What's the best way of removing sticky price/promotional labels from books?

[Lino expert]

I assume there would be different substances recommended for the shiny covers than for paper and, ideally, I need both please.

PS I haven't got an angle grinder.

[George]

If you are buying books have the store remove the labels for you,this way if they tear the backing at least you can ask for a new one...a book that is not the label. ;-P

[Rod]

The *best* way is to get the shop to do it for you when (i.e. before) you pay.

If they suffer problems, perhaps they would then be persuaded not to use labels that cause problems?

Shame it is unlikely to work. So - sticky stuff remover (e.g. from RS) would probably be fine on the shiny ones. Might even work on paper - but experimentation seem to be in order.

[Lino expert]

A corking tip for the future, but these are old(ish) ones I already have.

[Lino expert]

Hello Rod, hope you're keeping well. Sounds like I need to find the, by now infamous, "inconspicuous area"!

[Rod]

No so bad, thanks. And thee? :-)

If the areas were that inconspicuous, you'd never know they were there. :-)

[Lino expert]

e quoted text -

About a 5 on the Richter scale cheers. I think I've spotted a gap in the market...inconspicuous areas - "I'll take two pounds of yer finest inconspicuous areas please, don't bother to wrap 'em...I got me some testin' to do".

[Andrew Gabriel]

I heat them in a warm place first (e.g. on a radiator) which softens most of the glues, and then peel off slowly.

As for softening or dissolving any glue residue, there are lost of different types. Some soften in water, others require a solvent.

[Toom Tabard]

Haven't found one on books that doesn't peel off shiny covers and leave the surface intact, provided you do it slowly and carefully, but in general I've noticed any residue, or the bits and residue left when you peel B&Q barcode labels strategically welded to the front suface of metal trim etc., always comes off if rubbed with surgical spirit (Methylated spirit would probably also work). I doubt you'd get gummed labels off ordinary paper without damaging the surface fibres.

Toom

[Mike Barnes]

Vinyl record covers are sometimes bare card and sometimes shiny, and lighter fuel apparently works well for taking labels off both types of surface, according to an acquaintance who deals in LPs.

[ARWadworth]

Lighter fluid was always my way of removing stickers from record covers. It may need to soak a little into the sticker so sometimes I had to scratch the sticker first.

Adam

[Lino expert]

Thanks all, I shall line up various flammable substances and give them a go.

[jkn]

Lakeland 'sticky stuff remover' is reputed to be good for this:

lighter fluid (which I have used to clean records) is a bit too 'thin', and tends to soak into the paper given half a chance. If I had to use this I would do something to put the book in an *atmosphere* of lighter fluid for an hour or so, rather than using it as a liquid.

HTH J^n

[The Medway Handyman]

You could sell a few of those 'serving suggestions' as well.

[Arfa Daily]

How about the proper stuff ...

don't have to have an account any more. You can just pay by credit card. I dare say that RS and CPC and Charlie Hyde and Grandata and all the other electronic component 'usual suspects' probably keep it too.

Arfa