Stacey Koziel
Whether they’re on a wine bottle, a new mug, or a mirror, stickers can be a pain to remove. Even if you’re able to peel most of it off, they often leave a sticky residue behind. Thankfully, a beauty tool you likely already have in your bathroom can help to remove that sticker residue.
A hair dryer is the secret to removing sticker residue.
There’s actually a lot more science behind why stickers “stick” than you might think. The adhesives used on most stickers have liquid characteristics—until you try to pull them away from whatever surface they’re stuck to. Then, they resist.
Thankfully, a standard handy hair dryer can make removing the ugliest sticker residue a breeze!
To get rid of the residue, hold your hair dryer an inch or two above the sticker and turn it to the highest setting. Turn it on, let the heat loosen the adhesive for a minute or two, and you should be able to wipe away whatever residue is left with ease.
Remember that sticker science? The hair dryer method works because it helps to bring back the “liquid” qualities of the sticker adhesive. It loosens the bond the residue has created against a surface and makes it easy to wipe away once it’s heated up.
There are plenty of other sticker-removing hacks you can try if you’re trying to get rid of residue and keep leftover paper pieces from peeling. Olive oil, white vinegar, and rubbing alcohol are all tried and true methods, but they require a bit of elbow grease.
So, the next time you have a stubborn sticker that you want to remove from an object, pull out this standard bathroom beauty tool and get out of a sticky situation!
