Erika's Words of Wisdom, Essential Oils

Cute container stuck to Ugly glue?

Clear-glass-jar

Have you ever spent way too much time at the sink with the scrubby sponge trying to remove a label from nice bottle that could be repurposed if only you could make it pretty again?

The orange marmalade I like comes in a very useful square jar where I like to display shells and art supplies. The problem is the sticker is bullet proof. I mean it is really on there. After soaking the jar in hot soapy water and scrubbing off the paper label all of that gooey adhesive is still left behind.

Lemon-oil-glue-remover

Nothing seems to take the goo off easily. Not acetone, paint thinner, Dr.Bronner’s soap, coconut oil, spit, elbow grease or any combination of hazardous chemical will remove the goo. Usually, after about 30 minutes of perseverance victory is mine. Or is it? That time spent scrubbing is time I will never get back.

I wish I would have known then what I know now. I learned that what takes it off QUICK is Lemon essential oil! No joke, this stuff tastes and smells great and will even remove gum off your shoe. Let me tell you how I found out.

remove-labels-glass-jar

After studying essential oils for about a year and hearing many people go on about the magic solvent that is Lemon Oil, I finally tried it for myself and WoW! Within about 30 seconds, a cotton ball and two drops of doTerra Lemon essential oil, I removed two very determined patches of glue from a glass jar.

Clear-glass-jar

That is 2 drops of lemon essential oil (cost about 4 cents a drop) to remove 8 square inches of nasty stuff from what is now a cute repurposed container. I avoided toxic chemicals and I saved money by getting a jar for free and space has been saved at the recycling facility. Every little bit helps.