It can be annoying when you have glue or stickers stuck to certain things in your home. Normally, it’s going to be kind of hard to remove this sort of stuff, but that’s where products such as Goof Off come into play.
Many people buy things such as Goof Off and Goo Gone to get rid of sticky messes. You can use these products to get stickers off of your video games, but they can also help you to remove glue that has stuck to household items.
The only problem with this idea is that the Goof Off itself will leave behind residue. What do you do about the residue?
Read on to learn how to remove Goof Off residue the right way. This will ensure that you get the best results possible so that you can truly be satisfied with the job that you did.
Blot the Goof Off Residue
One of the easiest ways to handle this problem is to blot the residue away. The Goof Off will leave behind residue that is fairy greasy, but you should be able to remove this without it being too difficult.
Grab a thick white cloth of some sort and start using it to blot the excess Goof Off residue. Using paper towels wouldn’t be a good idea since they won’t be able to absorb enough of the residue.
Also, paper towels will wind up tearing a bit and leaving bits of debris behind. You won’t have to worry about this if you use a thick cloth.
Blot as much of the residue as you can before moving forward. Hopefully, you’ll get a good bit of the residue off by using this simple blotting method.
Now it’s time to take your white cloth and soak it in laundry detergent. Wipe the area with the residue down using your soaked cloth.
To get things rinsed off, you’ll want to use a separate clean cloth that you’ve dipped in water. Simply take the time to wipe things down thoroughly.
Depending on what you’re cleaning, it might not be easy to tell if the job is done or not. For instance, if you’re trying to remove residue from a cloth item, then you’re going to need to wait until things are dry to see how it went.
If you’re just removing residue from a hard surface, then it’ll be easy enough to tell. Hopefully, this gets you the results that you’re hoping for.
Use All-Purpose Cleaner
Of course, you could also just use an all-purpose cleaner to remove the residue in question. The only issue with this is that you can only use the cleaner to remove residue on a hard surface.
Simply put some all-purpose cleaner on the spot that you need to clean. Don’t hesitate to use as much cleaner as you need to so that you can get the job done.
Grab a clean cloth and start wiping the cleaner away. You want to use a dry towel for this step.
Depending on how much residue there is to deal with, it might take a good bit of wiping to finish the job. If necessary, apply more all-purpose cleaner and then wipe things down again.
Once you’re sure that you’ve done a good job, it’ll be time to dry the item. Get a dry cloth and use it to dry the item in question so that you can see if all of the residue is truly gone.
Touch the dry item and try to see if you can feel any remaining residue. If you got all of the right spots when wiping things down, then you shouldn’t have to worry about Goof Off residue any longer.
Only Use Goof Off When Necessary
It should be noted that Goof Off is a bit harsher than something such as Goo Gone. Goof Off is specifically meant to help people remove very sticky things such as glue.
Both products are adhesive removers, but Goof Off is stronger and also more toxic. It’s likely that you’ll only want to use Goof Off on particular items if it’s necessary to do so.
For example, you might have hot glue stuck to a table or some other type of hard surface. Using this product to remove the glue would make a lot of sense, and then you’d be able to use the all-purpose cleaner to try to get rid of the residue that is left behind.
Using this product on something that is sensitive might get you less than stellar results. If you’re worried about fading or other such issues, then you might wish to avoid using something as strong as Goof Off.
Goo Gone is a lot more common when people are trying to remove things such as stickers. You might wish to remove stickers from a used video game case or cartridge.
Using Goof Off would be too harsh, but Goo Gone should be just fine. You’ll still need to clean the residue off as described above, but it’s not going to be as toxic.
Try to only use products like these when you absolutely must. In some instances, you’ll be able to use water and a bit of scrubbing to remove stickers.
It should be noted that allowing Goo Gone to sit on certain materials can be bad. For example, letting it sit on rubber could deteriorate it over time.
What Is the Difference Between Goof Off and Goo Gone?
Goof Off and Goo Gone are quite different even though they’re used for similar things. As mentioned above, Goof Off is substantially more toxic.
It is made using acetone as a base ingredient, and it’s really meant to help remove tougher adhesives. Using it to remove glue is practical because it’s powerful enough to get the job done.
Goo Gone is made using citrus and it’s really meant for smaller jobs. It’s better for stickers and stuff like that.
If you need a stronger type of adhesive to be removed, then you’re better off using Goof Off. You just need to be careful while using it.
Safety While Using Goof Off
Staying safe while using Goof Off is crucial. This product will give off fumes that can cause you problems.
If you were to use this product in a room that doesn’t have proper ventilation, then that could be bad. For this reason, you should only use it when you’re in a room that has good ventilation.
The fumes can be very strong, but Goof Off does get the job done properly. Just be sure to open some windows or something so that you’ll be okay.
If you’re sensitive to such fumes, then it might make sense to wear a mask as well. This will keep you from breathing in the fumes while you’re doing the work.
Final Thoughts
Getting rid of Goof Off residue shouldn’t be that problematic now that you know how to approach the situation. Cleaning the residue is typically as simple as using an all-purpose cleaner and a standard cloth towel.
So long as you scrub the item down properly, it’ll be easy to get good results. Just remember to only use Goof Off in rooms that have proper ventilation.
If you need to remove stickers or something like that, then you’d be better off using a less harsh product. Goo Gone would be a better option.
Even Goo Gone will leave residue behind, but it can also be cleaned up using a bit of cleaner and a towel. Just do your best to wipe things clean whenever you use Goo Gone.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.