The Simple Trick To Get Pesky Stickers Off Of Glass

While certainly anchored in the realm of mostly harmless but seriously annoying tasks, the amount of frustration created while unsuccessfully removing a sticker or label from glass is disproportionate to any degree of logic. Fortunately, hydrogen peroxide, commonly found in medicine cabinets, is a simple trick for removing those stickers. It will loosen the adhesive and lower frustration levels at the same time.

Hydrogen peroxide, found in those ubiquitous brown bottles, is sold in a 3% solution and has many uses. Although not as highly recommended as it once was as a wound treatment, it can be used to remove laundry stains and brighten whites, as well as a plethora of other domestic cleaning tasks. It was discovered in 1818 and since then has been utilized myriad ways. But how does it work to remove those frustrating stickers? Hydrogen peroxide is a fragile combination of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms — H2O2. When you saturate the sticker with it, the hydrogen peroxide oxidizes and breaks down the adhesive securing the sticker to the glass.

To use it to remove labels and stickers from glass, start by peeling away what you can by hand. Scrape the sticker gently with your fingernails, a butter knife, or other utensil. Then saturate a cloth, paper towel, or cotton ball, and use it to soak the sticker or label with hydrogen peroxide. Let the wet sticker sit for several minutes to allow the hydrogen peroxide to work. Then scrape away what you can; it may come off completely. If residue remains, repeat the process.

While generally safe to use, whether you are using it to fix a slow-draining sink or soak off a sticker, wearing gloves is recommended when you use hydrogen peroxide. Another thing to consider is that once you open the bottle and expose it to air, hydrogen peroxide will begin converting to water. For this reason, you don't want to leave the lid off of it for long.