Found a method to easily remove glue residues from labels - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 12:52:33 am
content: Since many of us buy surplus and preowned equipment, inevitably we are left with instruments that has glue residue all over the place. Asset stickers, calibration stickers, etc, etc, etc.I accidentally found, a small amount of Deoxit D5 works wonders. Remove most of the label mechanically. Then either a drop of D5 or what's already on cloth after wiping something else off causes those glue to just melt away and wipe off cleanly. You don't need a lot. So far, I have not seen any staining or damage to plastic or anything else.

author: BocaDev
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 12:59:12 am
content: Quote from: tkamiya on June 01, 2018, 12:52:33 amThank you for the tip. I'll give it a try.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 01:00:48 am
content: I use WD-40 for getting off label glue. Especially those store price labels. Then a little isopropyl alcohol to clean the WD-40 residue. After all, WD-40 was originally created as a cleaner.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 02:44:26 am
content: Yes, I've heard of WD40, too.I wonder which one of the ingredients (maybe common on both?) is doing the job??Personally, I don't like the smell of WD40, so I don't use it much at home.

author: GerryBags
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 03:06:53 am
content: Lab grade isopropyl alcohol works for me. Certain paints can be reactivated by pure IPA, so try a tentative wipe first, but it's harmless to plastics and thermo-glues, and contacts of course.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 03:11:50 am
content: Quote from: MarkF on June 01, 2018, 01:00:48 amNot to my knowledge.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 03:22:17 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on June 01, 2018, 03:11:50 amQuote from WD-40 history:https://www.wd40.com/cool-stuff/history"In 1953, a fledgling company called Rocket Chemical Company and its staff of three set out to create a line of rust-preventionsolvents and degreasersfor use in the aerospace industry.Working in a small lab in San Diego, California, it took them 40 attempts to get the water displacing formula worked out. But they must have been really good, because the original secret formula for WD-40® -which stands for Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try—is still in use today."

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 03:45:52 am
content: Quote from: MarkF on June 01, 2018, 03:22:17 amThat is talking about alineof products ... a range, not just a single product.WD40 isoneof those products and it was created, as its name suggests, as a Water Displacement product - for the purpose of inhibiting rust. It was not formulated as a cleaner.What it has been used forsinceits release to the public, however, is quite another story.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 03:51:11 am
content: The two tricks I use are a heat gun to initially help remove the label without leaving a lot of adhesive residue behind and then naphtha (lighter fluid) for cleaning which is commonly used in plastic safe contact cleaners.

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 08:38:00 am
content: petroleum based products are mostly great for removing glue as it dissolves the bonds in the glue. Lamp oil or Oder-less lamp oil is great as well.Brush it on the sticker before removing it and let it soak for a bit. Mostly stickers can come off in one piece with little residue and the remaining residue can be removed easily with a microfiber cloth.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 09:07:58 am
content: I have a LABEL OFF 50 spray can from KONTAKT.Worked well enough so far, and smells like insect spray mixed with WD40, maybe a little like Chloroform, and a lot like a too sweet and cheap perfume.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 09:19:54 am
content: Alternative mechanical method, for sensitive surface that I don't want to be exposed with any chemical or liquid, I used labor intensive elbow grease + fresh duct tape, choose the one that comes with really sticky glue surface but won't easily peeled off, then just stick the tape on glue residues, pull the tape with jerky motion and repeat, replace with fresh tape if needed, until all residues are gone, pulled and cleaned by the tape's sticky glue.Once cleaned, the surface is almost like new with no trace of any chemical what so ever.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 09:43:15 am
content: Not to steal OP tkamiya's thunderbut I've been using Deoxit and other similar (CHEAPER) contact clean/lube products for longer than I care to remember on annoying stickerswhen other methods (including heat and cold) either fail or take too long.and yes I found it worked by accident too, when some of the stuff crept on to a sticker before I could wipe it off = hmmm...FWIW My latest fav is concentrated dishwashing detergent applied straight on and rubbed inNot the best or fastest method, but gets the job done, and way cheaper than blowing money on overpriced Deoxit

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 10:57:01 pm
content: Universal solution (pardon the pun):Mineral Spirits.I've never found a label adhesive it doesn't remove, cleanly. It even removes the adhesive left over from car and boat registration stickers, those metalized nightmares that intentionally tear when you try to remove them. I remove last year's registration stickers from our boats using mineral spirits every year and the fiberglass hull underneath is left clean and shiny. So shiny I can't tell where last year's stickers were to align the new ones. I do rinse well with water afterwards to protect the gelcoat.I've even used it on plastic surfaces. Those scared me at first, I worried about interaction between the two petroleum derivatives. But no problem all... the sticker came off, the residue wiped away, I rinsed with water, perfect.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 11:09:07 pm
content: Heptane is the best label/adhesive remover. It works well, evaporates completely, and doesn't leave any odor.In the US, it's sold as "Bestine thinner":https://www.amazon.com/Bestine-Solvent-Thinner-Rubber-Cement/dp/B004O7HM38Since it's gotten a little expensive, for large areas you might want to try alcohol first.

author: texaspyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 02:50:23 am
content: Quote from: edavid on June 01, 2018, 11:09:07 pmHeptane works by causing the adhesive to temporarily forget how to stick. It is also sold in craft stores (in expensive little bottles) under the name UnDo. I think they actually patented the use of heptane for label removal.

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 03:15:32 am
content: I've had good luck between isopropyl alcohol and commercial "goo gone", which is an orange based cleaner. The goo gone does leave some residue that you have to wipe off afterwards, but I've used it on many test equipment stickers and sticker residues so far and it's done great and never been harmful to the surface it was on.

author: labjr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 03:25:36 am
content: I've always used lighter fluid. Leaves no residue or odor.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 06:48:36 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on June 01, 2018, 10:18:12 amI regularly use eucalyptus oil for the removal of stickers from printed paper and cardboard products. You do have to be careful with some printing inks as it may react and any mechanical effort can result in smudging. Aside from that risk, the oil will evaporate completely - in time - leavingnooily residue and a more pleasant aroma than WD40.It can also react with some plastics, so caution is warranted.

author: WhichEnt2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 08:19:43 am
content: No one mentioned the skin grease removed from nose with finger. Works very well for removing small amounts of residue.

author: CopperCone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 03:16:15 pm
content: how about goof off?

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2018, 10:56:17 pm
content: Quote from: WhichEnt2 on June 02, 2018, 08:19:43 amThat's the one real benefit from cheap oily pizzasIt'll be later than sooner before I buy another suss pizza to try this

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2018, 01:53:51 am
content: Many contact adhesives dissolve well in oil (vegetable, mineral, doesn’t matter). So first use oil to dissolve the adhesive, then use solvent (or even dish liquid and water, for fabrics) to remove the oil-adhesive sludge.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2018, 01:54:23 am
content: Quote from: CopperCone on June 02, 2018, 03:16:15 pmI melted too many plastic with that stuff. Some plastic cases are textured. Rubbing with Goof Off made it a smooth texture and the difference is quite obvious. I guess I should have followed instructions. Test before using....

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2018, 03:05:37 am
content: Quote from: tkamiya on June 03, 2018, 01:54:23 amMy Tektronix 2247A has a spot like that where the plastic softened and the texture was lost. I have not had that happen with naphtha but it was before I knew better.