14 Comments for How do you get sticky label remnants off?

• 1. tom bombadill  |  February 15th, 2011 at 8:14 am

  rubbing alcohol

• 2. Pearl Tears  |  February 15th, 2011 at 8:41 am

  just use ice..i mean don’t run it under water..
  jus rub a bit of ice..

• 3. Rob M  |  February 15th, 2011 at 8:45 am

  orange mechanics hand soap. The citric acid in it takes sticky stuff off

• 4. 2manykids  |  February 15th, 2011 at 8:52 am

  Rubbing Alcohol works well, or if you have it, Candle wax remover.

• 5. Ana  |  February 15th, 2011 at 9:07 am

  Take a piece of scotch tape, stick it (not completely) on the sticky remenants on your IPod and then with a jerk yank the tape away. The tape will pull away some of that sticky stuff with it. You may have to repeat this a few times over to get all of the sticky stuff. I would say, rubbing alcohol, but I have a feeling that it will dull the shine of your IPod. Hope this works.

• 6. freebienutter  |  February 15th, 2011 at 9:20 am

  a small amount of oil, or mayo does the trick. just rub over the area and it should slip off no probs at all then just wipe clean.

• 7. ron_nitti  |  February 15th, 2011 at 10:18 am

  try WD-40 it work on glass

• 8. Benital S  |  February 15th, 2011 at 11:09 am

  wat u ok

• 9. Ten Years Gone  |  February 15th, 2011 at 11:48 am

  WD40 is best!

• 10. danihilist  |  February 15th, 2011 at 12:34 pm

  You can take the same labels with adhesive still on them and press the still sticky areas of them onto the offending adhesive and remove in rapid succession. On and off fast! That or Scotch type tapes done in the same manner will usually pull off the remaining adhesive.

  Rubbing alcohol and lighter fluid will work too. Do not use Goof Off, any similar petroleum based solvent advertised for such. Don’t use denatured alcohol. I tried that on a Mac Mighty Mouse to my dismay. There are citrus based adhesive removers too, but I haven’t tried them.

  Have fun with your iPod!

• 11. Klaatu verata nichto  |  February 15th, 2011 at 12:59 pm

  rub mayonnaise on it. the oils take off sticky residue

• 12. Gary S  |  February 15th, 2011 at 1:42 pm

  GooGone, GoofOff or WD-40

• 13. the Jack  |  February 15th, 2011 at 2:18 pm

  Different adhesives require different solutions. I don’t have any iPod packaging handy, so I’m not sure which will work best for your particular solution, but here are some things for you to try:

  » A citrus-oil based cleaning fluid (but not a hand soap, as someone else suggested, as those usually have particles of pumice or some other abrasive that would scratch up your new iPod) is what I usually try first. The kind that comes in concentrated form for you to dilute as necessary is best. It will take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending on how strong the product is and how thick the adhesive residue is, for the chemical reaction to make the adhesive stop sticking. I find it can be helpful to use a small piece of paper toweling to keep the citrus oil product where I need it. This might be a good solution for you, since it would also let you keep the fluid away from any seams where it might otherwise get inside the case.

  Note that many of the spray bottles of so-called orange cleansers only have an orange fragrance and contain no citrus oil! You can also use a citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit etc.) essential oil, if you have some. And citrus-oil-based wood polish may work as well, just remember to check the ingredients for oil from an actual citrus fruit.

  » Other oils, anything from regular olive or corn oil for cooking, to mineral oil, even the WD-40 you’d use in an engine, might also do the trick. You’d again want to leave the oil on the sticky spot for at least a minute or two before it would begin to take effect.

  » Alcohol does work to break down some adhesives. It can also break down some plastics, however; you can call your local Apple store and ask them whether it’s safe to wipe your iPod clean with either denatured alcohol or isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.

  » Blunt force technique: Only try this if you have a very sharp razor blade, excellent eyesight, good bright direct lighting, and steady hands. You can use a sharp, straight blade (not a safety razor) held at a shallow angle — closer to flat against the iPod than to straight up –
  and pry the adhesive off. This may work better at temperatures either much warmer or much cooler than room temperature (so the adhesive is meltier or more brittle, depending) but remember that electronic devices aren’t tolerant of that wide a temperature range.

  » Advanced techniques: Only try these if nothing else has worked, and only in a well-ventilated room far away from any open flames or bare wiring. Nail polish remover (with or without acetone), turpentine, kerosene, or lighter fluid might do the trick. They might also discolor or damage your shiny new iPod, though, and probably void your warranty.

  » Very safe technique: There’s no chance you’ll harm your iPod this way, but it will require patience and willingness to have a funny-looking iPod for a while. Stick some lightweight plain white paper (toilet paper, crepe paper, etc.) to the sticky places. If the pots aren’t sticky enough to hold even flimsy paper, try cornstarch or (fragrance free) talcum powder, rubbing it in well and then gently tapping off the excess. This will draw the moisture out of the adhesive, causing it to dry up and come off. It might take hours or even a few days, and possibly multiple applications if taking off the top layer of adhesive leaves a sticky residue too, but it’s the safest bet for not damaging your iPod’s looks or functionality.

  Good luck — and be sure to let us know what worked!

• 14. Joey J  |  February 15th, 2011 at 2:22 pm

  http://www.alwaysbrilliant.com/products.aspx?SC=98666V&PID=687&PD=42261

  amazing product, will remove glue or marker without any damage.
  Can usually find it at dollar store.

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