You’re someone who recycles. Sure, that means making sure you’re cutting down on plastic bottles, as well as putting your cardboard in the right bin, but that also means repurposing bags and containers around your home long after they’ve retired from their original job. An old candle jar can become a makeup brush holder, or a small ceramic cup is reborn as a receptacle for Q-Tips.
Still, it can be tough to scrape off the residue left behind by glue from an old label—but you don’t need to break a nail to give a reusable bottle a new life. Sometimes, all you need to do is is soak it in the glass jar in some warm water and dish soap, but if the sticky stuff proves to be sticker than you anticipated, follow the steps below to completely erase that annoying glue residue from an old label once and for all.
- The canola and orange peel oils in our Leather Cleaner can break down the bonds in most glues. Apply some to a paper towel, let it sit on the bottle for a minute or two, then scrape off any remnants of sticky residue with a spatula or dull knife.
- If that doesn’t work, it’s time to bring out the big guns. Tea tree oil is great for freshening up a room—or clearing a pesky breakout. But it turns out this strong essential oil can also get rid of glue residue on glass jars. Apply some on a cotton pad or a warm, damp washcloth and press it against the label while rubbing lightly. This should loosen it up a bit—and continue the process until most of the label peels off. You may have to let it sit for a while. Continue the process until it’s off.
- Once the residue is gone, give the jar a deep clean inside and out. Our All-Purpose Cleaner is great for any water-safe surface.
- Then, relabel it! Our peel & stick Murchison-Hume labels are made especially for use with our new glass bottles, but you can also get blank stickers from any office store.
Enjoy your newfound vases, homemade soup jars, or crafting storage bins! What’s your favourite item to recycle?
xx L
