3 Simple Hacks for Removing Stubborn Price Stickers

We’ve all suffered through the removal of a price sticker that seems like it was adhered with super glue. (A discount home decor store that shan’t be named comes to mind for its especially stubborn labels.) You could pick at the sticker with your nails, potentially breaking one in the process, but that method often…

Fortunately, there are several ways to remove price stickers using common household items. We’ve seen everything from packing tape to citrus peels to peanut butter, but these three methods have proved to be the most effective:

Use a Hair Dryer

This hairstyling tool can be used to remove price stickers on a variety of materials, including delicate packaging and paper products. Simply plug in your hair dryer, set it to low or medium speed, and warm the sticker for about 15 to 30 seconds. Move the hair dryer back and forth to distribute the heat evenly, and the sticker should peel off easily without leaving behind any residue.

Apply Glass Cleaner

The solvents in glass and window cleaners can dissolve price stickers in mere minutes. However, this method is not recommended for items made from absorbent materials, such as unframed artwork, woven baskets, or coffee table books. The first step is to spray the price sticker with Windex or any generic glass cleaner. Take a paper towel and place it over the sticker, spraying it a few more times so it’s fully saturated. After about 15 minutes, you should be able to effortlessly wipe away the price sticker with zero residue.

Try Nail Polish Remover

An acetone-based nail polish remover will strip that pesky price sticker as quickly as it strips your manicure. It even works on car window decals and novelty stickers on water bottles and laptops. That said, this method is best suited for nonporous materials such as glass, plastic, or metal. Do a spot test if you’re concerned the acetone will damage the finish.

If it doesn’t, take a cotton ball, cotton round, or paper towel and let it soak up some of the polish remover. Place it on top of the sticker and set a timer for five to 10 minutes. When time’s up, rub the sticker with a microfiber cloth or something mildly abrasive to easily remove it.

The next time you need to peel a sticker off a birthday gift or a brand-new acrylic organizer, try one of these quick fixes for a residue-free removal. The days of blacking out the price in permanent marker are over.