How To Remove Glue From Metal Like A Pro?

Does mistakenly glue spills on metal while gluing clothes for your crafting projects? 

Or do you get your metal home appliances sticky after removing stickers? 

No matter what the situation is, knowing how to remove glue from metal may help you keep them glue gunk or sticky residue-free. 

Using any DIY glue solvent or chemical glue remover will dissolve the glue and be the best bet to remove the glue from metal. Scraping the dried glue gunk or applying heat are other two excellent methods for metal glue removal. 

This comprehensive guide is designed to discuss every possible way to remove glue from metal. Here, I also include a short YouTube video, where you can get a visualization of my project. So get in touch with this article.

Maybe removing super glue from metal won’t sound as familiar as glass or plastic glue removal. But sometimes, you have to get off super glue from metal surfaces. You can remove glue with less effort and time by applying commercial glue remover, but that requires investment. 

When there are multiple options for metal surface glue removing that won’t cut your pocket, it’s definitely wise to apply these methods first. If they don’t work, you can go with chemical glue removers. 

Don’t you want to use acetone for removing super glue from metal? No issues. Petroleum jelly, cooking oil, peanut butter, toothpaste, lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda are all good for metal surface super glue removal. Let’s learn how to use them.

Take some petroleum jelly from its container with your finger and apply it to the glued area of the metal. Keep it resting for 15 minutes to let the jelly’s lubricant work against the super glue. While the glue becomes soft, wipe the space with a damp rag to remove the super glue. Again wipe the space with a dry rag to dry the metal to avoid humidity. 

If there is a little blob of super glue on metal, you can remove the glue blob with toothpaste. Apply some toothpaste to the surface and rub it with an old toothbrush for 2-3 minutes. Toothpaste’s cleaning agent, sodium lauryl sulfate, will dispatch the glue. So by wiping the space with a saturated rag, you can easily remove the glue. 

First, moisten a cloth with hot water and squeeze it to remove excess water. Keep the damp cloth on the super glue for 1 hour. At this time, the glue will soften. Pour 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice on the soft glue and gently rub with a soft sponge to remove the glue residue. 

You can use any cooking oil available in your kitchen such as olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil. Saturate a soft sponge with the cooking oil and swab the sponge on the glue to dissolve. After 1 hour, rub the loose glue with a toothbrush, and wipe the glue residue with a damp paper towel. 

  1. Peanut butter or mayonnaise

You may be surprised to hear that peanut butter or mayonnaise are also applicable to get off super glue from metal. But, yes, their oily texture incredibly works for dissolving the glue. 

Apply a thin layer of peanut butter or mayonnaise that you have against the super glue area of the metal and wait around 1 hour to reduce the glue strength. Now, rub the space with your finger in a circular motion to lose the glue gunk and wipe the space with a damp rag to clean the glue residue. 

If the glue is too old and strong, you have to apply a more powerful DIY glue remover than those weak solutions. Here white vinegar and baking soda combination will be more effective. 

Make a paste with two tablespoons of white vinegar and one teaspoon of baking soda. Now apply the paste against the super glue and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, wipe the dissolved glue with a damp cloth. 

Tip: As all of these are DIY glue removers, the number of ingredients and time may vary depending on your metal surface and super glue condition. 

If these homemade solutions don’t work for your metal adhesive, commercial glue remover can be the best option for you. Though these glue removers require a little investment, remove any adhesive from metal outstandingly. 

Pure acetone, or acetone-based nail polish remover, WD-40, isopropyl alcohol, Goo Gone, and Goof Off are most common glue removers. You can try any of them, and almost all of their using processes are the same. Let’s see how you use them.

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of Acetone/WD-40/isopropyl alcohol/Goo Gone/Goof Off
  • Cotton balls or pads
  • Clean rag

Process

  • Soak a cotton pad with glue remover and swab it against the metal adhesive area until the glue is softened.
  • Wipe the loosened adhesive with a damp clean rag to clean the metal and get an adhesive-free shiny metal surface.  

Tip: As these commercial glue removers contain different chemical cleaning components, you should wear hand gloves and a facemask before using them. These protection gears will save you from inhaling and skin touch of the chemical.  

There are 7 different types of metal such as cast iron, aluminum, stainless steel, Magnesium alloy, copper, and chromium. So you should treat the item by knowing its component to get the best outcome. Now I’ll tell you about glue removing methods depending on their condition. 

You must find many stickers attached on the stainless steel fridge mentioning the brand, warranty, precautions, etc. Once the stickers become old, you have to peel them off. But, usually, they leave a gummy residue after peeling. In that case, you should know how to remove 10 year warranty sticker from Samsung refrigerator. 

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of WD-40 
  • A clean cloth
  • A soft sponge

Process

  • Saturate the cloth with WD-40 and gently wipe the glue residue surface in a circular motion to dissolve the glue. 
  • Now, clean the sticker’s glue with the sponge. 

Tip: Don’t use an abrasive sponge on the stainless steel refrigerator, as it may scratch the surface and ruin its beauty.

Every day, you use many home appliances (Micro oven, dishwasher, pan, etc.) made of stainless steel or aluminum. All of these have stickers, and before using them, you have to remove the stickers.

The Things You Need

  • A hairdryer
  • Acetone wipes

Process

  • Connect your hair dryer with power and set it on low heat. 
  • Hold the dryer on the sticker surface for 20 inches and let the hot air loosen the stickers.
  • Keep the hair dryer aside, peel off the sticker. 
  • Wipe the sticker’s glue gunk with an acetone wipe. You can change the wipe if the first one becomes dirty. 
  • Now, rinse the glue free appliance with soapy water.

The metal is painted to enhance its shininess and look gorgeous. If there is a super glue blob on the surface, that’ll ruin its beauty. So when you have to remove super glue from painted metal, you must be mindful to avoid scratching and damaging the paint. Let me show you how to remove super glue from metal without removing paint.

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of Goo Gone
  • A cotton pad
  • Plastic razor blade
  • Soapy water
  • A soft sponge
  • A paper towel

Process

  • Soak the cotton pad in Goo Gone and swab the soaked pad on the excess glue for a few seconds. 
  • When the glue is loose, gently scrape the loosened glue with the plastic razor blade. 
  • Soak the sponge with soapy water and wipe the glued surface to remove the glue residue.
  • Finally, again wipe the area with a damp paper towel to clean the soapy foam.

Putting super glue on the metal lock is one of the most common kids’ mischief. However, you may scold your kid for this, but that doesn’t mean the glue will be removed automatically from the lock. So, you should learn how to remove super glue from stainless steel locks. 

The Things You Need

  • A plastic soup bowl
  • 2 cups of white vinegar
  • A soft rag
  • A clean cloth

Process

  • Fill up half of the soup bowl with vinegar and keep the lock into the vinegar by thoroughly soaking the super glue surface. 
  • Wait 10 minutes, release the lock from the vinegar, and notice the super glue becomes soft. 
  • Now, wipe the lock with the rag to remove the super glue and wipe it with a dry clean cloth. 

Tags or stickers are difficult to remove from metal doors by keeping the protective coating safe unless you know the right way. 

The Things You Need

  • 2 parts of vegetable oil
  • 1 part of baking soda
  • A putty knife
  • A few drops of acetone
  • A paper towel

Process

  • Make a paste with vegetable oil and baking soda, apply it to the sticker, and leave it there for 5-10 minutes.
  • Rub the space with your finger, and scrape the sticker with the putty knife. 
  • Moisten the paper towel with acetone and wipe it on the excess sticker residue that is left after removing the sticker. 

The window grill is mainly made of aluminum, and sometimes you find your hands are getting stuck with the grill when you touch it. It may happen due to your kids’ naughtiness. However, removing adhesive from it is ugly if you don’t follow the right glue remover and the right process.

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of rubbing alcohol
  • A butter knife
  • A soft clean cloth

Process

  • Spray rubbing alcohol on the aluminum glued area, and let the lubricant dissolve the adhesive.
  • Scrape the softened glue with the dull butter knife and wipe the space with a clean cloth. 

Some renowned glue-producing companies offer the strongest bond within a few seconds. So, it will be beneficial if you try to remove them by knowing their components. Let’s talk about how to take off glue from metal by considering their brand and types.  

Though Gorilla super glue is waterproof, you can remove it from metal with oil and soapy water. Before embarking on the task, you have to arrange some equipment to do the work without hassle. 

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of baby oil
  • Dish soap
  • Clean rag and cloth

Process

  • Soak the rag with baby oil and sit the rag there for 5 minutes. 
  • The oil will reduce the glue strength during this time, so now gently rub the area with a rag to remove the glue. 
  • After that, damp a clean cloth into the soapy water and wipe it over the affected area to remove the glue residue. 

Does crazy glue spill on any metal surfaces while working on your crafting project? So now, you should remove the glue to make the metal glue spot-free. It’s not challenging to remove crazy glue from metal. Let’s see how you do that.

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of rubbing alcohol
  • Soft sponge
  • A plastic spatula
  • Paper towel

Process

  • First, gently pry away the glue gunk with the plastic spatula as much as possible. 
  • Now, pour the rubbing alcohol on the sponge and wipe the glued area. As rubbing alcohol contains chemicals, the glue will automatically come off with the sponge. 
  • Finally, wipe the area with a damp paper towel to remove the chemical odor.

Loctite is one of the most effective glues that bond almost every material incredibly. However, there is no specific method to remove this glue from metal. Let’s see a short but straightforward technique on how to remove Loctite glue from metal.

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of 70% isopropyl alcohol
  • An old toothbrush
  • A soft rag

Process

  • Apply the 70% isopropyl alcohol to the glued surface and gently rub with an old toothbrush. When you rub the metal, most glue will break down due to alcohol and the gentle pressure of the toothbrush. 
  • Now, wipe the soft glue with a damp rag and rinse it with soapy water. 

Using hot glue for joining two pieces of materials is excellent, but it is challenging to remove from most surfaces after drying. But don’t worry! You can remove the glue from the metal with your clothing iron. But how? Let’s see

The Things You Need

  • A clothing iron
  • A woolen cloth 
  • A paper towel

Process

  • Place a woolen cloth on the hot glue-affected area of the metal. 
  • Connect the iron to a power source and set it to low heat. 
  • Now, press the glued area with the iron over the woolen cloth. The iron’s heat will melt the glue. 
  • Finally, wipe the melted glue with a damp paper towel. 

Tip: You can do the same thing with your hair dryer or a heat gun. However, when handling heating equipment, be careful to avoid burning yourself.  

PVA is the most non-toxic glue that is safe to use on food containers. It’s effortless to remove this glue from metal. 

The Things You Need

  • A little toothpaste
  • An old toothbrush
  • A putty knife
  • A soft rag

Process

  • Apply a thin layer of toothpaste on the PVA glued area and rub it with the toothbrush for a minute back and forth as you brush your teeth. 
  • Scrape the softened glue with the putty knife and wipe the space with a damp rag. 

All kinds of stickers left a strong glue residue after removing the sticker. Unless you clean the glue residue from the metal, you find the space sticky. As a result, your hand will be stuck there when you touch the space. So you should learn how to remove sticky residue from metal to avoid your hand getting stuck. 

The Things You Need

  • A few drops of WD-40
  • An old credit card
  • A soft cloth

Process

  • Saturate a soft cloth in WD-40 and lay the cloth over the sticker glue residue for a few seconds. 
  • Next, scrape the soft glue gunk with an old credit card. 
  • Finally, wipe the surface with a soaked cloth until the glue residue is gone. 

That’s all for today about my discussion on how to remove glue from metal. Hopefully, you can efficiently remove all types of glue and its residue from any metal surface. 

So, why are you waiting? First, try to use all these available items in your home and effectively remove superglue. 

You can use acetone or other commercial glue removers for vast glue gunk. 

If you find the information valuable, share it with your friends and family members so that they can learn this DIY skill.

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