10 Home Hacks for Removing Stickers from Any Wood Surface

If you just discovered a sticker or sticker adhesive on a wood surface, there are tons of ways you can remove it with items in your home. The best way to remove a sticker is to use a hair dryer to melt the adhesive so you can peel it off without leaving any sticky residue. You can also use an oil, nail polish remover, vinegar, or petroleum jelly to loosen the adhesive. Whether your wood surface is finished, unfinished, or painted, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for all the ways to remove stickers off any wood furniture or surface.

Best Way to Remove Stickers from Wood Furniture

Hold a hair dryer on its lowest setting over the sticker for 30 seconds. Scrape it off with an old plastic credit card or a plastic putty knife. Alternatively, apply nail polish remover to a cotton ball and dab the sticker. Let the solution sit on the sticker for 3 to 5 minutes, then scrape it off with a plastic card.

Method 1

Method 1 of 10:

Using a Hair Dryer

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1
Hover a dryer or heat gun over the sticker on its lowest setting. Hold the blow dryer or heat gun two inches (5 cm) over the sticker for about 30 seconds. ^{[1]
X
Research source} Scrape the edge of the sticker with an old plastic credit card or plastic putty knife . Keep heating and scraping the sticker until you can peel it off the wood surface.
- Alternatively, use a palette knife or a plastic butter knife to scrape the sticker off.
- If the sticker doesn’t come right off, grab the edge with tweezers or needle-nose pliers and pull the sticker as you heat the underside with the hair dryer.
- Try not to heat the wood for more than 30 seconds at a time. Too much heat can damage the finish or cause the sticker to leave a stain.

Method 2

Method 2 of 10:

Using Vegetable or Mineral Oil

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1
Soak a cotton ball with oil and apply it to the sticker. Apply a few drops of a vegetable or plant oil (like eucalyptus , canola, or olive oil) or low-strength mineral oil (like baby oil ) on a cotton ball and dab it on the sticker. Let the oil sit for 1 to 2 hours, then pry the sticker off the wood surface with a plastic scraper. Wipe away the excess oil with a cloth. ^{[2]
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- Unfinished woods might absorb the oil and darken—this isn’t harmful, but if you don’t want your furniture to potentially change color, try another method.
- Use lemon oil on gentle wood surfaces like guitar fretboards. ^{[3]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 10:

Using Nail Polish Remover

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1
Apply the acetone with a cotton ball, then scrape the sticker off. House cleaning professional Raymond Chiu says to gently “Apply the nail polish remover with a cotton [ball ] on the adhesive and allow it to sit for [3 to 5] minutes. Then, use a scraper to lift the adhesive off the wood. Repeat the process as necessary until all the adhesive is off the wood.”
- Chiu says “Be careful not to apply the nail polish remover on the wood and have a dry clean cloth in hand just to wipe away any excess liquid if necessary.”
- Use a gentle scraper like a plastic putty knife or an old credit card to make sure it doesn’t scratch the wood’s surface.

Method 4

Method 4 of 10:

Using Vinegar

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1
Soak a cloth in white distilled vinegar and lay it over the sticker. Let the vinegar absorb into the sticker for 3 to 5 minutes, then gently peel the sticker off with a plastic scraper or your fingernail. Repeat if necessary to remove the sticker and all the leftover adhesive. ^{[4]
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- Alternatively, soak a cloth in warm water and lay it directly over the sticker. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then remove and scrape off the sticker.
- This can also remove stickers from glass and ceramic surfaces, like the backs of plates and jars. ^{[5]
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- After you’re done, protect and wipe down the surface with wood polish .

Method 5

Method 5 of 10:

Using Petroleum Jelly

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1
Gently remove sticker residue with Vaseline. Spread the petroleum jelly directly over the sticker or sticky residue and let it sit overnight. The next day, use a plastic scraper or your fingernail to gently pry the sticker and its adhesive off the wood surface. ^{[6]
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- Vaseline can also fix minor scratches, stains, and water rings on wood furniture. Just cover the area with the jelly, let it sit for 24 hours, and wipe away the excess with a cloth. ^{[7]
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Method 6

Method 6 of 10:

Using Dish Soap

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1
Scrub the wood with a microfiber cloth dipped in soapy water. Combine a few drops of dish soap with 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water, dip a microfiber cloth in the mixture, and gently scrub at the sticker. Rinse and repeat, until all the residue is gone. ^{[8]
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- Once the sticker is completely removed, wipe the area with a clean dry microfiber cloth.

Method 7

Method 7 of 10:

Using a Commercial Glue Remover

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1
Apply a product like Goo Gone or Goof Off and peel off the sticker. Try a product like Goo Gone Sticker Lifter , Goof Off , or 3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner and follow the instructions on the back. Most products will ask you to apply the product directly to the sticker, wait for a few minutes, and use a plastic scraper to pry the sticker off. ^{[9]
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- Alternatively, use a small paint brush to apply naphtha to the edge of the sticker. Scrape the sticker up, applying more naphtha to the underside as you peel. ^{[10]
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- Read the label instructions to make sure the product is safe for wood. Most of these solvents are only safe on finished and painted wood. ^{[11]
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Method 8

Method 8 of 10:

Using Rubber Erasers

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1
Scrub at the sticker with a rubber eraser to remove it. A rubber eraser can remove sticker residue from many surfaces, including wood. ^{[12]
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Research source} Just grab any pencil eraser and scrub at the sticker until it starts to peel off. Continue rubbing until all the sticky adhesive is gone. ^{[13]
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- Use a damp cloth to wipe away any leftover eraser shavings.

Method 9

Method 9 of 10:

Using Rubbing Alcohol

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1
Apply rubbing alcohol to stickers on unfinished wood surfaces. Rubbing alcohol can strip away the finish on painted, varnished, and finished wood surfaces, so it may be best to only use this on raw wood. ^{[14]
X
Research source} Wet a paper towel or cotton ball with rubbing alcohol, dab the sticker, and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape off the sticker with a plastic scraper. ^{[15]
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- To remove leftover residue, rub the spot with more rubbing alcohol until it’s gone.
- Make sure to test the rubbing alcohol on an unseen corner of the wood to make sure it won’t damage the surface while trying to remove the sticker.

Method 10

Method 10 of 10:

Using Sand Paper

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1
Sand the sticker off unfinished wood if no other method works. If the sticker or sticker residue will not come off on your unfinished wood furniture, sand the entire surface with 100-grit sandpaper . Restore the smooth surface with 120-grit sandpaper , then 220-grit . ^{[16]
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- If you want to sand down a finished or painted piece of wood, make sure to reapply whichever finish or paint was used to restore it fully.

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Question

I had pasted some images from magazines on the door of my wooden drawer, using white school glue. How can I remove them?

Megan16

Community Answer

White glue is usually water-soluble, so just dampen it, scratch it off and use a wet rag to wipe away the remains.

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Question

My headboard on my bed has stickers and residue on it, would these steps still work?

Community Answer

They should! Give each method a try, but be careful as you go to avoid damaging the wood any further.

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But what if you do the sandpaper and it scratches the wood?

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Use a fine grit sandpaper and sand lightly to avoid ugly scratches.

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Tips

Some types of sticker glue can be easily removed when frozen. You can try this with small pieces of wood, but it might become damaged. Wet wood can crack or weaken when frozen.

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Warnings

Do not smoke or use other heat sources near flammable solvents.

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Test each product you use on a small unseen area on the wood before applying it to the sticker.

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Try to avoid using toothpaste to remove sticker residue on wood. The ingredients may bleach the surface of the wood or leave behind stains. ^{[17]
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Magic Erasers might be able to remove sticker residue, but it can scratch finished, painted, polished, and raw unstained wood surfaces. ^{[18]
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WD-40 might remove sticker residue, but it can also dissolve wax finishes and seep into the grain of unfinished wood surfaces, so it’s not recommended. ^{[19]
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10 Home Hacks for Removing Stickers from Any Wood Surface

Best Way to Remove Stickers from Wood Furniture

Steps

Using a Hair Dryer

Using Vegetable or Mineral Oil

Using Nail Polish Remover

Using Vinegar

Using Petroleum Jelly

Using Dish Soap

Using a Commercial Glue Remover

Using Rubber Erasers

Using Rubbing Alcohol

Using Sand Paper

Video

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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References

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