Removing sticker residue from a PDF

[ubik55]

Hey just wondering what you guys would use to remove sticker residue from the body of a black PDF. I finally snagged this guitar off of Reverb for $400: https://reverb.com/item/39306150-parker ... 7-sn-black

...and yeah the guitar is great BUT has like a large pawn shop price sticker on it that is half torn off with some sticker residue. It's going to be my main player so I wanna kinda sanitize the thing including getting that residue off. The body seems to have a standard gloss finish. Any ideas?

[mmmguitar]

I’ve had luck with lighter fluid/naphtha, mineral spirits, and even goo-gone, combined with a plastic spatula/scraper (such as an old credit card) and a reasonably clean rag. You’d be applying, scraping, and drying the area too fast to worry about the solvents harming the poly finish (which may already be de-glossed where the sticker was applied). Someone else may suggest a gentler remedy, but you don’t really need to worry when it’s a typical import poly shell on a non-carbon Parker.

[vjmanzo]

+1 exactly what mmmguitar said

[Musikron]

+1 to naptha

[Barry]

I'd support that approach except I'd save the Naptha for final cleanup. It tends to flash off too quickly to be used as an initial application. GooGone works very well and smells better!

If you'd rather not get involved with chemicals, you can use plain old vegetable oil which is probably already in your pantry. It is slower to work but will soften glue residue and even chewing gum enough to gently scrape with a credit card.

In any event, I'd also very lightly score or rough up the paper before applying the liquid to help it penetrate to the substrate, which is after all, what you are trying to remove. If you don't do that the paper can soak up much of the liquid or even block penetration and slow things down by requiring multiple applications.

Just be prepared to be patient and it will come off.

[ubik55]

Okay thanks guys, I ended up going the Goo Gone route. I scored the sticker paper, applied the Goo Gone, let it sit for a minute, then scratched it off with my fingernail. Also used Naptha to get the Goo Gone remnants off at the end, then a quick wipedown with Dunlop polish. Looks good! The orange smell seems to have dissipated too. (or i just got used to it maybe)

[Barry]

Excellent!