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Re: [Phys-l] removing labels (was: glass)




1) Most labels are put on using temperature-sensitive
adhesive. (This should be no surprise, given that any
solvent-based method would be too slow and too un-green.
And if it wasn't temperature-sensitive, you would already
have removed it and wouldn't be asking the question.)

The heat from a hair dryer will soften the adhesive. Then
the label can be peeled off cleanly. For large labels, you
can't get the whole thing hot at once, so use a gradual,
progressive process, starting at a corner. Heat, peel, heat,
peel, .... A big label could take a couple of minutes.

Try this /first/ because you want the paper to be strong so
it comes away in one piece and takes the adhesive with it.
Soaking the label in water weakens the paper and makes it
much less likely to come away in one piece. You can always
try solvent-based or bug-based techniques later.

2) On 07/06/2009 08:45 AM, curtis osterhoudt wrote:

.... a solution of bacterial-laden water,
which eventually (~ 2 days) eats away the labels.

That's clever. I never would have thought of that.

3) A good trick for removing the last little bits of stray
adhesive is to dust them with fine powder such as flour.
This gives the adhesive something to adhere to, so that
when you rub it it comes off, rather than just smearing to
new locations and sticking there.