Is there a 'magic' solution for dissolving labels on glassware?

Just scrape off with a utility knife then clean up any glue residue with Goo-Gone.

Depends what kind of "glue." If the adhesive is gum -- the kind of labels you lick before putting them in place, water should work. If they are self-adhesive labels -- the kind where you peel them off a backing sheet, Goo Gone usually works well.

Perce

Each manufacturer seems to use a different glue. I also save jars for refrigerator use, but I prefer the plastic one since, if dropped, they rarely break and I am able to put them in the freezer section for long term without worrying about them cracking and putting glass shards in the contents....

I generally follow this procedure:

2) I then try rubbing alcohol. It works on some, but it just depends on the glue.

4) If all else fails, and I am bound and determined to save the container, I just glue a white label over the existing one and write "Soup" or "Gravy" or something on it .....

Hint: While plastic is good for the freezer, don't use the microwave to heat up the contents. The innards get hot, and then it melts the plastic. Use glass for the microwave, and remember to take the metal top off as well as any metal ring that may be around the rim of the jar. Either can be use in the regular refrigerator part. No glass in freezer, no plastic in microwave....

Just my own experience. Maybe you can find some of it useful.

Alcohol is a likely solvent. Sometimes oil will cause them to release. .

scratch the surface then apply WD 40

Some use hot melt to apply paper labels, water may remove the paper but I don't know what will remove the hot melt except heat.

Soak. Put hot water in the jar to soften the glue. Scrape with a single-edge razor blade.

Turtlewax Bug and Tar Remover is good for getting glue residue off.

Beer and wine bottle labels will usually come off cleanly after a soak in a bucket of cold water with a little ammonia added.

Bob

Vegetable oil on a paper kitchen towel will remove most sticky residues. If this does not work completely, take most of the rest off with a fingernail and then try the vegetable oil again. I've had to work a few times but never had a failure.

This works on other sticky labels such as those on computers and car windows.

If you are using water, add a little dish detergent to the mix. This will ad a surfactant, which reduces the surface tension of the water and enables it to penetrate significantly faster.

Jon

The oil idea did a good job on the sticky residue of this vinegar bottle today:

And, the water did well for these seasoning jar labels:

But, the real test will be this plastic vitamin bottle label:

You don't get out much do ya?

That's a great idea. The alcohol could be a wetting agent with the dish-detergent surfactant adding to the effect!

The true test will be on the plastic vitamin jar!

EXPERIMENT IN PROGRESS:

I am soaking the tough jobs in the suggested solutions, as we speak ... (Note: the gasoline & WD40 are omitted due to the fact that we want to re-use the jars!).

Here are the three experiments + one control:

I poured alcohol on the top left; dish detergent at top right; and olive oil in the foreground; with water in the circular tub to the right as the experimental control.

Then I filled each container with water and let sit:

Note that everything I've tried in the past has failed on these plastic vitamin and peanut butter jars; so it will be interesting to see what happens in a day or two.

Try lighter fluid, then wash with soapy water. Another 'fix' would be to add and dissolve "dishwasher" soap (the dry, crystal sort) to a bowl of water and soak the glass container with the label in that solution for a few hours, then the label peels off easily and quickly. However, the lighter fluid may be needed to remove the gluey residue.

Sky

Peanut butter jars? Why didn't you say so! (those are my favorite jars for reuse -- I store bullets in them for reloading) I thought you were talking about glass jars.

Fill the jar with hot water, let it sit for a minute so the heat can loosen the glue, then carefully peel off the label. Most of the glue will come off with the label. You can then use "Bug and Tar Remover" or "Goo Gone" to clean off the residue. Orange-based cleaner or turpentine would probably work too.

You want GooGone. Supermarkets, home centers, maybe even chain drugstores.

Sometimes you don't even have to do the water thing. What looks like a daunting label, for instance on Nature Made Vitamins, will actually peel off as you described, almost completely if not perfectly. All you need is to get a grip on one good clean edge of the label.

Goo Gone is a lot more expensive than the household chemicals mentioned, but I like the product, especially the Painter's Pal, which it truly is. If that fails, then my little tin can of Goof Off is my last resort.

MartyB

Paper labels on glass generally disappear in a dishwasher, if not a safety razor always works.