Stickers are a fun and inexpensive way to decorate walls. But, you may wonder if there is a safe way to remove stickers from a wall without harming the paint. We researched helpful tips to easily and cleanly get sticker residue off walls.
If you need to take stickers off the wall without stripping away paint, there are more than a few methods to get this done. Check out the following ideas.
- Use a soapy solution of dish soap and water
- Remove sticker residue with baby oil
- Apply a glue removal agent
- Heat the sticker before peeling it off
- Use vinegar on the wall surface.
It's tempting to roughly scrape at a sticker and any residue left behind on a wall, but it could risk damaging the paint job. Read on to learn clever solutions to clean up walls of any stickers without ruining the existing paint underneath.
Fixing A Sticky Situation
Wall stickers and decals are a lovely way to spruce up your space and decorate your walls. However, when you want to change out stickers or decals, you'll need a way to remove stickers and adhesives without ruining the paint job.
Depending on how easily you can lift stickers off your walls, you can use a gentle solution or apply a more aggressive commercial cleaning agent to remove sticky residue. Make sure to read over directions and be gentle with your walls.
How To Remove Stickers And Residue From Walls
When you are tired of old stickers or decals on your walls or a sticky residue left behind, you will need a few household tools to clean up. Grab the following items to make sticker removal a cinch.
- An old butter knife or palette knife to gently scrape away at the wall
- A sponge or rag, and a spray bottle or small bucket to hold the cleaning solution
1. Diluted Solution of Soap
Make a 1 to 1 solution of dish detergent and water, place it in a spray bottle and wet down the sticker and any residue. Wait anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes before lifting away the sticker or rubbing it off the wall with a sponge or rag.
2. Diluted Solution of Vinegar
Make a 1 to 1 solution of vinegar and water, place it in a spray bottle and spray down the sticker and any residue until soaked. Gently scrape at the sticker with a flat object or wipe it away with a damp sponge or rag until removed.
3. Apply Baby Oil
If you peel away a sticker but have residue left behind, apply baby oil or vegetable oil to the spot and wipe up stickiness. You can also apply rubbing alcohol or vodka to a sticker and any residue and then wipe it away with a sponge or rag.
4. Heat Up The Sticker
Run a handheld hair dryer or heat gun over your sticker to loosen the adhesive underneath. Next, gently peel away the sticker or gently scrape it with a flat object or knife.
5. Use A Commercial Agent
There are plenty of products on the market that claim to help successfully remove stickers and sticky residue on surfaces. However, which ones should you choose? Check reviews before settling on a product and look at ingredients.
Some products to remove sticky residue without harming walls and paint include 3M's General Adhesive Cleaner, Uni Solve Adhesive Remover Wipes, and Un-Du Original Formula Remover.
You can find eco-friendly products, don't require toxic solvents, and are gentle on porous and non-porous surfaces.
How Do You Remove Wall Decals From Painted Walls?
Vinyl decals are a fantastic way to embellish walls. However, when you want to remove them, it is best to apply heat. Any decals that are firmly stuck to walls will loosen up after running a heat gun or hairdryer over them for a bit.
Like removing stickers, you can also use solutions like vinegar, soapy water, or an adhesive removal product to help remove decals. If needed, agitate a decal using a flat palate knife or a sponge and lift away any residue.
Take your time when removing wall decals or stickers so as not to damage the walls or paint. Make sure to wipe the area clean with water and allow the wall to dry after applying a removal, cleaner, or homemade solution.
If you are pressed for solutions to remove wall decals, soak the sticky decoration with acetone, vodka, rubbing alcohol, or even vegetable oil to help loosen it from the surface. Do a test patch to ensure the walls and paint won't be harmed.
How Do You Get Sticker Residue From Walls?
If you discover sticker residue on your walls, you'll need a trusty solution to take care of the mess. Reach for a commercial adhesive removal or roll up your sleeves and create your own solution using your products at home.
Grab a spray bottle and fill it with a solution of diluted water and vinegar or diluted water and dish detergent. Spray down the affected area of the wall, soaking the sticker residue thoroughly before agitating it with a sponge or cloth.
The key is to use a bit of elbow grease to gently lift the sticker residue up and away without damaging the wall. Make sure the residue is as wet as possible to make it easier to get off the wall. Do not scrape away at dry sticker residue.
If you think you can do so safely, scrape at the residue with a knife or flat object to lift it from the wall without damaging the paint underneath. Only use just enough pressure to agitate the sticker residue and take your time.
What Is The Best Sticky Stuff Remover?
One of the best suggested sticky stuff removers is Goo Gone Original. Many people trust this product when you need to lift away stubborn, sticky adhesive residue from stickers, gum, grease, and decals.
Of course, conduct a small patch test to see if Goo Gone is right for you when removing anything sticky from walls or other porous or non-porous surfaces. Read over the manufacturer's directions for best results and work carefully.
If you are in a pinch and wish to avoid using any commercial products for home use, feel free to use natural solutions like diluted vinegar or dish soap and water with a sponge to clean up sticky residue.
Don't forget to test out any adhesive removal product on a small section of the wall to ensure it is safe to use without ruining the paint. Use only as much product as needed to get the job done and rinse and wipe with water after.
Check out this product to remove sticky things from surfaces on Amazon.
Can Wall Stickers Be Removed Safely?
When possible, opt for a sticker decal or wall decoration that easily removes from a wall without causing unnecessary damage. However, if you have typical wall stickers, you can remove them safely from the walls using moisture or heat.
You can soak down the wall stickers with soapy water or diluted vinegar before wiping it away with a sponge or cloth. Or, run a hairdryer over the sticker to heat it, loosen the adhesive underneath, and gently peel it off the wall.
If you discover any lingering sticker residue left behind on the wall after removing a wall sticker, break out the baby oil. Rub-down the affected area with baby oil and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before scraping it up or wiping it away.
Make sure to follow up your wall sticker and residue removal with clean water. Wipe away baby oil, soap, or vinegar to lift away the sticky residue with a damp sponge or rag. Dry with a paper towel or air dry once it is clean.
Check out these modern wall decals on Amazon.
Conclusion
We hope after reading our article that you feel more confident about lifting away any stickers and left-behind residue from walls. It can be a little tricky getting old stickers and any bits of glue or adhesive off of walls, so be patient.
If you work carefully and use a solution of dish soap or vinegar and water; a commercial cleaner that dissolves or removes adhesive from surfaces; you can quickly and cleanly erase any signs of stickers from the wall.
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