# Best way to remove adhesive residue from skin? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 26, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781 "2008-03-26T11:34:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/21 "2008-03-26T17:46:39Z")
[QUOTE=Napier] \>And, what are “acetone wipes”? Are they like alcohol wipes? Where do you get them? [/QUOTE] If you look in the drug store with the nail polish remover (right next to the nail polish, as any mother of a teenage girl knows. . .duh!), you’ll find nail polish remover wipes; individually packaged. Some are non-acetone (for use with artificial fingernails) some are acetone. I wouldn’t be surprised if hardware stores carried them, re-packaged in some way, too. But I know I could find them in the drug store. I think I’ll try mineral oil first, since I have it on hand. Then move to baby wipes if that doesn’t work. Hmmmm. I wonder if the moist flushable bathroom wipes might work, too? I’ve got those. Maybe I’ll give it a shot. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/22 "2008-03-26T19:28:54Z")
\>If you look in the drug store with the nail polish remover…individually packaged. Some … are acetone. Well, how splendid! I have to have some! Thanks! \>as any mother of a teenage girl knows. . .duh! You realize how odd it sounds to me that you know about getting these things in a drugstore and don’t know whether and how hardware stores sell them. How differently the other half works, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/23 "2008-03-26T19:32:38Z")
[QUOTE=yoyodyne] Those wipes use the same citrus and petroleum based solvent as Goo Gone. [/QUOTE] Well then. So much for my suggestion. Goo Gone would at least be cheaper, probably. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/24 "2008-03-26T20:11:16Z")
[QUOTE=Napier] You realize how odd it sounds to me that you know about getting these things in a drugstore and don’t know whether and how hardware stores sell them. How differently the other half works, eh? [/QUOTE] Indeed! Viva la difference! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/25 "2008-03-26T20:19:21Z")
My favorite adhesive removal stuff evar: [Detachol](http://www.metromedicalonline.com/04170a.html) Smells nice, completely non-irritating and it WORKS. I use it mainly to remove bandages from my dogs, who have very thin skin that tears easily. I dribble some on the adhesive and it zips right off. Paraffin is the main active ingredient, IIRC. You should be able to get it at a drugstore that sells ostomy supplies. It won’t cost as much as it says on that site either. I think the last time I got some it was about $5 a bottle, and you won’t need much for your purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/26 "2008-03-26T20:25:08Z")
I’d also say naptha/spot remover, which in moderation isn’t irritating to the skin. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/27 "2008-03-26T20:42:16Z")
**Acetone** is easily obtained a one of the big box hardware stores. Also good for removing oil, grease, paint, etc. It was the hand cleaner of choice at the glue factory. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/28 "2008-03-26T20:50:48Z")
I wish I’d known about this after I got out of having a 24 hour Holter monitor test done – I had perfectly round rashes on my torso for a while. :mad: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/29 "2008-03-27T20:39:11Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] Have you tried fire? [/QUOTE] Don’t be ridiculous. Fire could burn down the whole house and _then_ where would she be? Sandpaper is a much better choice. Yes, it too could destroy the whole house but you’d have to really work HARD and most people would give up before they’d reduced the place to a pile of wood shavings and dust. 😉 I actually came in here to suggest peanut butter - doesn’t run like mineral oil would. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/30 "2008-03-27T22:35:09Z")
Ether. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/31 "2008-03-27T22:53:37Z")
> [@Mama Zappa](#): > > I actually came in here to suggest peanut butter - doesn’t run like mineral oil would. Well, now you’re just being silly. I would never waste perfectly good peanut butter on such a thing; I’d rather live with the residue! 😉 Anyway, mineral oil doesn’t run if you put it on a cotton ball! ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/32 "2008-03-28T01:09:13Z")
**Noxema** works just as well as mineral oil. I use it to remove the sticky residue that price tags leave on glassware. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/33 "2008-03-28T01:40:21Z")
[QUOTE=Mama Zappa] Sandpaper is a much better choice. [/QUOTE] Nah, waste of resources. You don’t really need that paper backing, try sand_blasting_. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/34 "2008-03-28T12:58:59Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] Nah, waste of resources. You don’t really need that paper backing, try sand_blasting_. [/QUOTE] Wow, I don’t have much of an ass _now_. If I sandblasted it every week, 'twouldn’t take long to disappear altogether. . . ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/37 "2012-05-21T23:01:34Z")
Didn’t expect to see this thread pop up again. I don’t think Norine is going to need to worry about this problem anymore. She died a while back. ---
**Author:** ![lindy13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@lindy13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindy13)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/38 "2013-12-14T16:46:23Z")
To remove adhesive residue from your skin, those sticky rings, or squares :rolleyes: I use morroccan argan oil, which I spray on my hair, maybe any oil will do the trick but this is what I used. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/39 "2013-12-14T17:17:30Z")
Zombie threads are particularly poignant when the OP isn’t with us anymore. ---
**Author:** ![TracyPori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@TracyPori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TracyPori)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/40 "2015-07-04T01:32:41Z")
After reading this thread and lindy13.s post I decided to try my John Frieda Frizz-Ease 100% shine spray on some cotton balls…MIRACLE! I have been wearing a heart monitor for several days and moving it around because it is so irritating. This stuff cleaned the gunk right off! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781/41 "2015-07-04T04:57:41Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Ether. Ether this or that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-remove-adhesive-residue-from-skin/442781.md?page=1)