I like reusing stuff, and I always keep all the glass jars from the food I ate. However, there are often stubborn labels that no matter how hard I try, won’t come off. Whenever I attempt to remove them, they leave a sticky mess, so eventually, I just started keeping most of the labels on. However, recently I decided that I want clean-looking jars, and after trying many different methods, I found the solution. I guess you can easily use some solvent, but since I am planning to use the jars for food, I wanted something milder. It’s possible that most of you already know this method, but I had been lazy to test all the different techniques until now.
First, peel off the plastic labels if there are any. This should happen more easily if you dip the jar in warm for a few minutes. Usually, after this kind of labels is removed, there’s still a lot of glue left so here’s how to clean it.
1. Cover any glue residue or paper labels on the jar with some kind of oil of your choice. I used cooking oil. Leave it like that for 5-10 minutes.
2. Put baking soda on the abrasive side of a kitchen sponge and scrub all the glue that’s left.
3. Wash the jar thoroughly.
Also, I found out that a few drops of lemon juice cleaned all the glue from the metal lids without the need of using oil or baking soda.
I am happy with my new jars now. What Is Your favorite method for removing stickers from jars?
Photo: Pixabay.com
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Very useful and informative posts
Thank you very much for your kind words!
I didn’t know about this method. I spray them with degreaser and leave them on for about 10 minutes. Thanks for the helpful info.
Different methods work for different labels. I had some stubborn ones.
Thank you very much for sharing this information. I have already tried different ways, but I was not successful. I have a lot of glass jars that I have to clean ?
I hope this method helps you! 🙂
bestine is the one that doesn’t leave a residue. don’t know why I confused it with acetone…
To be honest, I am not familiar with bestine.
I doubt many folks have heard of it, but it utterly dissolves adhesives and then dissolves itself leaving no stain or residue…
Thanks that’s a really great handy hint…good to know
Glad to hear that and thanks for stopping by!
Well maybe, lol, I have not tried it yet. I sure hope it works for me.
I hope it does. Solvents are a quicker solution, but I like to use more harmless things, haha.
Very good post. Thanks for the information
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
This is really useful! There is this glass jar I have been wanted to remove the labels for weeks. I removed the labels, but glue residue was still there and it’s sticky. I searched online and found that using baking soda works. I tried, but it didn’t work for me. I didn’t apply oil before that. I will try your method, and hopefully it will work for me. Thanks for sharing this!!
I like to keep some glass jar for food as well. Currently I am keeping a few for making milk kefir.
I had the same problem and baking soda didn’t work on its own for me either. I hope the oil + soda method works for you too. It’s very annoying when the jars are sticky or there torn labels.
Yes I use this often, baking soda is very helpful. Thanks!
Glad to hear that! Baking soda didn’t work for me on it’s own, but the oil really helped. Happy week!
I will have to try this way. Some of the glue on labels nowadays is very hard to get rid of. I save jars and I don’t have drinking glasses – I use jars. I don’t like to store things in my cupboards in plastic, and I dry and save herbs so having jars around is good. Good advice – thanks.
I am glad to hear that this is helpful! You are right about the glue nowadays. When I was little, the labels used to fall off even if we didn’t want them to, but I tried so many things in 2 days and nothing worked.
Funny, we used to use butter to clean pine pitch (tree sap) off our hands and arms …I think.
I used to use oil to clean super glue from my hands, greasy things are very effective, but then we have to find a way to remove them, haha.
It is nice that you had shared these useful tips. As for me, I just let it soak to a container with water and wait for the labels to worn off. It takes time though.
Thank you for sharing your tips! For two days, I tried soaking it in warm water, in soapy water, in lemon water and in water with baking soda. Nothing really worked. No idea what glue they used.
Depending on the label and the jar I usually put it in warm water to soak.
But will give this method a try!!!!
I tried soaking it in warm water, in soapy water, in lemon water and in water with baking soda. Nothing really worked. I remember that in the past labels fell easily and intact in plain water, and we kids used to pick them up and re-stick them to new places, haha.
I suspect adhesives have improved!
Thanks for the tip!!!
I also like keeping glass jars!
I also face with sticky, stubborn labels, I’ll try your tips!!
I hope this helps! Have a great week! 🙂
Interesting posting, dear Ellie ….. I use the easiest and quickest removable adhesive for acetone …. and acetone is removed with a dishwasher and hot water
doesn’t acetone just dissolve into air anyway. does it leave any sort of residue?
A small greasy stain that you remove with a dishwashing detergent
It stays forever in the mind of paranoid people like me, lol.
probably better to believe something is there even if it isn’t, than to ignore something which is there but you pretend it isn’t…
That’s a very interesting perspective, I never thought of it this way!
But this is the problem, dear Ellie …. I do not have a problem with this, but it is so from the outside
Thank you so much for sharing this method. I read about it before, but I still feel anxious to use acetone, and I don’t have it at home right now either. Happy week! 🙂
Very good and easy method.Thank you for sharing
Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great week!