How best to remove tour label residue?

[Stuart91]

I'm "refurbishing" a couple of old cable trunks that I picked up recently.The previous owner had stuck some large tour labels on at annoying jaunty angles.

 

I've tried my best to remove them but there's still a thin, but very obvious, layer of residue that isn't shifting easily. So far I've attacked it with IPA, label remover, and some "Goo Gone" gel. They all help a little, but nothing's shifting it completely. I have a variety of wire brushes etc. and the impression I get is that anything energetic enough to lift the residue is going to mess up the underlying surface too.

 

Is there anything else that I could use to get rid of the residue?

[pmiller056]

Turpentine Substitute (aka Paraffin / Kerosene) and if that fails, White Spirit. Try on an inconspicuous place first to make sure that the solvent doesn't remove the surface finish. Both available from your local DIY shed. Pay attention to hazard and safe use warnings on the packaging.

[Stuart91]

Thanks - I'll give them a try. Neither is in my usual arsenal for these kinds of tasks.

[themadhippy]

wd40 often works well

[John_P]

wd40 often works well

 

+1

 

I often use wd to remove gaffa tape residue but any good solvent like white spirit should work.

[ImagineerTom]

WD40 alternating with baby wipes will strip just about any label and tape residue I’ve ever encountered

[ontoprigger]

You could try expanding foam gun cleaner, but be careful,spray it onto a cloth not the case and don't use to much as it can attack some of the plastic coated ply used by some flight case manufacturers, I've found it will take of most adhesives.

[GaryNattrass]

I have always found that Mr Sheen is good for dissolving glue residue.

[canoemoose]

We use acetone to dissolve case label glue. Seems to be the only thing that shifts it - none of the usual glue cleaners work.

[the kid]

Is it glue or label, the ones from lemark that are foam backed are hellish. We usually use most of what people have said above, also have used heat before to just loosen the foam as it is usually the foam thats hanging about on the top and prevents anything getting to the actual glue to remove.

 

Then a sharp knife to razor off.

[Simon Lewis]

Acetone, applied sparingly to a cloth or slightly abrasive pad should remove most residues, but can also take the shine of some finishes. Ethanol or isopropanol is more kind.

WD40 has a load of different solvents, some of which I'd prefer not to be getting on my hands too often, plus oils which I'd rather not put on my cases...

[Stuart91]

Thanks, everyone. As it happens I have WD40, Acetone, and Baby Wipes all at hand so will give that a try later on. Failing that it'll be off to the hardware shop for some white spirit.

 

From what I can see, there's a very thin layer of foam still attached, it's not just the adhesive itself. I'd earlier tried scoring it and going at it with a wallpaper scraper but wasn't making any headway. I figured if I was much more brutal with it I'd do some real damage to the surface underneath. Some gentle heat to encourage it sounds like a good call.

 

Simon makes good points about solvents, I'll use them sparingly and rinse off afterwards.

[Junior8]

Always very very hot water on a sponge first (it's sometimes worked for me and I always give it a go first) then White Spirit - give it time to work - then go on through the rest of the list above. I agree with the comment on WD40.

[the kid]

Thanks, everyone. As it happens I have WD40, Acetone, and Baby Wipes all at hand so will give that a try later on. Failing that it'll be off to the hardware shop for some white spirit.

 

From what I can see, there's a very thin layer of foam still attached, it's not just the adhesive itself. I'd earlier tried scoring it and going at it with a wallpaper scraper but wasn't making any headway. I figured if I was much more brutal with it I'd do some real damage to the surface underneath. Some gentle heat to encourage it sounds like a good call.

 

Simon makes good points about solvents, I'll use them sparingly and rinse off afterwards.

 

Yeh removing the top foam is more important than the glue.

 

Honestly we have found a really sharp blade, like a glass scraper is better than anything else, I think when we have been told to remove labels from cases for sale (as we do sometimes) we budget around 30 mins +

[Dave m]

Zippo/swan lighter fuel is pretty good for this sort of thing.Just don't smoke when using it