Slab maintenance - Goo Gone lesson learned

JeffersonFrog

I just learned the hard way - I would suggest you NOT use the new (er?) Goo Gone Pen to clean slabs. I've used Goo Gone (on a soft cloth) forever to remove sticker residue. One of the new pens was a stocking stuffer this past Christmas. I just used it, and the pen itself will scratch the slab. The pen substrate is hard enough that even with the liquid Goo Gone, it left noticeable hairline scratches. It could be operator error, but I thought I would offer the warning anyway. FYI.

MasonG

Could be worse. You could have tried Goof Off.

Alpha2814

If they're only hairline scratches, I've had pretty good luck with PlastX to buff them out. Better to not have them in the first place, but all is not necessarily lost.

Morgan White

@MasonG said:
Could be worse. You could have tried Goof Off.

Goof Gone is even worse.

Barberian

I just use sebum (nose grease). It works well on sticker gum.

PerryHall

@Barberian said:
I just use sebum (nose grease). It works well on sticker gum.

I learned that trick from a coin dealer many years ago. Rub your finger on the side of your nose to pick up some grease and then rub that finger on the sticker residue. You might have to do it a couple of times but it'll dissolve the sticker residue and then you can polish the slab with a clean cloth. It sounds gross but it works and nose grease is always handy.
Never use acetone to remove sticker residue since it will dissolve the plastic and ruin the slab.

Smudge

@PerryHall said:

@Barberian said:
I just use sebum (nose grease). It works well on sticker gum.

I learned that trick from a coin dealer many years ago. Rub your finger on the side of your nose to pick up some grease and then rub that finger on the sticker residue. You might have to do it a couple of times but it'll dissolve the sticker residue and then you can polish the slab with a clean cloth. It sounds gross but it works and nose grease is always handy.
Never use acetone to remove sticker residue since it will dissolve the plastic and ruin the slab.

Just be sure you get it from outside the nose.

JerseyB

A dab of olive oil on a paper towel or q-tip works like a charm for removing sticker residue.

Walkerfan

Warm, soapy water is all I ever use.

2windy2fish

Drugstore alcohol works great, takes a little time but will not harm the slab

PerryHall

@Walkerfan said:
Warm, soapy water is all I ever use.

I'd be concerned with water getting into the slab. I've seen some people use WD-40 but don't spray it directly on the slab because it could also inside the slab.

Onastone

I still love using heavy duty packing tape...you take a piece of tape and push it onto the residue, then lift it off...a few times safely removes all the stickiness. No scratches!

JimTyler

@PerryHall said:

@Barberian said:
I just use sebum (nose grease). It works well on sticker gum.

I learned that trick from a coin dealer many years ago. Rub your finger on the side of your nose to pick up some grease and then rub that finger on the sticker residue. You might have to do it a couple of times but it'll dissolve the sticker residue and then you can polish the slab with a clean cloth. It sounds gross but it works and nose grease is always handy.
Never use acetone to remove sticker residue since it will dissolve the plastic and ruin the slab.

I knew a dealer that did that to gold coins. He said it covers rub. I never tried it because I don’t get nose grease 😁

PerryHall

@JimTyler said:

@PerryHall said:

@Barberian said:
I just use sebum (nose grease). It works well on sticker gum.

I learned that trick from a coin dealer many years ago. Rub your finger on the side of your nose to pick up some grease and then rub that finger on the sticker residue. You might have to do it a couple of times but it'll dissolve the sticker residue and then you can polish the slab with a clean cloth. It sounds gross but it works and nose grease is always handy.
Never use acetone to remove sticker residue since it will dissolve the plastic and ruin the slab.

I knew a dealer that did that to gold coins. He said it covers rub. I never tried it because I don’t get nose grease 😁

It's called "thumbing". I've seen it done on frosty silver dollars to subdue the shine of fresh metal from bag marks so there's less contrast with the adjacent frosty areas on the coin.

BNick33

@PerryHall said:

@Walkerfan said:
Warm, soapy water is all I ever use.

I'd be concerned with water getting into the slab. I've seen some people use WD-40 but don't spray it directly on the slab because it could also inside the slab.

I've used WD-40 to get stickers off of many different things (not slabs). You can apply it to a swab or paper towel, soak the sticker. Removing the sticker without scratching plastic... Ehhhhh? Dunno. Good luck.

Walkerfan

@BNick33 said:

@PerryHall said:

@Walkerfan said:
Warm, soapy water is all I ever use.

I'd be concerned with water getting into the slab. I've seen some people use WD-40 but don't spray it directly on the slab because it could also inside the slab.

I've used WD-40 to get stickers off of many different things (not slabs). You can apply it to a swab or paper towel, soak the sticker. Removing the sticker without scratching plastic... Ehhhhh? Dunno. Good luck.

I don’t submerge it. I just use a little bit on a cloth. I would never use WD-40 that would be too caustic, in my opinion.

BAJJERFAN

Ronsonol lighter fluid with a Kleenex or square of TP is the cat's meow for cleaning sticker residue off of slabs or just about anything else.

shortnock

Pam! Pam! Pam!

Old_Collector

@JeffersonFrog said:
I just learned the hard way - I would suggest you NOT use the new (er?) Goo Gone Pen to clean slabs. I've used Goo Gone (on a soft cloth) forever to remove sticker residue. One of the new pens was a stocking stuffer this past Christmas. I just used it, and the pen itself will scratch the slab. The pen substrate is hard enough that even with the liquid Goo Gone, it left noticeable hairline scratches. It could be operator error, but I thought I would offer the warning anyway. FYI.

The best thing to use on slabs is Purell -- the alcohol based hand sanitizer that people came to know during the COVID shutdown. I've used it on hundreds of slabs. It has no impact of any kind on any of the plastic slabs that exist. It is better than just alcohol on a microfiber cloth because it has some viscosity so you can soak a little area with a drop of it.

DO NOT get it close to a CAC sticker though, it would remove the adhesive that holds the sticker on. Short of that no worries. I have used it on OGH slabs with dealer stickers that still had some paper left, takes a little longer but those come off really well too. Leaves the slab looking like any sticker was never there. I clean every slab as it comes in from HA or GC or the rare EBay, and most dealer stickers are on the back. I use a microfiber cloth to wipe it off or apply a little elbow grease if it is a remnant sticker with paper. The result is always the same, looks brand new and removes every adhesive that I have come across.

messydesk

Unscented paraffin lamp oil loosens goo. I use the same stuff to hide scratches for photos.

mrcommem

Lighter fluid is the best thing to get stickers or sticker residue off. I used it to remove pharmacy labels of cardboard boxes. The labels practically fall off and no damage to the prescription box.

johnny9434

So much for duct tape

TallahasseeCoinClub

You mean, sandpaper is not a good option for removing labels?