Glue on product labels almost impossible to remove

It’s the bane of my life removing stubborn glue from the labels of products I purchase. It’s not just that they’re unsightly but as is the case with virtually any purchase you make they’re virtually impossible to remove. Particularly annoying is make-up, mascara, eyeliner and other daily make up products. These labels leave a residue you require ‘orange oil’ to remove and if you don’t remove them (they’re designed to be anti theft) the stickiness attacks you every time you use them!
This annoying practise occurs with cheap products too, I recently bought some cheap but solid wooden spoons from IKEA. The glue on the very large IKEA labels, even when painstakingly peeled off, leave about 50% of the label behind with glue which is not water soluble! SO annoying! (I vowed I’d never buy another one)
Advertise and persuade with labels by all means if you must but please… make water the solvent labels so the consumer can remove them readily.

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Buy some OOmph or Goo Gone (Bunnings). It removes the glue. Some labels need patience but it does take the glue off with very little effort.

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Thanks, great advice, it just annoys me that the manufactures make this my problem and I that have to purchase another product to negate theirs! Just my pet hate I guess.

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Great tip with the Oomph and Glue Gone! I’ll be giving them a go!

Sometimes eucalyptus oil works, but I have had some that not even that will get it off. I like to reuse my jars especially the bigger ones, but am forced to throw them in the recycle.

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I definitely agree with you. I use eucalyptus oil, but it makes the house really stink (a little is good, too much is just too much) and doesn’t always work, especially on the plastic labels.

If you have rubbing alcohol at home or methylated spirits they also work well as they are simple solvents found in most households.

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I am a water (for water soluble glues), methylated spirits and eucalyptus oil. These three will remove almost all label glues.

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If metho doesn’t work try turpentine - it will usually do the trick and is held by most households.

Kerosene readily removes the glue from jar labels stuck with contact adhesive.

Try “Disolvit” from the hardware store. I haven’t come across a glue it won’t remove. Remove as much as you can with a knife &/or scotchbrite and use the Disolvit to remove the residue.

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I agree, easier to remove adhesive could be used. Meanwhile, eucalyptus oil is a very effective remover.

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The annoying thing about it is that some companies use glue that when you soak the jar in the washing up water, just peels off, so if those companies can do it, why can’t others? and yes, eucalyptus oil has always removed the goo for me

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I use a mixture of copha (solidified coconut oil) and bicarbonate of soda.
Melt the copha by heating it in a pan, not too hot then pouring the bicarbonate into the mixture adding it until it forms a paste.

Applying it with a wedge of kitchen paper the glue comes off and after washing the remaining residue an oily film I can then use the glass containers for whatever purpose I wish.

Good luck

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My sister soaks jars with a little eucalyptus oil

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True, I often scrub, soak etc.

This happened to me some time ago with a chopping board I got from Big W. I was able to return it and get a refund. They could see how hopeless the cause was!

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Eucalyptus Oil is great too.
I get cross because the same glue is used on glass jars which I like to use for jams etc!

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WD40 does well.:slight_smile:

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Alternatively, if enough of us get the shop to remove the label before we buy the item, the message might get back to the maker that either you use more user-friendly labels or we’ll stop stocking your items.

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