Easily Remove Pesky Stickers From Glass Jars With A Simple Kitchen Ingredient

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Using glass jars in your pantry to provide stylish countertop storage for small items is a clever organizing tool, especially if you add labels. But what if you change your mind on what should go in a labeled jar? Or what if the glass jars you want to use come from a thrift store or estate sale, and already have labels or even price stickers on them? Or, what if you are upcycling a glass yogurt jar or tomato sauce jar that has a stubborn label attached? Scraping off old stickers or labels can be a pain, but there is an easy solution that doesn't involve much elbow grease, and uses something that may already be on your pantry shelf: shortening.

Of the many recommended substances that can break through the sticky stuff affixing a label to a jar, shortening is probably the least toxic and easiest to work with. No more chemical smells like nail polish remover or removal products like Goo Gone, and no need for hard scraping that might scratch your jar. Shortening is typically made from vegetable oil, which is a substance that breaks down adhesives. Cooking oil dissolves adhesives more effectively than hot water and soap, especially if left on the surface of the sticker for a long time. And since shortening is oil that has been hydrogenated, so that it remains semi-solid at room temperature, you can easily spread it over the sticker you want to remove and let it sit to work its magic, without worrying about it dripping off the glass.

Commenters on Reddit and Facebook note that any vegetable oil will work for this sticker removal trick from glass, with even peanut butter said to be effective. But shortening is handy because it's easy to work with on the rounded, smooth surfaces of glass jars. To use shortening for sticker removal, use a cloth or paper towel to apply a small dollop of it to your sticker and spread it out to completely cover the area you want treated, saturating the label. Make sure you are doing this on a protected surface and wear an apron, because like all oils, shortening will stain clothes. Let the shortening sit for up to 20 minutes, and then you are ready to scrape off the sticker. 

You will want to use plastic, not a razor blade or other metal scraper, which can scratch your glass. A credit card or a handy WoLover scraper tool is useful to have on hand for removing labels from glass without damage. After scraping away the sticker and all the adhesive underneath, wash your glass in soap and hot water to remove any final residue. With this simple trick, you'll be ready to repurpose any old glass jar into a new storage solution for your home.