How to Remove Stickers From Glass
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›
Whether it’s a new mirror that you brought home or a wine bottle that you’re using for a DIY project, lifting a price tag or label from a glass surface always end up being more difficult than you anticipate. Stickers are nearly impossible to peel off of glass with your fingers, but a few tried-and-true methods can get you out of a sticky situation in a hurry—and without leaving a trace. With a few common household items, you can try one or more of these three easy methods for removing stickers from glass.
Soak the sticker.
Soap and hot water are two effective tools for breaking down the bond of stickers’ adhesive material. Try soaking the full glass in hot but not boiling, soapy water. Squirt either hand soap or dishwashing soap into the sink or a bowl, and let the glass sit for 10 to 20 minutes. Scrape the adhesive off with your fingernail or a putty knife.
If you’re not able to submerge the glass, cover the sticker with a sponge that has been soaked in hot, soapy water and let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes. The sticker should roll right off after the adhesive has been weakened. If it doesn’t, try one of the following methods.
Heat the adhesive.
Since the melting points of adhesives differ from sticker to sticker, you might need to apply more direct heat if hot water and soap doesn’t do the trick. To do so, turn a hair dryer up to the highest setting, hold it a few inches away from the sticker, and heat it for a minute or two.
Don’t worry about damaging the glass itself. Glass doesn’t start to melt until it reaches around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. After 1 or 2 minutes, use a credit card to push back a corner of the sticker without scratching the glass. Remove the sticker quickly with your fingers before the glass cools down again.
Apply a lubricant.
If hot water or air doesn’t remove your stubborn stickers, a lubricant can help dissolve the adhesive enough to budge the paper. Coating stickers with WD-40 before rubbing them off is usually effective; if you don’t have WD-40 on hand, room-temperature cooking oil should also work well. Rubbing alcohol is another option: It isn’t a lubricant, but applying it to the sticker can dissolve the adhesive altogether.
The Homeowner Survival Kit
