How does one remove price tags cleanly from vintage patterns?

[InsideOutandOver]

I have made some unsuccessful attempts at removing price tags from patterns I have picked up at thrift stores. I am often left with a sticky residue. Does anyone have a method for doing this invisibly, without ruining the paper of the envelope?

[KeepsakesStudio]

I think I've mentioned this before, Joy. "It depends". Not very helpful, I know. But here is what I have discovered along the way.

1. Fight fire with fire. I discovered this when making new file labels at work. When I placed a new label over an older label on a file, within about a week or two, the NEW label had lifted the OLD label off the file! I could very carefully lift both off the file tab. Of course that meant doing a replacement label! And sometimes there was glue residue. I think there may be some variables, like weather, what type of glue (we used Avery labels, if that helps), and how well the labels were sealed to the folder. With patterns I've experimented using this method and then blasting the labels with a hair dryer on high. It worked on some papers, not others. I have also taken the tip of my iron set on warm and heated the residue enough to roll it off the paper with the tip of my index finger. But you have to be careful not to get the iron too hot or then you have ANOTHER problem! LOL

2. Believe it or not, using scotch tape on sticky residue seams to also work. Just press it down as if you were removing lint. Again, the issue may be the paper not the glue.

3. Use Goo Gone. We can get it here in Colorado at the hardware store or the dollar store. If you can't find it check on line. TAKE PATTERN OUT OF THE ENVELOPE AND STUFF WITH SEVERAL SHEETS OF PAPER TOWELS FIRST. Goo gone is some sort of oil. Use it on a cotton ball or q-tip and gently rub. Again, depending on the paper, the inks used, and the age of the pattern, you may have some ink loss. Also, you may freak out because of the oil stain on the paper. If you are patient, it will evaporate! This is always a last ditch effort for me, but so far, so good. After a couple of days the stain has evaporated. Just to be sure, I always put a blank sheet of typing paper between the pattern and the envelope when I am done. No harm.

Worst case scenario: just place a pretty sticker over the residue. :O)

A nearby thrift store had one employee who just couldn't resist placing stickers over the faces on the patterns. And they always seemed to be really desirable ones, too! One time I very politely mentioned this to a manager there, who realized this "label issue" may explain why sales in patterns had gone down over the last couple of months. The next time I was there I noticed that they had replaced sticky labels with paper ones stapled to the upper corner, which presented a whole new set of problems removing the staples carefully, but it was definitely a huge improvement over the sticky labels.

Good luck with this. Let us know what method you settle on.

[InsideOutandOver]

Thank you So much, MaryAnne, for taking the time to write out your various methods. So much appreciated! I have some Goo Gone but have been concerned about the oil stain factor. Now I am quite curious as to the oil evaporating. I shall do some experimenting with the methods you shared.

Again, thank you!

[InsideOutandOver]

So last evening I did do some experimenting, MaryAnne, using several patterns with sticky price tags from a local thrift shop. I removed them with a hair dryer which left a sticky residue, then used Goo Gone on just one to see what would happen with the seemingly oily stain left behind, which had spread to an area of about a 2" diameter.

This morning the oily 'stain' has completely disappeared! And I am able to see that I rubbed a bit too hard with the Goo Gone as I took off a thin layer of paper in spots.

With the hair dryer I also removed a small label from a valuable 50's pattern, one which appeared to have been there a long time. I will try the Goo Gone on that sticky residue. . . . with a bit of fear and trepidation . . ... maybe I will first find an unsellable dilapidated pattern envelope in my stash to dab some Goo gone on just to assure myself it works the same way on old paper:)

Much obliged for your invaluable tips, MaryAnne.

[CynicalGirl]

You might try goof-off instead of goo gone. It is like a lacquer thinner and I use a q-tip to apply to the top of the label only. It softens the adhesive and then I lift it off. (Let it air dry and the odor will dissipate) Any remaining adhesive residue can usually be rubbed off with a plastic eraser usually found in art supply stores. Magic Rub is one brand. Some adhesives are stubborn and for those I place a paper towel over the spot and apply a mildly hot iron. Repeat while moving the paper towel to pick up as much of the residue as possible. When worse comes to worse I place a white round label over the offending spot.

[KeepsakesStudio]

Mary - great idea with the goof-off...I'd forgotten about that. Hard to find in this area though. I'm going to try your q-tip idea next time.

Joy - glad everything has worked so far. I think you will find that there is no right way that works with all glues and papers. Mary's two part method has me intrigued. Almost can't wait to try on the next offending label!

[InsideOutandOver]

Mary, that sounds interesting. I will look to see if Goof-off is in stores here in Edmonton.

I also found that one particular type of price sticker peeled off very easily when I placed a dry iron set on Cotton on it a few seconds. But the sticky residue still needed removing.

[CynicalGirl]

Joy - the plastic eraser might work on the left-over adhesive. It's a fluid process as every label has it's own adhesive.

[InsideOutandOver]

Thanks, Mary, I will definitely try that.

[PatternsFromGrandma]

The thrift store I usually buy patterns at puts a large sticky label on the front of the pattern. What I usually do is place a white piece of paper over the pattern, use a hot iron on the place where the sticker is, and then carefully peel off the sticker. It normally comes off easily in one piece. Of course, you wouldn't want to iron a glossy envelope but it's fine for the older ones.

A sticky residue remains, but I find a bit of cornstarch rubbed into it and then wiped off with a cloth works pretty well to absorb the stickiness. Most of the time you can't even tell a sticker was ever there.

[EightMileVintageToo]

I've just opened this shop to sell patterns but have been selling them in my other shop, Eight Mile Vintage, for a few years. To get stickers off, I raise up one corner of the sticker and aim a hair dryer at it. The sticker should peel right off with a little bit of pulling.

The sticky residue is easily removed with white gas aka naptha aka camp stove fuel. Put a little white gas on a cotton pad and rub it over the glue. The glue will come off and the white gas will evaporate within minutes, leaving no stain.

[LolaSewsVintage]

Thanks so much for all these tips!!! I thought once a price sticker was on that all hope was lost and there was no way to get around damaging the envelope to take it off. I tried the hot iron trick and I can't believe it worked so well! I feel so bad for all the envelopes I've damaged in the past - no more now :)

[WestwoodCottage]

I have been using the scotty peeler since it came out and it works wonders! Here is a length about it.
http://www.scottypeeler.com/

[WestwoodCottage]

I have damaged any envelopes using the scotty peeler. Easy and quick.