Removing sticky residue from lego

[Lira_Bricks]

Hello,

 

I wanted to get rid of stickers from a large batch of Lego, and thought that an easy way of doing that would be to let them stay in a tub of warm water so the stickers would come right of. That idea did not work at all, so do not do that.

Removing the stickers was as easy/difficult was it would have been if they did not stay in warm water (I had a few bricks I did without warm water), but the difference is that now all those bricks that had been in warm water left a lot of sticky residue.

I already tried:

• More warm water, this time without the sticker itself,
• Rubbing alcohol 70% with a piece of toilet paper,
• Rubbing alcohol 70% with a Q-tip,
• Warming up the brick with a hair dryer.

None of these work.

Does someone have another idea?

[MAB]

Dish soap / washing up liquid in warm water.

[hagridshut]

You may be able to get rid of the residue by repeatedly sticking and peeling a piece of duct tape over the sticky area.  The adhesive on the duct tape will stick to the residue and may be strong enough to pull the residue off the surface of the affected pieces.

There are adhesive removing liquids.  These are petroleum based solvents that will dissolve adhesives, and allow them to be wiped away.  However, I generally do not recommend this, as the solvents generate noxious fumes and are toxic.  You would need to wash pieces after treating them with solvent, and I think there is a risk of damage to older pieces.  

[JopieK]

WD40 comes to mind? Sticker remover should also work.

[1963maniac]

Cotton ball with denatured alcohol or 95-99% rubbing alcohol. Work quickly, whipe the alcohol and adhesive away. BTW this will also remove permanent marker too.

[Lira_Bricks]

6 hours ago, MAB said:

Dish soap / washing up liquid in warm water.

Just tried this, and it does not work :(

3 hours ago, hagridshut said:

There are adhesive removing liquids.  These are petroleum based solvents that will dissolve adhesives, and allow them to be wiped away.  However, I generally do not recommend this, as the solvents generate noxious fumes and are toxic.  You would need to wash pieces after treating them with solvent, and I think there is a risk of damage to older pieces.  

 

2 hours ago, JopieK said:

WD40 comes to mind? Sticker remover should also work.

 

2 hours ago, 1963maniac said:

Cotton ball with denatured alcohol or 95-99% rubbing alcohol. Work quickly, whipe the alcohol and adhesive away. BTW this will also remove permanent marker too.

I will look into these products, thx!

[Fuppylodders]

I second wd40. Works a treat, just make sure you're outside or well ventilated. Bit of kitchen towel, spray it on the lego and kitchen towel, rub it on the sticky area, spray a little more, keep rubbing and it'll come off. 

[Toastie]

9 hours ago, Fuppylodders said:

I second wd40. Works a treat, just make sure you're outside or well ventilated. Bit of kitchen towel, spray it on the lego and kitchen towel, rub it on the sticky area, spray a little more, keep rubbing and it'll come off. 

Yes, this will do. And when done use ample of soap water to get rid of the WD40 - otherwise brick/plate clutch power will be very bad. WD40 makes it everywhere. Of course, as this is its purpose.

Best
Thorsten