Empty glass jars are quite useful for a lot of things around your home. Reusing them is sustainable and can help you save money from buying new containers. However, there’s only one bothersome downside to reusing them—removing the stubborn sticker labels.
Peeling off the labels often leaves behind bits of paper and sticky glue residue. Sometimes, it won’t come off no matter how much you try to pick it with your nail or a brush. To help you with this problem, we’ve got simple tips on how to remove labels from glass jars. You’ll find these materials in your kitchen and vanity, so you don’t have to buy any chemical remover.
This nifty powder isn’t just useful for baking goodies and cleaning surfaces. It’s also great for removing sticker labels off of glass jars. Here’s how to do it:
1. Fill up a sink with hot water. Alternatively, you can also use a basin or a bucket. Make sure that there’s enough water to submerge the glass jars in.
2. Add ½ cup of baking soda to the water. Mix well until the baking soda dissolves.
3. Remove the lid from the jar and submerge it in the water. See to it that the sticker labels are soaked.
4. Wait for about 20-30 minutes. This should be enough time for the baking soda to dissolve the glue in the label.
5. After several minutes, peel off the label from the jar. The glue should be dissolved by that time, and the label should come off easily.
6. To remove any remaining glue residue, scrub off the glass jar with a scouring pad or steel wool. Clean the jar with soap to remove any traces of baking soda and rinse with water. Air-dry or pat dry the jars with a clean towel.
Aside from cooking and laundry, vinegar can also be used as a label remover in glass jars. Follow these simple steps:
1. Fill up a sink, basin, or bucket with hot water. Add a few drops of dishwashing soap, then mix it well.
2. Pour 2-3 cups of white vinegar into the water and soap mixture. The acidity of the vinegar and the soap as a surfactant helps in dissolving the glue.
3. Remove the lid and place the jar in the hot water. Make sure that the label is fully submerged. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
4. The acetic acid in the vinegar should have dissolved the glue after several minutes. Remove the jar from the sink and peel off the label. It should slide off easily from the glass.
5. Rinse the jar thoroughly and let dry.
Had enough of stubborn sticker labels? Make them slide away using some good old oil. Check out this method below:
1. You can use any kind of oil for this method (olive, canola, coconut, sesame, vegetable). Rub some oil generously on the label.
2. Fill up a sink, basin, or bucket with hot water. Make sure that there’s enough water to submerge the entire jar. Place the jar in the water and leave it there overnight.
3. In the morning, take out the jar and rinse with water. Using a scouring pad, peel off the label from the jar. It should slide off easily when doing so.
4. Wash the jar with soap and rinse with water. Let it dry, and then it’s ready to use.
This method uses nail polish remover or acetone to take out those stubborn labels. Scour your vanity for a bottle of this and follow these steps:
1. Peel off the label as much as you can. If it’s difficult to remove, soak the jar in warm water with dishwashing soap for about 30 minutes first.
2. Pour some acetone on the jar where the glue residues are. The components of acetone will dissolve the adhesive in the jar.
3. Use a scouring pad or steel wool to scrub the residue off. You may need to pour some more acetone on it again if the label doesn’t easily come off.
4. Once all the residue is scrubbed off, wash the jar thoroughly with soap and water. Be extra careful especially if you’ll be using the jar as a food container.
Hairdryers aren’t for your hair alone, they’re for removing sticker labels from glass jars too! This is especially useful if your hairdryer can be set to extremely hot.
1. Turn on the hairdryer and set it to the highest heat setting.
2. Point the hairdryer at the jar’s label. Hold it in position for about a minute or two.
3. Peel off the label afterward. The paper label should be stiff and brittle due to the high heat of the hairdryer.
4. Repeat the steps above until the entire label is peeled off.
Empty glass jars are extremely versatile. They can be painted and transformed into home decor. If you need extra food storage, empty glass jars are great for that. Plus, it’s useful for plenty of other things too.
First off, reusing empty glasses helps you save money from buying new containers or decor. All you have to do is remove the label, wash the jar thoroughly, and unleash your creative juices in decorating.
Reusing glass jars is good for the environment too. It means one less trash to throw away. It also means one less glass to manufacture, preserving our resources, and lessening production costs as well.
For your glass packaging solutions, visit Roetell’s website and choose from a wide array of glass jars and bottles. Whether it’s for your business or personal use, our services and products will surely satisfy you.
We help you avoid the pitfalls to deliver the quality and value your glass bottle and jar need, on-time and on-budget.
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