Why Martha Stewart's Favorite Way To Remove Stickers From Any Surface Isn't Perfect

The experiences that unite homeowners are often the most frustrating... and mundane. Take, for instance, decorating your belongings. You might want to give your laptop, car window, or water bottle some color by putting stickers on them. The application is satisfying, too, because it's smooth, quick, and delivers an original result. But frustration sets in when you're ready for a change. You grasp the edge of the sticker to begin peeling it off, and, instead of coming off as simply as it went on, the corner rips or the sticker separates — and you're left with a white thin, sticky residue in its place. Ugh. But, as always, homemaker extraordinaire Martha Stewart has a solution: This time, it's her trusted method for removing sticker residue from any surface.

Stewart's method is as simple as it gets. Just point a hairdryer at the sticker for about 30 seconds, then gently remove it. Sounds easy enough, but does it actually make removing stubborn stickers a breeze? 

Removing stickers from wood and other sensitive surfaces can be a challenge because you don't want to damage the material in the process, but Martha Stewart's method is supposed to work on all surfaces. Unfortunately, when experts at The Kitchn tested it, they found some flaws. Even using the highest setting on their hairdryer for one to three minutes rather than the 30 seconds that Stewart recommends, Stewart's hack didn't quite do the trick. While this was the "easiest, cleanest method for removing the large portion of the paper sticker," testers reported, the hair dryer trick "left residue behind." They added that this strategy needs to be followed up with another kind for full sticker elimination.

Other options you can try include using coconut oil, olive oil, or vinegar to soak into the sticker before removing it. The Kitchn gave the vinegar method a 5 out of 5 rating versus the 3 out of 5 it gave Stewart's method. That said, you should make sure to test the vinegar or other substance on a small patch before using it on painted or varnished surfaces. And if you don't have luck with any of these methods, remember that sticker's age and the surface you're working with can impact the efficacy of your chosen hack. With glass, at least, you could try this other simple trick to get those pesky stickers off.