dead or live mousies by the tail and carries them outside. EEK!

[BlueIris]

6. Hey, thanks. Very useful. nt

[Heidi]

8. Thank you for this thread, LostinVA. I just bought a bunch of

beautiful, brand-spankin' new frames, and every damn one of 'em has a bar code sticker on the back. Each frame was wrapped in clear plastic, but the bar code sticker isn't on the protective plastic -- it's actually on the back of the frame. x(

[LostinVA]

9. I hate when they do that to frames or sunglasses

[Shakespeare]

10. Bane of my freaking existence.

Stickers that won't come off drive me batty (and this particular peeve has been commented on by everyone I've ever lived with). Last encounter was with a set of champagne flutes I picked up at IKEA, every one of which had a clear round sticker that wouldn't come off without leaving lots of residue.

Makes. Me. Nuts.

But now I have a new trick to try! :bounce: Thanks! :yourock:

[LostinVA]

11. IKEA's stickers usually come right off

You're welcome, my pet.

[Dangerously Amused]

12. If the hairdryer doesn't work or you don't have one handy,

...Scotch tape also works pretty well to remove the residue left from price stickers or other labels, on most items, without leaving any marks. Make it into a little circle or wad with the sticky part on the outside, and sort of dab at the residue until it is gone. If the Scotch tape doesn't work, other types of tape - like masking tape or duct tape - sometimes work better depending on the type of label adhesive used. As a last resort, Gorrilla Tape works on just about everything, though it is much more expensive. And, if you don't have any tape handy, use the adhesive on the back of the label instead; most adhesives will stick to themselves better than the thing they are stuck to. (Learned this trick form a guy in the adhesive industry.)

And yeah, Goof Off or similar products work pretty well provided the underlying surface can handle it (ie, it may also take off stuff you want to stay there, like paint and finishes. (Learned this trick the hard way.)

Finally, when they buy a used car, auto dealers use a hairdryer to remove the old dealer sticker from the back of the car, though it takes a few minutes. Helpful to know if, like me, you don't like the way those stickers look on the car and/or you don't feel like providing free advertising for the dealer. (Learned this from an auto sales manager.)


Thanks for the hairdryer tip, I will try that first on book labels from now on.