# Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of it's bottle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793 "2000-02-04T15:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curious\_george](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b487fb/32.png) [@curious\_george](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious_george)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793/1 "2000-02-04T15:48:00Z")
Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of it’s bottle? ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793/2 "2000-02-04T15:59:00Z")
Because the bottle is airtight, so the glue can’t dry. Next time you leave the top of the Elmer’s unscrewed, you’ll end up with a whole lot of glue stuck to the bottle. * * * “It says, I choo-choo-choose you. And it’s got a picture of a train.” – Ralph Wiggum ---
**Author:** ![frolix8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@frolix8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frolix8)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793/3 "2000-02-04T16:00:00Z")
2 obvious reasons, the glue is “wet” when it’s inside the bottle, and glue doesn’t stick to plastic very well unless it has a solvent that melts the plastic enough to make a chemical weld. PVC, for example, is assembled using chemical welding. The glue that is used comes in a metal can. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793/4 "2000-02-04T16:25:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Beadalin: > \*\*Because the bottle is airtight, so the glue can’t dry. Next time you leave the top of the Elmer’s unscrewed, you’ll end up with a whole lot of glue stuck to the bottle. > \*\* ``` I must disagree. Go, sacrifice a bottle of Elmer's in the greatest SDSAB Tradition. After waiting several months, and it's totally dried out, take an X-Acto knife. Cut away the bottle. It DOESN'T stick. Even dry, it won't stick. The polymer used in the glue bottle is one that the glue won't stick to. Wet or Dry. ``` Cartooniverse * * * If you want to kiss the sky, you’d better learn how to kneel. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793/5 "2000-02-04T16:29:00Z")
Hey, cool. I’ve never tried that trick, but now I will. Sorry for the misinformation. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-glue-stick-to-the-inside-of-its-bottle/6793/6 "2000-02-04T17:24:00Z")
Good point cartoonverse, I go though gallons of wood glue. After loosing the cap to the squeeze bottle several dozen times, I came up with an alternate method. When I’m done gluing up a job I leave a drop of glue on the tip of the nozzle. It dries over the opening and seals the bottle nicely. It is actually easier to get this “glue plug” off than it is to pry off a glue encrusted cap.