Buying something made of wood – be it a piece of furniture, a table, and so on – is great because it has a natural look to it and can create a great natural aesthetic to it. But it is in keeping those furniture pieces in great shape where the trouble lay.
An underrated problem that occurs with wood furniture is having stickers on it. This can be something that happens more commonly when children are involved. They like to put stickers on every surface that they can, and it can result in a frustrating experience when it comes to getting those stickers off.
But getting rid of those stickers can be far easier than you ever realized. There are a ton of household methods that can be used to get rid of those stickers (and the adhesives that come with the stickers).
Getting Rid of Stickers on Your Wood Furniture
Having kids is a life-changing experience. Part of the process is learning patience since kids will do things that make you question what they were thinking. Having said that, it is all too common for kids to wind up putting stickers all over your nice, wooden furniture.
So, what can you use to get those stickers off without compromising the wood and creating nasty spots? There are a surprising amount of options available in your own home that will take those stickers off with little to no problem.
1 – Peanut Butter
It may sound crazy, but keep reading. Peanut butter may sound like it is a great idea for sandwiches and nothing more, but it can actually be very effective for removing the residue that keeps the stickers adhered to the wood.
Smear a little bit of the peanut butter over the sticker and then let it sit for an hour or so. After that hour has passed, wipe off the peanut butter and the sticker should come up with no problem.
If it doesn’t work the first time, give it another shot before moving on to another method of removing those stickers.
2 – Razor Blades or Scrapers
There are tools available for getting adhesives off of your delicate surfaces. There are scrapers that can be bought at a hardware store or, if you have one laying around, a razor blade.
All you have to do is hold your blade or scraper at an angle and gently (that is the keyword here) push it around the edge of the sticker itself.
When you have started to chip up the edges of the sticker, continue pushing gently until the rest of the sticker comes up. If you are feeling really confident, you may be able to use a credit card to achieve the same effect.
The key here is to be gentle. If you get too aggressive with a scraper or razor blade, you could wind up not only failing to get the sticker pulled up, you can wind up gauging the wood. If you gauge the wood, it could create a much bigger eye sore than the sticker.
3 – WD-40
This is typically used to break down rust or to provide mobility for metal objects that have lost that ability. But it also can help to be a great way to break down and remove adhesives as well. Since it comes in a spray can, it can be easier to use than some of the other methods.
All you have to do is to spray the WD-40 onto the sticker and let that spray soak onto the sticker for around an hour. The sticker should begin to peel and pull up, but even if it doesn’t, you should be able to pull the sticker off in short order.
Another great thing about WD-40 is that, even if you don’t have it laying around the house, you can pick up a can at most big box stores or at your local hardware store.
4 – Hair Dryer
What makes the sticker stay on a specific surface is the adhesive itself. When the adhesive dries and hardens, it becomes more difficult to remove the sticker depending on the kind of sticker involved.
The hair dryer is meant to soften the adhesive, making it easier to pull up. Take the hair dryer and hold it close to the spot where the sticker is for 30 seconds at a time. The heat from the hair dryer can do damage to the wood if you hold it there for too long.
The heat is also pressurized, being delivered with force. The heat will cause the sticker itself to begin to fall apart.
The best part is that it will soften the adhesive as well, making it easier to get both the adhesive and the sticker up so that there is nothing left over on the wood.
5 – White Vinegar
Again, the sticker itself is not so much the problem. It is the adhesive on the back of the sticker that becomes a problem. With a household item such as white vinegar, you can ensure that not only is the sticker removed, but the pesky adhesive underneath is also removed.
Soak a washcloth in the white vinegar, then wrap it around the area where the sticker is. Let it sit there for 20 to 30 minutes so that the vinegar can soak into the sticker and eat away at the adhesive. When the time is up, take the washcloth off and the sticker should be able to slide right off.
Depending on the size of the sticker and the adhesive strength, you may have to do this a time or two to get all of the sticker and adhesive off. Still, it is an effective way to get rid of those stickers without even having to leave your home.
6 – Mayonnaise
Another household item that you would think only has cooking uses, but can actually be used to help you get those nasty stickers off the wood in your home is mayonnaise. Much the same as the peanut butter, you have to apply it over the top of the sticker and let it sit for 30 minutes.
The natural acids in the oils will break down the adhesive behind the sticker, allowing it to be pulled up easily when you wipe away the mayonnaise. It may seem gross, but it can be highly effective when it comes to getting rid of those stickers.
7 – Coconut Oil and Baking Soda
Getting the stickers off is the most important part, but if you can achieve this without having to take a trip to the store, even better. Baking soda is found in most homes and coconut oil is a pantry item as well.
Mix the two together to create a paste and then spread the mixture over the sticker. Let your concoction sit for around an hour or so and start to scrub. The paste will saturate the paper part of the sticker, loosening it up so that you can either pull it up or scrape it away with ease.
There are a ton of household items that can be used to get the stickers off of the wood around your home and it should get rid of the adhesive as well. It is that adhesive that can be particularly difficult to remove.
I have two Associate’s degrees, one in Medical Assisting and the other in Computer Technician, and I am roughly five classes from a bachelor’s degree. Though I never ended up working in the medical field, I have five and a half years of experience in IT. I recently became a stay-at-home mom to my two young boys, and I’m so excited to start this adventure with them! In my spare time, I love to bake and read pretty much anything I can get my hands on.