How to Remove Custom Labels From Products

Custom labels can easily be removed by slowly lifting the sticker and peeling it away. Our sticky labels come with a medium-strength adhesive that will not damage the surface they are applied to.

For more stubborn stickers, you might want to use a small razor blade to carefully (!) remove them.

Sometimes printed labels can leave sticky residue. Those are small parts of the adhesive that remain stuck to your surface.

If you are facing these after removing stickers and labels, this article is for you!

How can I remove sticker residue?

Removing your label designs is not rocket science. In fact, in many cases, you can get rid of the residue left behind by your printed labels with basic household products and a cloth. Below, you can find our top three options for tackling sticker residue!

1. With warm water

You probably know this one from removing labels from an empty jam jar or trying to scrape off the price tag of a gift. Warm water perfectly dissolves the adhesive.

Submerge your products in warm water with a little bit of dish soap, or soak a wet cloth in water and apply to your surface. After a couple of minutes, you can peel off the residue.

2. Rubbing alcohol

Now, if your labels are applied to electronics, it might not be the best idea to soak them in water. Instead, you can use any sort of rubbing alcohol. This can even be some spirit. Simply dampen a cloth or paper towel and rub it over the sticker residue.

If you do not have any rubbing alcohol, a few drops of nail polish remover on a cotton ball will do the trick just fine as well.

3. Brake cleaner

If the residue from your label is particularly stubborn, you might need to use a stronger solvent like brake cleaner.

Simply spray the brake cleaner directly onto the sticky residue and let it sit for a few minutes. The solvent will dissolve the adhesive and the residue will come off with it. Be very careful when using this type of cleaner, as it can be harmful to your skin and eyes. Make sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves!

How to remove clear labels from bottles and glass jars

When it comes to bottles and glass jars, you want to be sure that your labels will not leave any residue, especially if you want to reuse your jars and bottles again.

You can use any of the above methods, but if you offer glass food jars or refill services, you might not want to use an alcohol-based cleaner. Instead, you can use warm water and dish soap or baking soda and cooking oil. 

1. Warm water and dish soap

This is the most common way to remove clear labels from glass bottles or glass jars. You can either hold your labels under running water and apply dish soap or soak your bottles and jars in warm, soapy water for a couple of minutes. After that, you can simply peel off the label.

Putting your labels in the dishwasher is also a great option as the heat and the water can interfere with the adhesive. However, this is much easier to do with a paper label as these are not waterproof.

Clear labels, on the other hand, are waterproof, which can mean that water will not remove the label in its entirety. But don't you worry, our upcoming tips have got you covered.

2. Cooking oil and baking soda

This combination can be more effective than water and dish soap and is perfect for glass food jars or refill services as baking soda is a non-toxic substance that is safe to use around food.

Create a paste of equal parts cooking oil, like olive oil, and baking soda. Apply the mixture to the label or the sticky residue and let it sit for a minute.

The baking soda will now break down the adhesive, which allows you to wipe off the remains easily. We recommend still cleaning your bottles and labels with hot water and soap to remove the oily film, especially if you want to apply new clear labels to them.

We hope you found these tips helpful and are ready for another order of your custom labels! If you want to learn more about all things label and sticker printing, including the easiest way to make labels, have a look at our blog.