If you’ve ever tried to remove a sticker from glass, only to find that it leaves a sticky residue behind, you’ll know how frustrating it can be – but one writer claims to have found a potential solution
A household item that many Scots have sitting in their garages could be exactly what’s needed to shift stubborn sticker residue from glass. If you’ve ever attempted to remove a label from a glass surface, only to find it leaves behind a sticky mess, you’ll understand just how frustrating it can be.
Even with plenty of elbow grease, it can prove difficult to budge the residue completely, but there’s a little-known trick that could make light work of this tedious chore, according to one writer.
Writing for the home design website Hunker, Cayla Leonard revealed that one solution many people overlook is WD-40, a multi-purpose lubricant typically used for fixing squeaky hinges.
She noted that while vegetable oil can be used to loosen a sticker, it’s “only half the battle.”
However, WD-40 can also break down adhesives, such as the troublesome sticker residue, so, according to the expert, it is the “most effective” approach to tackle the issue, highlighting that it “won’t hurt glass.”
She explained on the Hunker website: “While scraping the residue off can also be effective, it can leave scratches on the surface the sticker was applied to.
“That isn’t a problem with WD-40! It won’t hurt glass, so you can use it to remove stickers from windows, car windows, and the bottoms of glasses.”
It’s also crucial to remember that WD-40 must not come into contact with food, as it isn’t safe. So make certain you avoid using it if your sticker sits on a surface where food might touch it.
Cayla then went on to discuss her technique for using the product to tackle sticky residue. She recommended spraying the WD-40 in a space with good ventilation before applying it directly onto the residue and leaving it to soak.
After waiting several minutes, you can simply wipe away the lubricant and residue using a cloth or sponge, before washing your item thoroughly with soap and water.
This isn’t the first occasion that such an approach has won over fellow writers, though. Back in October, a contributor for the food and home website The Kitchn tested five different techniques for getting rid of stickers.
Ashley Poskin tried out everything from peanut butter and vinegar to coconut oil and a hairdryer. When evaluating WD-40’s effectiveness at removing a sticker from a plate’s base, the contributor observed that it “came up with ease.”
That said, she also highlighted that it was “messy and stinky,” though she acknowledged it was both quick and efficient. However, WD-40 didn’t emerge as the overall winner.
For her, dabbing vinegar onto the sticker with a cotton ball or piece of kitchen paper proved most successful, with Poskin noting that the approach “stood out above the rest.”
