Adhesive residue

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Come on then, purveyors of all-knowledge. How do I shift that annoying sticky residue left after you remove a sticker from something?

This is a metal object and the adhesive was strong enough to hold a piece of plastic on pretty solid. Is there a way I can completely remove this stuff?

 

It depends on what else is on the piece of metal.

Most mild to most destructive:

Soap and water.
Kitchen cleaner (such as 409).
Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol).
Paint thinner.
Laquer thinner (or acetone).
Direct flame.

 

You need a solvent. Try cleaning benzene or lighter fuel, nitro thinner or spiritus. One of them should do the trick.

 

Here in the USA we have a product called Goop Off. It does the job.

 

I've always found acetone to be the best solvent for adhesive residue. Alcohol doesn't do much againt strong ones, and paint thinner stinks. Besides acetone is pretty easy to get (nail polish remover!)

 

Washing powder for clothes diluted in water should work. Usually. It's cheap, safe, effective and every single household has it. Most of the washing powders of the modern world has enzymes that break down fats 'n other organic stuff. Usually sticker glues are made of such organic stuff. Worked like magic when I tried it out. What's best is that they don't dissolve anything else except the organic stuff so it's safe to use on cd record covers.

Enzymes. The best and the cheapest dissolvents there ever is. Get to it. Basic biology 101.

 

Nail polish remover.

If it's just a regular sticker, I just rub on it with my thumbs till it comes off in little bit-rolls thingies...like eraser particles. But that's just me.

 

If you use acetone, and wear eye-contact lenses, use precaution and wear eye protection. Organic solvents, such as acetone, if accidently splashed into the eyes, will dissolve contact lenses and fuse them to the natural lenses---not a happy predicament.

 

I've been a chemist for ... well, longer than many posters here have been alive. I've never seen a documented case of this -- nor is there any case like this on file with ACS or OSHA. This is a science myth (as opposed to an urban myth). However, science teachers everywhere (especially in high school) enjoy propagating this myth in the 'name of safety.'

I agree with using eye protection. I always have eye protection on whenever I work.

If there is no paint on the metal then certainly using nail polish remover or acetone would be quite efficient -- but it will also remove most paints. Always do the 'spot test' -- put a drop on the item in an inconspicuous spot to see if the solvent damages the item (don't use it if it does).

You can also mechanically remove it -- grind it off, sand it off, whatever.

 

Enzymes, darnit! Here's lipase and it's uses for you! Detergents! Breaks down water-insoluble organic adhesives such as sticker-glue (at least the most common ones)!

edit: ok, those with further knowledge of chemistry might want to check if I just got carried away packing too little info of the subject in my noggin, I just know it works, now I'm starting to wonder why that is...

editII: made my case little more appealing, corrected some typos

[ June 18, 2007, 21:38: Message edited by: Iku-Turso ]

 

Watch out with a lot of these if the metal is covered with paint, 'cause it won't only take the sticky stuff off.

If it has paint on it, before you try anything aggressive, just grab a hair dryer and heat it up and try rubbing it off with a towel. That worked for me, but those stickers were fairly new, so this might not work with older stickers.

I also heard that olive oil will do the trick, but I'm a bit skeptic about that one.

If there isn't any paint to worry about, go nuts with nail polish remover.

 

Thanks for the suggestion guys. After trying a few things, I thrashed it with deodorant and aftershave, gave it a proper soak in it, then gave it a dose of boiling water, then rubbed it out... it then rubbed off a treat. I'm guessing it was the alcohol in the smelly that shifted it. Cheers

 

*off topic*

Nail polish remover must be the equivalent of a nuclear assault on your nails...errgh. I think I'll look into less aggressive alternatives. protective nail polish isn't really going to do much good when you have to use nail polish remover on your nails afterwards (I refuse to let them go chippy).

Well, congrats, Barmy.

 

Peanut butter. Works wonders but you'll have the item after. Put peanut butter on glue left from just about anything for an hour or two then washing it off.

I got this from my mother and have been doing it for years I don't know how or why it works but it does.