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Do you save those pickle jars after they’re empty? You can reuse glass jars for a variety of reasons — from storage, to decorations, to gifts, and more. One of the drawbacks of reusing those jars is that sticky residue that is left over after you peel the labels off.

Check out these tips for getting rid of that sticky gunk so you can have nice, clean jars to use.

How to Remove Sticky Residue From Glass Jars

Use Oil

Do you have a can of compressed spray oil? You may have a can of PAM or some other generic version that contains canola oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil. While olive oil is the best natural oil for this task, other oils will also work.

Start by filling the jar with very hot water. The heat will loosen the adhesive on the label and allow you to remove it more easily. After you have let the sticker sit for awhile, wet the label and remove it. You should just have adhesive left on the exterior of the jar.

Next you will need to spray a liberal amount of oil onto the adhesive residue. Let that sit for a little while then gently remove. It may take a little bit of work and you might even use a coarse brush to help remove the adhesive.

Rinse the jar thoroughly in hot water then let it dry so you can make sure you got everything off of the outer surface. If there’s still some leftover sticky residue, use the oil to complete the process again.

If you don’t have spray oil in your pantry, just drizzle some oil over the label or adhesive. It all works the same!

Use Nail Polish Remover

If you’re in more of a hurry and don’t mind the smell of nail polish remover, this method is much quicker and perhaps even a little less messy.

Pour some nail polish remove on a paper towel, cotton swab, or cotton ball, then dab it onto the jar’s label. Don’t be stingy with the nail polish remover, but be sure to do this in a well ventilated room as the fumes can be a little bit overpowering.

The label and the leftover sticky residue from the adhesive should slide right off of that jar and leave you with a perfect glass container. You will need to make sure you wash the jar thoroughly afterward to be sure you’ve got all of the nail polish remover off of the glass surface, but otherwise this method is pretty darn easy.

Whether your plan is to use your jars to store craft supplies, food items, nails or other stuff or you’re going to turn those jars into some creative gifts, this is a great way to get started. Save your glass jars and use them for an assortment of things and you won’t be sorry!

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