Getting Rid of a Sticker and its Residue

Today was supposed to be a review of Sea Witch by Sarah Henning, but life got in the way and I'm still in the middle of reading it.
So instead here's something different!

- - -

I'm sure a lot of us has experienced this. Every once in a while we buy a book and it has a sticker on the cover (promotion, sale, used copy... too many reasons) and we peel it off - and the residue stays. And. It. Won't. Budge.

At this point you try to rub it creating goo lumps eventually just smearing the mess. Then we might google, but we can't just risk the book. But I've done it so you don't need to!
So for getting rid of a sticker and its residue read on.

Before continuing on with your own testing, try the possible materials on a bit of the cover first to make sure it won't be harmed!


1) Getting the sticker off

- Take a blunt object with an edge (ex. a ruler), but nothing too sharp so you won't puncture the cover

- Start with the corner of the sticker and once it lifts up use the edge of the ruler to push the sticker, until you can pull it with your fingers

- Note: in case of multiple stickers, finish with one sticker completely before starting another so nothing sticks to the goop while you work

At this point the materials to use differ based on the cover material type.


For non-absorbent covers
(ex. leather, cloth, plastic covered, some of the velvety feeling ones, most naked hardbacks):

2) Get something alcohol based, or not
- You can use perfume or nail polish remover, or even just oil
(I even managed with non-alcohol based nail polish remover)

- Add a few drops to a piece of paper and start rubbing the sticker

- You can finish off with a dry or damp (with water) paper to get rid of any moisture left


For other covers
(ex. most hardback jackets, paper, non-shiny I guess):

2) Rubbing

There's a couple ways of doing this, but each work because of friction and the residue will start to clump up

- Take an eraser (or even just a piece of paper) and rub the sticky parts. Don't use a crumbly one and do note that this will cause lots of crumbs to clean off, but the stickyness will be gone

- The I'd-even-say-iconic way would be to try blotting the sticker's residue with the sticker itself, but this would take quite a long time. So instead take a piece of tape and instead of blotting it stick it on (while still holding the ends) and rub it against the book

What not to do:

- Don't use heat on it like you can with wood, it will curl the pages

- If you're using any liquids, don't leave it on too long, it might soak through the cover

- Also with liquids try not get any of it on the book pages, because though they will dry they might end up curled

Another warning: it does get worse, before it gets better!

Read on lovelies,

S