Selfsufficientish.com

Good Afternoon all,

All winter I have been collecting jars instead of recycling them with a view of using them after the summer to store various veg-based products I plan on making (chutneys, sauces, etc..).
Getting the labels off is easy with some boiling water, but what I am struggling with is removing the gum/blue from the labels, which seems not to want to budge. Its no big deal given that I plan on re-labeling them, but still would be nice to start with a clean jar. Have tried nail varnish remover, which works, but not great.

Any ideas?

Duncan

Why do they make things so difficult? What's wrong with simple, water soluble glues that have been used to stick labels on jars for donkeys years, and come off with a bit of soaking? Why do they now have to use glues that will only desolve with chemicals? You'd think, since recycling is now an imperative, that they'd keep things simple.

If it won't desolve in water, or with an abrasive pad, it may be a spirit or cellulose based glue (though the number of different concoctions of glue on the market these days is staggering). You could try white spirit (though I have found that this can very easily taint food), or methelated spirit (easier to rinse off), or failing that, get hold of some cellulose paint thinners (this is probably the same as your nail varnish remover and will certainly be a more economical way of buying it). If none of that works, some acetone may do the job.

Most of this stuff is either available from the decorating shelves of your local DIY shed, or a decent hardware store - acetone may be harder to get hold of, but is used to for cleaning-up after glassfibre work, so somewhere that sells car body repair kits may have it. Or maybe try a good chemist?

There's a product called "sticky stuff remover" which I've found works a treat. Its based on orange oil and I have to confess to trying - with some success - rubbing an orange peel on gummy stuff.

I always leave my jars/bottles to soak in my washing up water for an hour or so, then scrape off the label with a knife and finally finish with a scourer. This method has always worked for me.
WD40 is good for removing sticky labels, i have used it to remove price labels from CD's/DVD's and books.

I use white spirit for the glue that won't dissolve in water.

Annoyingly the labels which I buy to label my own jams and chutneys are really hard to remove too!

Someone over at Metafilter had a similar problem:

http://ask.metafilter.com/58306/How-to- ... in-bottles


I tried the cooking oil + scrubby pad method as suggested there, and found it was very effective on the really stubborn jar labels.

You could also try using a razor blade or the like to scrape it off depends on the glue type.

Millymollymandy wrote:I use white spirit for the glue that won't dissolve in water.

Annoyingly the labels which I buy to label my own jams and chutneys are really hard to remove too!

I've stopped sticking labels on. Instead I tie a label on with string around the neck (luggage label style). I cut the "label" from an old plastic milk carton and write on with permanent pen.

It looks really novel when giving as a gift as well.

It's easier with bottles than jars but if you tie it tight at the bottom of the screw thread it's usually OK.

Zoe

Did someone suggest vinegar?

I had a particularly stubborn label at the weekend. The paper had come off easily but the glue was left. I soaked a cloth in a strong solution of vinegar and warm water then wrapped it around the jar for a couple of hours. Then I was able to rub the glue away easily with the cloth.

Vinegar is excellent at removing stubborn wallpaper paste as well. A capful in a bucket of warm water (or a steam stripper if you have one) and the paste just wipes off the wall.

Zoe

Lemon juice works, or nail varnish remover.

Cellulose thinners will work a treat. A car spares shop will sell it. It's cheaper than nail varnish remover and basically the same stuff. Just put your fag out first!

Thomzo wrote: I've stopped sticking labels on. Instead I tie a label on with string around the neck (luggage label style). I cut the "label" from an old plastic milk carton and write on with permanent pen.

What a great idea

That is a great idea! i have labels liek that on my demojohns. Don't know why i didn't think of putting them on the wine/jam!

i write on the bottles or jars with permanent marker, so long as the contents is of a light colour. looks nice.

We have managed to buy some removable labels which do come off easily which is great for labelling jars. I also use a permanent marker and remove this with meths.

For removing the sticky stuff we have a product called 'goo gone' which is great for removing all sticky things. We have owned the one bottle for at least 10 years so it is pretty efficient too. It smells nice and orangy so it sounds very much like the same stuff Milims uses.

George