Sticker Adhesive and Cloudy Glass
Ways to Rid Plastic of Labels and Make Your Glassware Spotless
Find out how to remove stubborn sticker adhesive from plastic containers and how to take the cloudiness out of your glassware.
Q: How do I remove sticker adhesive from plastic containers? I have several containers that I would like to reuse, but I can't remove the sticker adhesive from the containers.
A: Plastic containers can have myriad uses around the home. Plastic boxes make great storage devices and plastic jars are suitable for using as cloches in the garden, especially for propagating plants or roses from cuttings. The plastic labels aren't very attractive when left on the sides of these containers and the containers can look awful when the sticker or label is scratched off the sides.
If you're having trouble removing a sticker or label from a plastic container, try using a product called Goo Gone for best results. First, soak the label on its top side with the Goo Gone. Then, as the label starts to loosen, rub the Goo Gone underneath the label. The label should gently loosen, leaving a crystal clear, unscratched surface underneath. Reach for this useful product the next time you need to pull labels off plastic storage containers, plastic garbage pails and garden rakes. A few drops of Goo Gone will dissolve the sticker adhesive, leaving you with sightly – and less sticky – products.
Q: When I use a dishwasher to wash glassware, a cloudy haze develops on the glasses. How do I prevent this?
A: Unsightly, hazy glasses can most likely be blamed on hard water. Hard water is made up of calcium and magnesium carbonate ions, which leads to a buildup of lime; lime deposits harden with age. The longer that your glasses have stayed hazy, the harder it will be to eliminate the haze that has been deposited on them.
To remove the buildup on glassware, rub the pieces first with acetone (more commonly known as nail-polish remover) and then use a product called Swirl-A-Way. This cleaning product is composed of an organic form of sand, silicate, which will help to break down the film. Don't forget to use a great deal of elbow grease if you want to remove as much of the haze as possible.
The easiest way to ensure glasses don't develop a cloudy haze in the first place is to wash them by hand. Use a mild dishwashing soap, rinse off the soap completely and dry the glasses immediately after washing.
One permanent solution to hard water in the home is installing a water-softening system. A water-softening system eliminates the hard-water problem, but they are somewhat expensive, ranging in price from $1,000 to $1,600.
SOURCES
Swirl-A-Way
Home Trends Catalog
1450 Lyell Avenue
Rochester, NY 14606-2184
716-254-6520
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