How To Get Rid of Those Annoying Stickers On Plates

When you buy new plates as singles, instead of in a boxed set, most of them come with at least one sticker. Some of them have more. If you’re fortunate, the adhesive used isn’t strong and they can be easily peeled off, but this isn’t usually the case. Most are securely glued onto the back of the plate and it’s nearly impossible to simply lift them off. Here are several great ideas on how to get rid of those annoying stickers on plates and remove the nasty residue they leave behind.

Method 1: Apply heat to the sticker

The first method is one that works with most price tags and informational stickers. It calls for a hairdryer. Blow a steady stream of hot air from the hairdryer directly over the sticker on the plate, keeping the nozzle close to the surface, but not touching it. This will help to loosen the sticker. In some cases, it will lift off without leaving residue, but if this isn’t the case, proceed with the following step. Plunge the plate in hot water and allow it to soak for a few moments. This will soften the adhesive and it usually causes the paper on the top to disintegrate. You can then scrape the sticker off with your fingernail or another hard item that will not scratch the surface of the plate.

Stubborn Sticky residue removal – Some adhesives are nearly impossible to remove. They adhere to the plate and remain for dozens of washing cycles, but you can remove them by using an oil-based substance that will loosen them from the surface of the plate. Apply a generous dollop of peanut butter or cooking oil on a paper napkin, then smear it over the sticky area. Scrub the residue with the paper towel and oily substance until it is completely gone. The final step in this process is to wash the plate with hot soapy water, rinse, and dry it.

Method 2: Rubbing alcohol

The second method for removing price tags and adhesive from plates includes the use of common household rubbing alcohol. Begin by removing as much of the sticker as you can with your finger. Next, take a cotton ball, a paper towel, or a soft cotton cloth and soak the tip of it in rubbing alcohol. Rub the alcohol over the surface of the remaining tag and the residual adhesive to loosen it. Continue to rub the sticky area until it comes off completely. If the gummy substance is particularly stubborn, you can leave the alcohol dipped material on top and let it soak for a few minutes, then try again. In some cases, you may need to rub the surface again with your hand and a cloth dipped in hot soapy water to remove any remaining adhesive, but most of the time, the alcohol does the job nicely. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can substitute it with Vodka or another type of alcohol.

Other ways to remove sticky residue from plates

There are several different products that you can use to help dissolve the annoying adhesive that sticks to new plates. Although you’ll need to use caution with some of the more heavy-duty solvents, and wash and dry the plate afterward, some of them work almost like magic.

Baking soda

A non-toxic ingredient that everyone has in their kitchen cabinet is baking soda. Some home-makers swear by its power to loosen the adhesive from stickers from plates. Start by removing as much of the sticker and adhesive as you can with your fingers. Next, make a paste of baking soda and water. Smear the solution over the remaining label and adhesive and let it sit for several moments to loosen the glue. Next, use a paper towel and scrub the baking soda paste into the label. This should remove the label and any leftover residue. Wash the plate with warm soapy water, rinse, and dry.

Solvents

There are several commercial solvents on the market that do a good job of removing stickers and their residue. One of the most commonly used in acetone. Some homemakers use their fingernail polish remover that contains acetone to loosen and remove stickers and their residue quickly. Start by soaking the tip of a soft cotton cloth or rag in the acetone. Dab it on the sticker until the paper is soaked. Allow it to soak for a few moments, then with the same rag, wipe the tag off. If it’s really stubborn you may need to apply more acetone or scrub it a few times to get all of the residues off. Wash the plate, rinse, and dry it immediately after removing the sticker and residue. There are other solvents that you can use to remove stickers and their residue quickly such as “goof off” or “WD-40.” While these solvents are effective, they can also damage any paint on the plate that they may come in contact with. Acetone has also been known to erode the finish and eat away at painted or printed surfaces if it is left to soak too long. You should also avoid using razor blades or other sharp metal objects to scrape tags off of plates. These objects could cause scratching and may mar the design of the plate, scrape off lines of the finish, or cause other damage.

Final thoughts

The best way to remove annoying stickers and their residues from new plates is to try to take them off with your fingers, then scrub the area with a dish soap such as “Dawn” with a degreasing agent. If this doesn’t work, use an oil-based substance such as cooking oil or peanut butter to loosen the gummy substances so you can wipe them away. Some other methods use more powerful solvents and although we don’t recommend them as highly, they are options that many people use for quickly removing nasty price stickers.