The Citrusy Essential Oil That'll Make Removing Jar Labels A Breeze
We've all been there. You use a jar of tomato sauce or polish off a container of pickles, and you think to yourself, "I must save this jar." But there's one sticky issue to address: the label. Peeling it off will leave behind paper residue and tacky glue more times than not. Running it through the dishwasher can soften the label, but it doesn't aid in tackling the stickiness. You can always use a straight razor to scrape it off, but that can be a bit dicey. So what is there to do? Well, as it turns out, orange essential oil can help you easily remove labels from glass jars for all of your projects.
You might be surprised at how many applications citrusy essential oils can have around the house. From cleaning tough messes to deterring rodents (citrusy essential oil can send mice running away from your home), citrus is a powerhouse essential oil. That's thanks, in part, to a chemical called limonene. One of the primary ingredients of Goo Gone is d-Limonene, a powerful natural degreaser. This compound is found in a wide variety of citrus peels. However, it's found in especially concentrated amounts in oranges. The essential oil from an orange peel is made up of 97% limonene. That makes orange essential oil particularly useful for removing that pesky label residue. There are a couple ways to go about using this oil as a Goo Gone replacement.
How to use orange essential oil to remove labels
Once you have a container you can't bear to part with, or even a collection of different glass jar types to upcycle, it's time to break out the orange essential oil. Start by soaking your jars, labels and all, in warm, soapy water. From there, peel off the paper as best you can. If you're lucky, the label and adhesive may come off in one fell swoop. But, even after soaking, some stubborn adhesives seem to be impossible to remove. If you're dealing with particularly sticky label goo, it's time to turn to orange essential oil.
If you have an orange handy, you can use the oil from its peel to dissolve label adhesive. Simply remove the fruit from the peel and squeeze or twist the peel until the fragrant oil surfaces. You can use your nail to lightly puncture the peel to extract more oil. Now, rub the peel against the sticky adhesive until it dissolves. Use a moist washcloth to remove the rest.
This method works great in a pinch, but if you're planning on recycling a collection of jars, you would need a substantial amount of peels to get the job done. Instead, use pure essential oil to create homemade Goo Gone. Orange essential oil works best when it has time to sit on the mess. But it would just slide off a glass jar without support. Instead, use two parts baking soda, one part fractionated coconut oil, and three drops of orange essential oil to create a paste. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes, and wipe it off with a wet wash cloth. You might need to scrub the area a little to help remove the residue.