5 Best Adhesive Removers - Feb. 2023 - BestReviews (2023)

FAQs

What is the best way to remove old adhesive? ›

Vegetable or canola oil can work wonders, as can peanut butter or mayonnaise. Spread it on, let it soak into the residue for about an hour, then wipe it away. For a tougher clean, try rubbing alcohol or vodka. Let it fully permeate the unwanted residue, then rub away completely with a cloth.

WD-40 can also loosen the hold of strong adhesives such as super glue. So, if you drop some glue on the floor or bench, spray a little WD-40. In no time you'll be able to wipe the glob right of your bench surface.

3M Adhesive Remover lets you quickly remove adhesive, attachment tape, tar and wax from your vehicle's painted surfaces without harmful scraping tools or abrasives. This easy-to-use blend of solvents won't harm most automotive paint surfaces and also works on glass or vinyl. It can also be used during body repair.

Hot water + dish soap

Add a couple drops of dish soap such as Dawn to hot water, either in your sink or a bucket. Submerge the glass item (if possible) in the soapy water. Soak until the sticker softens. Scrape away the remaining sticker and adhesive with a plastic scraper.

White vinegar is a safe and natural cleaner, deodorizer, and adhesive remover you can use all over the house. Soak a paper towel in vinegar and cover the sticky spot. Let the vinegar soak for a few minutes to break down the adhesive, then scrape it away, and wipe the surface with a damp cloth.

Clean Magic Eraser, you can conquer sticker removal and power through even the stickiest of sticker adhesives.

Use Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is especially good on super glue, and it's a safe way to clean up most glue spills on metal. Soak a cotton ball with the hydrogen peroxide and press it onto the glue until it softens. Use fresh cotton balls as needed to blot up any glue residue.

We recommend the Goo Gone adhesive remover as our top pick because it's both safe and effective. Those who need a stronger solvent-based product will appreciate the powerful performance of our upgrade pick, the Un-Du adhesive remover.

Any kind of cooking oil will work - olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil. Submerge the plastic in cooking oil for 12-24 hours. The oil will soak into the adhesive and make it easier to remove sticker residue. Use baking soda and cooking oil or water.

What can I use instead of Goo Be Gone? ›

Stir together ½ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of vegetable oil, and 6 drops of citrus essential oil in a container with a lid.

In addition, you can use the spray to remove regular grime, tar and paint (if, say, a car sideswipes you). Best of all, it won't ruin your vehicle's own paint job in the process.

If you want to know how to get sticker residue off plastic, wood, or glass, rubbing alcohol is an effective solvent that's safe for most surfaces. Vodka is a good substitute. Wet a paper towel or clean rag with rubbing alcohol, and rub the residue to lift it off.

Mineral spirits are commonly used to clean tools and machine parts. Because they tend to be less flammable and less toxic, artists favor mineral spirits over turpentine. They also are effective in removing adhesive residue from subfloors you may want to revive.

Remove bumper stickers: Because mayonnaise will break down adhesive, it works really well on bumper stickers you want to remove from your car. Apply mayonnaise on top of the sticker, let it sit for around 15-20 minutes before peeling off.

— First, soak a cloth or paper towel in white vinegar before laying it across the sticky area. — Then, leave it to sit for a few minutes to soften the sticky residue before wiping off with a clean, damp cloth. In fact, you can do everyday cleaning with white vinegar combined with baking soda.

Apply a small amount of baby oil to the sticker residue and let it sit for 20 minutes. Soak a cotton ball or rag with baby oil and use it to gently rub the surface until the residue is gone. Wipe the surface with a clean cloth or paper towel.

Wet a paper towel or rag with rubbing alcohol and rub where the adhesive is. If the sticker is stubborn, lay an alcohol soaked rag on the area and let sit for several minutes.

Does WD-40 remove tape residue? ›

WD-40. Use a rag with a bit of texture to it — for example, terry cloth as opposed to an old t-shirt — and soak a small area of it with WD-40, then scrub at the residue. If there is a lot of residue, you can spray the residue and let it sit for just a minute before scrubbing.

Luckily, there is an easy way to remove stickers and adhesive residue using nothing more than a can of Windex. Just spray the affected area and let the Windex sit for a few minutes. Then, use a credit card or other sharp object to scrape away the sticker.

Goo Gone Original works on stickers, candle wax, permanent marker, crayon, glue, gum, tape residue, adhesive, paint, tree sap, tar and much, much more.

If looking to remove sticky residue in a pinch from plastic, glass, or wood surfaces, nail polish remover is a super quick and easy solution. All you'll need is some non-acetone* nail polish remover and cotton balls (or paper towels - whatever you have on hand!).

Hand sanitizer

This office or household staple will not only kill germs but also remove stubborn 3M adhesive residues.

Start by washing your hands with warm water and soap, this can help soften the glue making it easier to remove. Then use an oil-based solution such as cooking oil or Vaseline, rub it into the affected areas, or get someone else to do it for you if you're unable to.

3M adhesive remover is amazing stuff. It beats Goo Gone by a wide margin, I recently used it to remove PETG residue from my 3D printer bed and that stuff is gnarly. 3M 38983 General Purpose Adhesive Remover - 12 oz.

For solvent based adhesives, gently rub petroleum jelly, or vegetable or mineral oil onto the affected skin. Note that you may need to reapply in order to get the adhesive off.

Combine baking soda, Lemon, and water in a small bowl or dish. Apply mixture to sticky surface and let soak for 2–5 minutes. Use a damp towel or cleansing wipe to remove adhesive easily.

A more natural substitute for acetone is lemon juice. The acid will help cut through the glue bonds. Dip an old toothbrush in freshly squeezed lemon juice and scrub the area affected with glue. The glue should begin to flake and can be safely scraped away with a fingernail or plastic edge.

Does Dollar Tree have Goo Be Gone? ›

Goo Gone Goo & Adhesive Remover, 2 fl. oz. Bottles.

A: Goo gone is a light to regular-duty cleaner that will remove sticky residue and things like that. Goof Off is heavy duty. Care must be taken to test the item you're using it on to be sure that the cleaner doesn't damage it. This would be more likely on plastics, etc.

The ingredients in Goo Gone® Adhesive Remover include petroleum distillates (hydrocarbon), solvents, limonene (hydrocarbon), and orange sweet extract.

Eggshell Finish

"It is the easiest paint to wipe clean and is great for all areas of the home, including bathrooms and kitchens," she says. "I only use a gloss or semi-gloss paint on base, case, trim, and cabinetry."

There are many different types of plastic, but there are two kinds that you should avoid using WD-40 on—polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastic. Polycarbonate is a transparent plastic that is commonly used in greenhouses, and polystyrene is typically used for styrofoam and soft drink lids among other items.

Vinegar softens up paint bonds, making them easier to scrape off. This method doesn't remove paint entirely but is a more natural, non-toxic solution to using a paint stripper.

Specially formulated Master Bond epoxy adhesives, sealants and coatings are designed to provide exceptional protection against alcohol exposure. These solvent-free compounds exhibit high bond strength, feature easy application and provide reliable cost effective solutions for many critical requirements.

Goo Gone Bandage & Adhesive Remover is alcohol free and sting free. It makes removing bandages, medical tape, athletic tape and adhesive residue from your skin or surfaces easier.

Acetone is a useful organic solvent which breaks down glue and sticky residues it comes into contact with, effectively dissolving them and leaving the surface free of stickiness. You may need to wash the surface with soapy water or rub it gently with a toothbrush afterwards.

A: All you need is a bit of mineral spirits (often labeled "paint thinner") and a soft rag. Dampen the rag with the spirits (damp, not dripping) and rub the adhesive residue until it dissolves. This is usually easy while the adhesive is fairly fresh.

What should you not use mineral spirits on? ›

First off, I want to clarify that you shouldn't use mineral spirits every single time you use a paintbrush. Latex and acrylic paints should be cleaned up with water. Mineral spirits should only be used if you're working with an oil-based product, like traditional wood stain, or oil-based polyurethane.

Spirit Types

If you're in a pinch and don't have any mineral spirits on hand, you can try using rubbing alcohol as a substitute. However, keep in mind that rubbing alcohol is more volatile than mineral spirits, so it will evaporate more quickly and isn't as effective at dissolving paint and varnish.

“Acetone is a powerful solvent that will quickly remove just about any sticky adhesive residue,” Peters explains. Simply apply a few drops to a cotton ball and rub off the sticker.

This product is effective in removing glue residues left behind from labels as common adhesives used are soluble in alcohol. As a result of soaking the label in rubbing alcohol, the glue is completely dissolved and can easily be wiped away.

Dab any type of kitchen cooking oil—olive, canola or sunflower—onto a paper towel. Then lay the paper towel over the residue that refuses to budge. Wait a few minutes while the oil works to dissolve the stubborn glue. Finally, remove the towel and rub away the sticker residue with another clean paper towel.

DIY Goo Gone

You can made homemade Goo Gone using three ingredients. Stir together 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/8 cup vegetable oil, and 3 drops of citrus essential oils. Apply this Goo Gone alternative and let sit, then wash off.

Do not use on silk, leather, suede, rubber, faux stainless steel, drywall, unfinished wood surfaces, unsealed stone. For especially dried on glue, use a putty knife or Goo Gone Sticker Lifter after the liquid has soaked in.