Pin Busters! D-I-Y Sticky Goo Gunk Remover

Don't you hate the sticky residue left by labels, stickers, and price tags? I've tried Goo Gone and Elmer's Sticky Out, and they usually work pretty well on glass, but not always quite as well on plastic. Another drawback is the consistency - you can't really pour them on and let them sit because they're so thin.

I saw a pin on Pinterest for a homemade version of adhesive remover that led me to the Rosy Blu Handmade blog. The recipe was simply 1 part coconut oil and one part baking soda. Simple enough - and I just happened to have both items.

I decided to call mine "Sticky Goo Gunk Remover", SGGR for short. :-)

(This post contains some affiliate links which were added to make it easier for you to find the items. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). You are free to use the links or not - if you do, I thank you!)


First, I mixed up a little on a plate (I didn't want to make a bigger batch until I knew whether it worked or not) and put it to work on a frosting container that had a little adhesive left from the label.


This is what the container looked like before I started:


I applied the SGGR and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.


Then I rubbed it with my finger to loosen the adhesive - and a lot of it did come off! I applied a little more SGGR and rubbed it with my finger again.


This time it all came off!


Okay, that was great - but would it work on something with a lot more adhesive? I had a plastic bottle that was almost completely covered by an adhesive label - when I removed the label, almost everything was left behind. Could the SGGR save the day?


I rubbed SGGR all over the bottle and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Then I used an icing spatula to gently remove any loosened sticky goo gunk.


Look at that! It's working! I applied more SGGR and rubbed it pretty vigorously with my finger, let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then rubbed a little more before using the spatula to remove any loosened sticky goo gunk.


Most of it was removed with the second application! A little more SGGR, more rubbing, etc. - you get the picture...


Third time's a charm! I washed the bottle in hot soapy water to get rid of the oil...


At this point, I liked it and wanted to make a bigger batch. I decided to store it in the frosting contained that I had just cleaned, but I wasn't sure how long it could be stored before it started growing fuzzy things... so I only used 1/2 c. each of the baking soda and coconut oil. BTW - coconut oil is mostly solid at room temperature - but once you start working with it, it starts to melt. It's very easy to mix.


The verdict: Pin-worthy! It works just as well as the commercial products (if not better), it's easy to make, it's inexpensive, and there are no nasty chemicals involved. I bet you could even store it in the fridge to lengthen it's shelf-life. The coconut oil would soften as soon as you started using it. I'm going to keep making this, but I'm going to put it in a bottle with a dispenser top so it will be easier to use.

(FYI: I purchased my coconut oil from Majestic Mountain Sage, but you can probably find it at your local health food store.)