13 Ways to Remove Stickers from Glass

Stickers can easily be removed from lots of different glass surfaces with plenty of items you can find lying around your home, like dish soap, white vinegar, a hair dryer, rubbing alcohol, and more. In this article, we’ll give you a quick rundown of the best ways to remove sticker residue from glass (without damaging your items in the process).

How do you remove stickers from glass?

Soak the glass item (if possible) in a hot, soapy water mixture to soften the sticker and make it easier to remove. Alternatively, soak a few cotton balls in white vinegar or rubbing alcohol and place them on top of the sticker for several minutes; then, remove the sticker with your fingers.

1

Hot water & soap

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Fill your sink (or a clean basin) with hot water and a little bit of dish soap. If possible, soak the glass item (or at least the stickered portion of the glass) in the sudsy mixture and let it soak for an hour (or however long it takes for the sticker to get mushy). Then, carefully glide the edge of a credit/debit card over the glass to scrape off the sticker and its residue.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Be cautious when using any sort of tool to scrape glass. Always use steady, careful motions to keep yourself from scratching the glass surface by mistake.

2

White vinegar

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Dip a few cotton balls or a paper towel sheet in a little bit of white vinegar and drape them on top of the sticker (or leftover residue). Leave the vinegar in place for about 5 minutes before attempting to remove the sticker and its residue.^{[2]XResearch source} If you’re still struggling after 5 minutes of soaking, leave the vinegar-soaked paper towel or cotton balls in place for a little longer.
- Vinegar is safe to use on glass—in fact, some commercial cleaning brands (like Windex) use vinegar in some of their glass-cleaning products.

3

Hairdryer

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Turn your hairdryer to a low heat setting and hover it over the leftover sticker residue. Wait for the residue to start loosening up from the glass, and then use a plastic scraper to carefully remove the adhesive from the surface.^{[3]XResearch source} If the residue is still stuck, use the hairdryer for a little longer.
- Warning: Glass can crack and break when its temperature changes suddenly.^{[4]XResearch source} Try to use the lowest setting on your hairdryer to prevent this damage from occurring.

4

Rubbing alcohol

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Dip part of a clean cloth in rubbing alcohol and scrub at the leftover adhesive. If the residue is especially stubborn, soak an entire paper towel sheet in alcohol and drape it over the sticker. Wait 5 minutes before removing the paper towel and clearing away the residue.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Clean off the glass with soap and water once you’re done soaking it with rubbing alcohol.

5

Acetone

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Dip a cotton ball or clean rag in some acetone and scrub down the sticker or its leftover adhesive. Acetone is capable of breaking down some tough substances (like super glue) and should easily clear away any stickers that are mucking up your glass.^{[6]XResearch source}

6

WD-40

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Apply a generous layer of WD-40 to the surface of the sticker and any leftover adhesive. Let it sit for 10 minutes before clearing it off with a clean rag. Before using the glass again, give it a quick cleaning with some soap and warm water.^{[7]XResearch source}

7

Plastic scraper

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Grab a plastic item with a blunt edge, like a credit card, debit card, gift card, or the blunt edge of a plastic knife. Guide the plastic edge along the surface of the sticker and adhesive to scrape it away from the glass.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Auto care professionals sometimes recommend using razor blades to scrape glass.^{[9]XResearch source} If you use a razor, be extremely careful so you don’t accidentally scratch the surface.

8

Eraser

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Have some spare erasers lying around your home? Take one and grind it over the leftover sticker adhesive repeatedly. As you rub, the adhesive will start to come off with the eraser.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Any eraser can work for this, but you’ll probably have better luck using a large one that’s easy to grip.

9

Ice cubes

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Fill a baggie with ice cubes and seal it shut. Then, set the bagged ice on top of the sticker adhesive, giving it a couple of minutes to firm up. Go over the hardened adhesive with a plastic scraper (e.g., a gift card, credit card, etc.) to remove it in easy chunks.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Warning: Sudden temperature changes can cause the glass to crack, so use caution if you give this method a try.^{[12]XResearch source}

10

Cooking oil

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Dip a paper towel sheet into whatever type of cooking oil you have on hand, like canola, olive, or vegetable oil. Place the soaked portion of the paper towel over the sticker and let it sit for around 10 minutes. Then, use a clean paper towel to scrub the loosened sticker residue from the glass.^{[13]XResearch source}
- A plastic scraping tool can also do the trick.

11

Coconut oil & baking soda

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Mix 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of coconut oil and 2 tbsp of baking soda (35 g) together and apply them to the surface of the sticker. Leave the mixture alone for 15 minutes before removing the rest of the sticker with your fingers. Once the sticker is totally gone, clean off the glass item.^{[14]XResearch source}
- If you’re working with a large sticker, you might need a larger amount of coconut oil and baking soda. Just be sure to always mix the oil and baking soda at a 1:2 ratio.

12

Peanut butter

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Apply a generous layer of peanut butter to the sticker’s surface and wait 5 minutes; in some cases, you might need more time for the peanut butter to work its oily magic. Using a blunt plastic edge (like a gift card, plastic spatula, or the blunt end of a plastic knife), scrape away the sticker and its residue.^{[15]XResearch source}
- Some people find that peanut butter is more effective on sticker adhesive rather than the sticker itself.

13

Commercial cleaner

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Storebought cleaners like Goo-Gone are great at removing sticker residue. Check the packaging instructions before using the product to achieve the best possible results. Most brands will likely tell you to spread the product over the adhesive, wait a certain amount of time, and then scrub away the product.^{[16]XResearch source}
- Some people swear by using The Pink Stuff to clear away sticker residue from glass.^{[17]XResearch source}

Expert Q&A

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Question
How do I remove a sticker from a glass oven door?
Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Expert Answer
To remove a sticker from a glass oven door, you can try any of the methods listed in this article. It is always best to start out with the mildest solution first, which is usually hot soapy water.
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Question
Does rubbing alcohol help remove stickers?
Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Expert Answer
Yes, it can be effective, as it is a solvent and can help to break down the sticker glue.
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Question
How do I get rid of quick glue paper that has been stuck on my glass window for years?
Community Answer
Use rubbing alcohol, it should do the trick.
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