Everyone loves stickers, especially kids. Unfortunately, windows, refrigerators, even the TV aren’t always safe. Once they’re there, it can be hard to get all the glue, paper, and adhesive gunk off. Maybe you don’t like that bumper sticker you thought was super funny a few years back anymore. However, with so much mess left behind, will you ever have your sparkling clean surface back? The good news is yes, you will! The situation often requires patience and a little elbow grease. You can do a number of things to get the gunk off. This article is all about restoring your surfaces to their pre-sticker levels of cleanliness.
Step by Step
No matter what material your stickers stuck to, there’s a process to getting all the gunk off. It starts with a little bit of a hands-on approach. First, scrape off as much as you can with your fingernails because anything you can get easily now will make the next steps that much easier. Then, no matter if it’s wood, plastic, rubber, or anything else, you can rub back and forth to form the adhesive into little balls and piles that you can pick away at until you’re ready for the next step.
Use the Sink
If it can get wet, take it to the kitchen sink, spritz a little dish soap into some hot water. Let the item soak for ten or fifteen minutes. Then use a credit card or plastic scraper to liberate the rest of the adhesive from whatever surface it was stuck to. The heat helps it expand, which loosens its grip on the surface, and the scraper ensures it’s got nowhere to go but off.
No Sink
If the sink isn’t an option, peanut butter works on more than just gum in your hair. Try it on glass, wood, plastic, or other porous surfaces. Canola, coconut, and mayonnaise oils also work to penetrate the adhesive and reduce it to a goopy slop that you can scrape off pain-free. Let it sit for a while, and then take care of it with a clean rag.
A Paper Towel
You can also use a paper towel that’s been soaking in warm white vinegar to break down the adhesive – though some people swear by rubbing alcohol. Soak it for around a minute or two, then lay it over the sticker plagued surface for about five minutes. This will soften the residue and adhesives enough that a credit card can scrape it off, just like in the sink. Finally, if you’ve got some WD-40 lying around, spray it on the sticker and let it sit for ten minutes, then clean it off like any other oil slick with a clean cloth.
Removing a Sticker Stuck on Clothes
Somehow, these things can really stick to your fabrics. Just don’t put it through the dryer. Drying the clothes can bond the sticker and any plastics in the adhesive to your fabrics. Instead, put synthetic fabrics in the freezer for a couple of hours, then start picking at the frozen residue. A drop or two of dish soap will usually be enough to finish the fight, and from there, you can toss it in the laundry like normal. Natural fibers will appreciate a bit of nail polish remover, which can be applied with a clean cloth and then rubbed and picked at until your clothes are ready for the wash like normal.
In Conclusion
Whether you’re dealing with a sticker stuck to laundry or any other household chores, the Green Bee Maids will be there to help you get the job done! So give us a call or book online today, and we’ll get started on making your life simpler.