A sticky problem. Top tips for getting rid of glue.

From the dawn of mankind we have been obsessed with glue, it’s used in the creation of so many things from shoes and furniture to electronics and medical operations. It’s impossible to get away from, it’s loved by kids in school, always helpful at home and essential for professionals.

Both my daughter’s love of arts & crafts means life revolves around sticking things together with plenty of mess and lots of fun. Mix that in with hubby’s DIY and overreliance on Super Glue made me realize that it's high time we did an article on some straightforward ways to remove glue from your home. It can be a mammoth task but if you follow these simple steps you should be fine:

Water Based Glue (Art and Craft Glue, Glue Sticks)

I love the creativity of school projects and carpentry lessons with dad, but it does mean I will find heaps of glue on clothes, tables and floor. The glue used in arts & crafts or in carpentry projects are generally safe for children, tend to be water based, are non-toxic and should dissolve in water. Here's how to remove water based glue on any hard surface.

Step One: Preparation, have a bowl filled with warm, soapy water plus a sponge or cloth, alcohol or eucalyptus oil and a metal scraper.

Step Two: Wet your sponge or cloth into the warm water and clean over the affected area until the glue breaks down. If this is proving difficult use either the alcohol or eucalyptus oil to break down the glue, will quicken things up. Just take care not to over apply Eucalyptus oil as it has the potential to damage the backing of the carpet.

Step Three: Use your metal scraper to remove the remaining glue. Clean the surface with warm water and wipe dry with a towel. It’s pretty simple and not very time consuming. If there’s any excess then try a dash more eucalyptus oil on a cloth.

Wood Glue

My hubby is very talented and loves working with timber, however he very rarely finishes anything and leaves plenty of mess. Here’s the best method I’ve found for getting your home free of wood glue.

Step One: Preparation, your will need a pair of rubber gloves, a plastic undercover and a few thick layers of newspapers

Step Two: Use a large bowl add 2 cups of vinegar and mix with water to get a 1/3^rd mix.

Step Three: To remove the glue, you will need to dip your towel or cloth into the mix and wipe straight over the affected areas. Make sure the vinegar solution soaks in and then leave your towel or cloth over the wood for 15 minutes. After a period of time you will find the glue will turn into liquid form. For heavier set glue and depending on circumstance you may have to apply twice.

Step Four: Cleaning, I advise using a dirt-free towel soaked in warm water to wipe down the affected area and then dry with a paper kitchen towel. The paper towel should to soak up the moisture from the timber.  

Super Glue

Invented by accident, now impossible to live without. You have seen the adverts alluding to incredible power for the toughest jobs in the world. It has a propensity to stick to everything including fingers but does have one weakness, acetone.

Step One: Preparation, you will require acetone which is often found in household nail polish remover. A cleaning cloth or cotton wool will come in useful as well as a spatula.

Step Two: Dip your cleaning cloth into acetone, rub the dampened part over the glue. The acetone should lift up the edges. A word of warning – we recommend doing a spot test as acetone is a harsh chemical which should not be used on sensitive skins or delicate surfaces.

Step Three: Use your spatula to remove the glue and then wash the area with warm soapy water to get completely clean. For furniture we advise a polish with beeswax or olive oil.

Next time you run into a sticky problem you should be able to deal with it like an expert!