Fabric care experts share their go-to hacks for getting rid of sticker residue.
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So, you accidentally washed a shirt with a name tag sticker, and it left behind sticky, gummy flecks of glue. Don't panic. While it seems like the tacky, leftover adhesive will be stuck on your favorite top forever, it is possible to remove even the most stubborn residual sticker glue—as long as you know what to do. Here are a few at-home ways to get sticker residue off your clothes without ruining them, according to clothing care professionals.
To deal with sticker residue on synthetic fabric garments, simply place them in the freezer for 45 to 90 minutes. This will cause the residue to solidify, facilitating easier removal. Follow cleaning expert Gwen Whiting's advice, who suggests, "Stick the shirt in the freezer for an hour to harden the glue. Pick off what you can."
After removing what you can with the freezer method, use warm water and dish soap to take off any remaining residue. "Wet the shirt and rub it with a microfiber cloth and a little dish soap," Whiting says. "Soak the garment in warm water for 20 minutes, then let it air-dry."
Believe it or not, you can use acetone nail polish remover to help break down the hardened, leftover adhesive. Here's what to do:
"Lay the garment flat on a table and place a towel behind the stain," says dry cleaning expert John Mahdessian. "First, check to make sure the glue is dry, then dab clear acetone nail polish remover onto a cloth and rub it into the leftover glue. The white spots should vanish quickly."
Only use this method on non-acetate fabrics—otherwise, the acetone in the nail polish remover will melt the fabric.
"Glue residue is plastic-based, and scrubbing with ordinary soap and water won't always remove it," says dry cleaning expert Chris Allsbrooks. They recommend using Carbona Stain Devils No. 1 ($6, amazon.com), which is specifically made to remove adhesives (think: chewing gum and glue) from most washable fabrics (including cotton)—even if it's already been through the laundry.
Here's how to use it:
According to Dawn senior scientist Morgan Eberhard, while the brand's research and development team has not tested Dawn specifically to remove sticker residue from fabrics, she says that Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray can act as a quick stain remover or pretreatment for laundry stains including oil, ink, grass, and more. "When stains land on your clothes, simply pretreat them with the steps below to make sure they don’t set," says Eberhard.
Dawn is safe to use directly on any cotton/polycotton fabric but should not be used on delicate fabrics or those that water spot such as a silk top or suede jacket, notes Eberhard. "We recommend spot testing with a small drop in a less visible area to make sure the material of the garment will not be damaged," she says.
Distilled vinegar can be used to clean pretty much anything, including removing sticker residue from clothes.
Natural Polyamide To begin, heat pure distilled white vinegar in the microwave. Then, saturate the area of residue with the warm vinegar. The adhesive will begin to loosen, allowing you to scrape off the remaining residue. Rinse the area with cool water and pretreat the stain with a stain remover for 10 to 15 minutes before washing. Be sure the adhesive is completely removed before tossing it in the dryer.