Easily Remove Sticker Gunk From Glass With A Common Bathroom Staple

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Stickers may seem like a handy invention until you try to remove them from household objects. It's especially annoying when the sticker is on an area that's obvious, as may be the case with a price sticker, or a label on the side of glassware or the glass portion of a framed picture. If picking at the sticker doesn't lift it in one clean peel, you may be tempted to scrape it off. Even if successful, you're still left with some sticky gunk on the glass. Instead of getting even more annoyed, breathe a sigh of relief because there's one thing you likely already have that can take that tackiness away: petroleum jelly. 

Vaseline and other brands of petroleum jelly are great for removing sticker goo because they break down the gunk with no harm to the glass at all. It's one of those Vaseline home hacks everyone should know, because it works and it's easy. One nice perk of using Vaseline versus a liquid-based sticker-adhesive remover is that it's a gel. Since it won't run like a liquid, you can even apply it to vertical surfaces, such as the bathroom mirror that your kindergartener decided to beautify with part of their sticker collection. 

It takes less Vaseline to remove sticker residue if you've already peeled away as much of the sticker as possible. If dealing with something large like a label on a bottle or jar, a soak in hot water is an easy way to remove stickers from glass, as it helps loosen it up. Pick off as much of the sticker as you can. If necessary, use a dishcloth to get more of the papery material off. If the glass is still wet, pat it dry to remove moisture; the water might repel the Vaseline a little since petroleum jelly is hydrophobic.  

Apply a generous coating of petroleum jelly over the sticky areas of the glass, then let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Wipe the jelly away with a paper towel or cloth, wiping it from the outside edges towards the center to avoid spreading the gel farther outward. Once you've removed as much as possible, wash the area again with warm water and a little dish soap. If you can't submerge the item, as may be the case with a mirror or framed item, apply a little soapy water to a cloth and wipe the glass that way. Rinse it afterwards. In some cases, you may need to repeat the entire process more than once to completely remove sticker residue from the glass object.