# How to take stickers off books safely



## Davidius

Does anyone have tricks for getting stickers off of book covers without leaving a bunch of glue and paper or ruining the cover itself?


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## toddpedlar

Ether works really well, but then I have access to that; you probably don't. There's a product called "Goo gone" that we've used to good effect - there may be some book covers that don't take "goo gone" well, but the ones we've done have come out just fine.


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## he beholds

Try white vinegar. Put some on the sticker, let it sit for a few minutes, rub/scratch off the sticker.


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## Witsius

I'll second Todd's recommendation.
I use water/vinegar in a spray bottle (or Windex if I cheat) for the easier stuff, and Goo-Gone for the nasty stuff (neutralizing and cleaning after with the water/vinegar solution).
It's one of my pet peeves! when used bookstores, esp., use huge bonding price stickers that are a mess to get off. 
I would welcome any other suggestions too.


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## JBaldwin

If you can't find anything that works, you might check with a library supply company. These types of places usually carry special sovlents that are designed to be used on books.


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## Presbyterian Deacon

JBaldwin said:


> If you can't find anything that works, you might check with a library supply company. These types of places usually carry special sovlents that are designed to be used on books.



Brodart has an "Adhesive Pick Up" Eraser for $2.30 that is designed to remove rubber cement residue. Brodart Library Supplies and Furnishings

Brodart also carries "solvents" but usually a good Adhesive Pick-Up Eraser will do the trick!


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## Southern Presbyterian

I use a blow dryer to heat the stickers until they will peel easily off. Then take a piece of masking tape and turn it in on itself (end to end) with the sticky side out and after the book has cooled a bit press the masking tape over the sticky area repeatedly until all the sticky is gone. Works in about 99% of the cases I've tried.


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## Ivan

When I worked at the public library we used _Goo Gone_. Worked great.


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## Casey

Nail polish remover. It'll take off the sticky stuff. If used on a glossy cover, it'll take off ball-point pen marks, too. I work at a publisher that gets a lot of returns and sometimes have to take off price stickers. You can also use a razor-like blade to get under the sticker (be careful, of course, because this can damage the book); for my own books I just use my fingernails and get off as much as I can, then use the nail polish remover to take off the sticky remains.


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## Honor

I was just about to say what Casey said.
Doesn't ether make you go to sleep? so you could start to take off a sticker and wake up with newpaper print of your forehead... duuude.


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## Davidius

Thanks for the tips! Earlier I used a hair dryer and was able to get the sticker off pretty easily, then use nail polish remover to get the residue.


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## VictorBravo

Davidius said:


> Thanks for the tips! Earlier I used a hair dryer and was able to get the sticker off pretty easily, then use nail polish remover to get the residue.



Hurray. I'm late, but I was going to say acetone, which is in nail polish remover.


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## Rocketeer

I usually scratch the sticker off, then rub the residue off with my fingertips; the 'glue' breaks up into small balls if you rub it long enough; this does take some time, though.


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## LawrenceU

I assume we are talking about paperbacks and hardbacks with a gloss finish. Some of of these techniques will destroy a cloth bound book. 

Zippo lighter fluid works well, too. And, it works on many cloth bound books. Always test it on the inside back edge of a bit of the cover if you are trying it on a cloth bound. Learned this from a book collector.


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## Davidius

LawrenceU said:


> I assume we are talking about paperbacks and hardbacks with a gloss finish. Some of of these techniques will destroy a cloth bound book.
> 
> Zippo lighter fluid works well, too. And, it works on many cloth bound books. Always test it on the inside back edge of a bit of the cover if you are trying it on a cloth bound. Learned this from a book collector.



Would nail polish remover hurt cloth? 

Also, I'm not sure I know how to tell the difference between hard back gloss and cloth.


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## VictorBravo

Davidius said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> 
> I assume we are talking about paperbacks and hardbacks with a gloss finish. Some of of these techniques will destroy a cloth bound book.
> 
> Zippo lighter fluid works well, too. And, it works on many cloth bound books. Always test it on the inside back edge of a bit of the cover if you are trying it on a cloth bound. Learned this from a book collector.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would nail polish remover hurt cloth?
> 
> Also, I'm not sure I know how to tell the difference between hard back gloss and cloth.
Click to expand...


Lawrence is right about cloth. Cloth is often bound to a hard back (stiff cardboard) with a glue that could be dissolved by nail polish remover.

Also, acetone doesn't stain or damage most cloth, unless it is some kind of plastic. It's a good idea to test it in a little noticed spot if you don't know for sure what it is.


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## Hamalas

I worked in a bookstore for a year and half and the blow dryer tip is probably your best bet. (Although we did use the Goo Be Gone quite a bit too!)


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## LawrenceU

Acetone (real nail polish remover / there are non-acetone ones out their) can do a number on a cloth bound book. I know I mentioned that above, but don't make the mistake that I did one time. It can also degloss some hard covers.

Naptha (lighter fluid and Coleman white gas) works on most cloth bound books. Naptha is a pretty powerful cleaning agent. It is also good for cleaning felt hats and ties. It is a dry cleaning chemical and leaves no smell.


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