We all know WD-40 works for making things move when they’re seized, but it also works better than anything for getting rid of all traces of adhesive left behind after peeling off stubborn stickers from things you buy.
It works on nearly all surfaces* – even coated paper! (just be sure not to leave it to soak into the paper.)
Instead of peeling slowly for ages with your fingernail or doing that peel-stick-peel-stick thing for half an hour, soak a paper towel in WD-40 and dab it on the offending sticker remains, wait a few minutes, then wipe off. (*if on coated paper, don’t let it soak, just gently rub it.) Clean the item afterwards to remove the oil left behind.
*it’s best to test a small area first if the object is painted or porous, and be careful with items meant to be food safe, because WD-40 is obviously not food safe.
This is something I wish more people knew, because soooo many manufacturers and retailers put stickers in the worst places and with near-permanent adhesive. I hope this helps you!
You should know that wd is for water displacement. If you are trying to do anything else there is a better chemical you should use instead.
It’s much more than that, chemically. It’s a solvent, mostly, and contains (amongst other things) purified mineral spirits, temporary lubricants, etc. It’s got a whole lot of uses, and if you’re not going to spend time learning and stocking special-use chemicals (who actually does this but nerds, I sure don’t 😳), WD-40 is pretty versatile.
Versital perhaps but overrated since there are plenty of other chemical mixtures out there and a different one is usually better.