How to Remove Stickers from Glass and Mirrors

How to remove stickers from glass

I am not a fan of stickers or decals on glass, mirrors, or really anywhere other than in a sticker book. Unfortunately, when we moved into our house there was an Apple sticker stuck on the window of my son’s bedroom. It had been there for a good, long while and wasn’t going to come off easily! After trying a few methods, I learned the absolute best ways to remove stickers from glass and mirrors. 

Included are sticker removal techniques for removing sticker decals from glass windows as well as techniques for removing price tags and labels from objects like jars, vases, and more. No matter what your sticker removal situation might be, below you will find a solution that works!

How to Remove Stickers from Glass

Listed below are multiple ways to remove stickers from glass. I have listed them starting with the safest and most natural method first. I recommend starting your trial and error in that order as well as you’re learning how to remove stickers from glass.

Hot, Soapy Water 

This method works extremely well for smaller objects that you can place in a bucket or bin or sink full of hot soapy water. I have used this method successfully many times when removing labels from jars. 

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Instructions:

  1. Fill a large bowl, bucket, sink, or other basin with very hot, soapy water.
  2. Insert your glass object into the hot, soapy water mixture.
  3. Allow the object to soak for at least 2 minutes.
  4. Grab a scraper tool (like a silicone scraper or a dull butter knife) and start to scrape one edge of the sticker or label off of the glass object.
  5. If possible, use your fingers to peel the rest of the sticker away from the glass.
  6. You may need to follow up with a sponge or washcloth to get small, remaining bits of sticker off of the glass.

Hair Dryer

How to remove stickers from glass using a hair dryer.

If you are curious about how to remove stickers from glass on a mirror or interior window in your home, your hair dryer is a great tool to turn to. I have used this method with great success! Minimal sticker residue is left behind when I use this technique.

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Instructions:

  1. Point the hair dryer directly at the sticker and turn it on high heat.
  2. Leave the hair dryer on high heat for a minute or longer until the sticker glue has been softened.
  3. Take your razor blade or a dull knife and slowly peel up one edge of the sticker.
  4. Using your fingers (be careful or wear gloves as the sticker will be hot!), peel back the rest of the sticker from the window or mirror.

Diluted White Vinegar

If your sticker isn’t in a location that can be reached by a hair dryer, it might be time to try another tactic. Diluted white vinegar is a safe starting place. Saturate your sticker with distilled white vinegar for long enough to loosen the sticker so you can peel it away.

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Instructions:

  1. Mix 1 part distilled white vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle.
  2. Spray the mixture directly on the sticker.
  3. Allow the mixture to set on the sticker for several minutes. If the sticker is on a vertical surface, you might need to spray it multiple times over the course of several minutes to ensure it’s properly saturated.
  4. Take your razor blade or dull knife and use it to peel up one edge of the sticker. 
  5. Use your fingers to remove as much of the sticker as possible.
  6. You might have to use the razor blade a few times as you slowly peel the sticker away.

Rubbing Alcohol or Nail Polish Remover

If the distilled white vinegar isn’t strong enough to loosen the sticker, you might want to move to something a bit stronger. Enter rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover! These materials will help to loosen the sticker from the surface of the glass so you can remove the sticker easily.

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Instructions:

  1. Pour rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover either directly on the sticker or on a cleaning cloth. 
  2. If using a cleaning cloth, hold the saturated cloth against the sticker for several minutes.
  3. Once the sticker has softened, use a razor blade or a dull knife to lift one edge of the sticker off of the glass or mirrored surface. 

WD-40

This is certainly not an “all natural” or eco-friendly solution, but if all else fails, WD-40 will get the job done. Saturate the sticker with WD-40 and you will surely be able to peel it away from glass or a mirrored surface.

Helpful Tools:

Instructions:

  1. Carefully spray WD-40 all over the surface of your sticker. 
  2. Allow this to sit for several minutes before using your razor blade, old credit card, or dull knife to peel back the edges of your sticker.
  3. Carefully peel away the remnants of your sticker using your fingers (but be careful! You will likely want to use gloves in this case!)

How to Remove Sticker Residue from Glass

Have you removed most of your sticker from glass but are still left with sticky residue? There are a handful of simple ways to combat the residue. I’m detailing two of the most effective techniques below. Again, I recommend starting with the first (most natural) option then working your way down the list. 

Baking Soda and Cooking Oil

Combine baking soda and cooking oil (any olive oil, canola oil, or other cooking oil will do) to make an oily paste. Rub the paste all over the sticker residue and let it sit for several minutes. After a number of minutes have passed, scrape away the sticky residue using a silicone scraper, a dull knife, or a sponge under hot, soapy water. 

You may need to repeat this process more than once depending on how stubborn your sticker residue is. Regardless of repetitions, this will definitely work to remove a sticker from glass!

Goo Gone

Goo Gone is an extremely popular brand of adhesive remover. It works well when used to remove stickers as well as sticker residue. Simply apply the Goo Gone to your sticker, then scrape it away using an old credit card or dull knife. You can remove the remaining sticker residue using Goo Gone and a cleaning cloth. 

If you’re dealing with a particularly stubborn sticker, Goo Gone just might be your ultimate solution.

And lastly, once you have removed your sticker be sure to clean your windows and mirrors using this natural Windex alternative and these helpful window cleaning tools.

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