How to Remove Stickers from Glass
Usually, it isn’t much of a work to remove stickers from the glass. But sometimes, stickers stubbornly get attached to the glass surface and any attempt to forcefully remove them ends up in some unpleasant marks. Permanent stickers are especially an obstinate bunch. However, with the right approach, we can succeed in getting rid of them. You can try out any one of these six methods to keep your glass shiny clean.
Table of Contents
1. The Power of Soap and Hot Water
This would be the simplest method and possibly the one you have already heard to remove the stickers from glass Still, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look at the right way to go about removing the damage left behind by stickers.
Soak The Sticker
If the glass object that’s been invaded by the sticker is a small property, simply dip it in a tub of hot water mixed with soap. If the glass object is something that can’t be soaked in the water, grab a sponge or washcloth and dampen it with the hot water. Now, apply it over the sticker area.
A fifteen to 30-minute contact with the water should get rid of the bond that has been formed between the glue of the sticker and the glass. After that, the paper should soften enough that you can simply peel it off with your hands.
Use Your Fingers
You can either start by one corner of the sticker with your finger to peel it off as gently as you possibly can or you can grab hold of a blunt knife. Using the same method, first, pry the corner of the sticker off and then slice in the space between the sticker and glass with the knife. Remember, do it slowly so as to not scratch the glass.
To remove any possibility of a scratch, using a blunt knife that has been through a lot of wear and tear is the best option. Another method would be to use a razor scraper. Some are made specially to remove adhesive.
2. The Baking Soda Method
Yes, your everyday household items like baking soda have way more uses than for well, baking. It is capable of unsticking adhesives, for starters. You only need to use the baking soda method if the hot water and soap method fails. First, you need to repeat the steps of the hot water method and if the sticker still doesn’t come off, try the following steps.
Mix Baking Soda with Cooking Oil
The non-toxic and natural property of baking soda makes it an extremely safe liquid to use around kids and pets. Other than a baking agent, expert cleaners are aware of its dirt cleaning and grease dissolving qualities. A mixture of baking soda with oil will result in a paste that can be easily applied on any kind of surfaces. You can use any kind of oil for this.
Cover Nearby Surfaces
Around the glass where the sticker has made its permanent mark, you can cover up the areas with paper or cloth. You can use masking tape to seal the area off in the event the baking soda paste is leaked onto the surface outside the glass.
We would recommend doing your utmost to protect surfaces like plastic, wood, fabric and so on.
For the most part, though, baking soda is an extremely safe ingredient. Even if you drop the paste on your skin or any sensitive surface, if you clean it up right away, no residue should be left behind. The precaution stated is mostly for the oil mixed with the baking soda.
Rub It On the Glass
Rub the paste you made on the glass surface and sticker. Let it settle in for ten to fifteen minutes to let the soda do its job. If the sticker is particularly a stubborn one, the better idea might be to leave it on for the rest of the night.
Remove The Paste
By now, the glue and the sticker should be a soft mess that’s easy to scrub away. You can wipe it off along with the paste. Abrasive cloths or spongy steel wool are a good option to use is you want extra strength for the scrub. However, you need to be slow and careful in this case. You do not want to leave a scratch behind on the glass surface. That kind of moots the point of going through such lengths to get the sticker off.
3. The Washing Soda Method
If you don’t already have one in your home, finding a pack of 500g washing soda should not be a problem from your local convenience store.
Mix Hot Water and Washing Soda
First, grab a bucket and fill it with half a cup or an entire cup of washing soda. The amount depends on how much water you end up pouring into the bucket alongside it. Much like the hot water and soap mixture, the hot water and washing soda is also a lethal mixture that helps the adhesive break free from its bond with the glass.
A warning to heed- do not handle washing soda without wearing gloves. It is capable of causing severe skin irritation, depending on how sensitive you are. On the same note, it’s best to not have children or pets around when you are relying on this method.
In hard water or mineral-filled water, the bond between washing soda and water develops faster. An aggressive foam is created in this case. In most cases, it works better than baking soda and detergent.
Soak The Glass
For at least thirty minutes, soak the glass object in this washing soda mixture. For a stubborn case, you can leave it soaked overnight.
In case of mirrors and other glass surfaces that can’t be removed, much like the baking soda method, cover surrounding areas with clothes and masking tape. After that, dip a washcloth into the washing soda mixture and wipe it over the sticky surface of the glass.
Get Rid of the Sticker
Unlike baking soda, washing soda is a strong alkaline. In most cases, once you pull out the object from the tub, the sticker should slide it off on its own or you can lift it off with no problem. In the case of wiping, it should come off while you are in the process of softening the adhesive.
After the sticker has come off, do not forget to give the glass a nice rinse with cold water and a dry washcloth. You don’t want any of the residue of the washing soda to be left behind.
4. Use Heat
Even glass feels like shedding its clothes- or in this case stickers off- when it is faced with sweaty burning air.
Grab A Blowdryer or Use the Sun’s Heat
Set the blow dryer on the highest setting and hold it up in front of the sticker for at least 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can simply let the glass object stew under the sun for a couple of hours.
For the heat, melting the adhesive is an easy job. However, the sticker has to be removed the moment it comes undone. Otherwise, once the heat is retracted and the glass cools off, the adhesive might end up bonding harder with the glass.
Pull Off the Sticker
In case the sticker you’re trying to get rid of is attached to the window of your car, simply park your car in a place where the sun is too bright and visible. The last step is to gently peel the sticker with your hand. You can always use a dull knife to scrape one corner of the sticker before making your way down to the other corner.
After you have removed the sticker, there might be some residue from the glue left behind. Use oil, soap or any other washing agent to give it a thorough wipe. After you have wiped and rinsed it with water, again use a dry washcloth to wipe the surface of the glass. You get rid of any residue of both the adhesive and washing agent. This way, your glass stays smooth and glossy.
There, you know all about how to get stickers off the glass. For more clarity of the the methods discussed above, do check the video link.
Do you know where to get the best quality glass though? Our recommendation would be Fab Glass and Mirror, a custom glass and mirror company.
There isn’t a glass product that you won’t be able to order from them. From glass tabletops, mirrors, shelves to glass tables, shower doors, acrylic glass, they have everything.
You can decide on the quality of the glass, the dimensions and type to make sure most stickers don’t get stuck on your glass in the first place. Of course, if you still end up in a sticky predicament, you will always have our guide to refer to!