The Best Way to Remove Labels from Glass Jars
The Best Way to Remove Labels from Glass Jars
A side-by-side test of three different methods for removing labels from jars - all cheap and all easy!
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Have you ever had a cute jar or a jar that you just liked for some reason and instead of putting it in the recycling bin you decide to save it for something crafty?
If you've done that but then wondered how to remove the label completely, like NO MORE LABEL, I have some great tips for you that will have you reusing that bright and shiny label-free jar in no time flat!
How To Completely Remove Labels From Glass Jars
In this post, I'm sharing a super-easy tutorial that details 3 different ways to remove the labels and all the icky glue residue so you can have a virtual garden of jars on hand for all your decor and crafting needs or even organizing.
I like to use my recycled jars as vases, to hold office supplies, to organize small items, like cupcake wrappers and more. The possibilities are endless!
After Christmas this year my husband, unfortunately, had a long stay in the hospital, and I was preoccupied with that and a lot of other "life stuff" so asked my oldest son to do the grocery shopping. One of the things he bought were three jars of holiday cookies. They were on clearance so he couldn't pass them up (I raised him right!).
After the jars were empty I decided to keep them and try a little experiment and tried three different ways to remove the labels and here's what worked....and what didn't.
Repurposed Glass Jar Inspiration:
Three Methods for Removing Labels from Jars and the Very Interesting Results
Step One: Fill a sink with warm water and add enough dish soap to make some good bubbles.
Step Two: Add the jars you want to remove the labels from to the warm, soapy water.
Step Three: Completely submerge the jars. I went a little wild with the water and bubbles - I was distracted and came back just in time to turn off the water. Does this ever happen to you?
Step Four: Allow the jars to soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step Five: Remove the jar from the water. Starting with a corner remove the paper portion of the label. This will leave behind a gluey residue.
I rinsed my jars but I don't think this step is necessary since you'll be washing them after the label is completely removed.
My test subjects are now ready!
Oil vs. Goo Gone vs. Totally Awesome for Label Glue Removal
For my test, I chose regular vegetable oil, Totally® Awesome from the Dollar Tree and Goo Gone.
I squirted the first jar generously with the Goo Gone.
For the second jar, I poured Totally Awesome directly on to the residual glue.
And the third jar was slathered with pure vegetable oil.
I waited 10 minutes and then began to remove the glue from my jars. I normally use a sponge with a scrubber side to do this but that tends to be messy so this time I used Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths - the textured side. This worked so much better.
When needed, I rinsed the cloth so there was no glue build-up.
If you've never heard of the scrubbing dishcloths you can check out my post about how I use them to Wash Walls in 5 Easy Steps - I find myself using them for a lot of my
After I did the above steps with all three of my jars I washed them again in a soapy water solution and rinsed them well.
The Results - Which Product Worked Best?
Now, for the results.
The Goo Gone was the clear winner - clear....get it? It left absolutely NO residue and hands down did the best job.
Second place went to the vegetable oil. There was still some residual glue left but not much and when I washed the jar almost all of the remaining glue came off.
The loser was the Totally Awesome. It's hard to see in this photo but it really didn't do a very good job of removing the glue and I would NOT recommend it.
Here's a close up of the Goo Gone treated jar.
*Note: I did wash it in soapy water after removing the glue as I did all of the jars above.
Will This Work on Bottles?
Yes, it will!
I've tried this on just about every jar and glass bottle I can get my hands on. I've used this method to remove labels from Starbucks bottles (I love the shape of those), to remove labels from empty wine bottles, and even to remove labels from beer bottles.
Do you have a favorite method that I didn't try above? I would love to hear about.
Some other posts you may enjoy:
Thanks for this post. I try various methods to get the glue off my glass jars but I never really pay attention to what works.
I got frustrated with wasting time trying to salvage a jar (like I don't already have enough!) and that's why I tried different methods - so I'd know once and for all what worked and what didn't. 🙂 Have a wonderful day and thank you so much for stopping by.
Thank you Mary Beth, an all you DIYers; I'm ever so grateful for your many experiments an tried an true methods that are posted on my favorite site, Pinterest. My busy schedule prevents me from even the slightest test, therefore I rely on my Pinterest family who so loving share their finds. Thank you, thank you, thank you, your efforts do not go unnoticed.
Thank you so much, Sonya! That is so sweet of you to say. I appreciate you stopping by. Have a wonderful day! 🙂
Great tip! I also like Goo Gone but that vegetable oil is something that's always in my panty... and it looks like it also does a really good job of getting that label residue off!
I was shocked at how well the vegetable oil worked and I'll definitely be using it again. xo
I usually just fill the jar with hot water, to warm the glass, pour that out, then fill again with boiling hot water which I let set for a couple of minutes. Often, the heat and moisture softens up the glue and with a quick rubdown (careful, the glass and water will be hot) off it comes. Goo Gone is always a last resort winner for me as well.
I'll have to try this, Diane. Thank you for sharing and for stopping by. Have a great week.
Great tips!
My best (and cheapest) method to remove that glue-residue was...... Bar Keep and a stainless steel scrubbie!! It cleans the glass completely, and it is much more cost-effective for me. Cheers!
Thanks so much for sharing your tip, Leslie, and thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful week.
Hi Mary Beth - I too have used Goo Gone, but find the petroleum solvent smell overpowering. I have had great success adding some baking soda to the veggie oil, like a paste. Put it on, let it sit a while, then scrub away with hot soapy water. Voila - residue free! I too like to repurpose glass jars, and this is my go to solution. Cheers!
Hi Lesli!
Thanks so much for sharing your tip. My family doesn't like the smell of the Goo Gone either so I'll try your recommendation next time I have some jars.
Thanks as well for stopping by - I truly appreciate it.
Regards,
Mary Beth
I usually use vegetable oil because I don't care for the chemical smell of the Goo Gone. However, it does take a bit more elbow grease sometimes with the oil depending on how stubborn the glue is. I love this side-by-side test. Thank Mary Beth!
Instead of cleaning the last of the residual adhesive with soap and water, smooth over it with a bit of oil,sprinkle heavily with cornmeal or flour, and rub firmly with your fingers. The adhesive will stick to the flour, ball up, and release. It is much faster than cleaning with water and an abrasive cleanser. The remaining oil will wash off with a quick soapy water wash up.
That's a great tip, Candice! I will give it a try the next time I have some jars to clean up. Thanks so much for sharing it and have an awesome week.
Mary Beth...what a great experiment! Thanks for saving me the time. I admit that I usually just soak my jars in soapy water and then scrub with a scrubbie pad. But I do have some Goo Gone so if I need it done quickly...that'll be my go to!
I am so glad you liked the tip, Sue. 🙂
I just use some nail polish remover.