The Simple Way To Banish Glue Stains From Countertops

It is not uncommon to find glue stains on your countertop after you or someone in your family have been working on a DIY project or a school assignment. But once the glue is dried on, what is the best way to remove it? Countertops are made from highly durable materials (after all, they have to stand up to hours of food prep a day), but you still need to exercise caution when trying to clean off stubborn stains, lest you damage your kitchen surfaces for good.

Fortunately, the proper way to remove glue from your countertops involves a simple, quick, and gentle technique using items you likely already have at home: hot water, dish soap, and an abrasive kitchen sponge. Wet your kitchen sponge with hot water and add a drop or two of dish soap to the glue, then gently begin to scrub away at the dried-on stain. It shouldn't take long before you notice that the glue is beginning to loosen or diminish in size. Continue rinsing the sponge and reapplying soap as often as necessary until the glue is entirely gone.

If you find that most of the glue has been lifted off your counter but a little residue is left behind, you may need to arm yourself with something to scrape away the remainder. Avoid using metal tools, as they can scratch your countertops and leave permanent marks. Instead, consider using a plastic spatula, which should gently remove the glue.

The techniques mentioned above will work wonders for most glues that have adhered to your countertops, however there are more challenging adhesives — such as superglue — which may not respond to simple cleaning methods. In the event that superglue has dried on your countertop, scrubbing with dish soap and a sponge will not yield any results, as this type of glue's chemistry results in incredibly strong bonds between the adhesive and a surface. Rather than wasting your time scrubbing it, the best way to clean your countertops of dried-on superglue is to ice the glue spot for about five minutes, after which time you should be easily able to break it off the counter, leaving no damage behind.