We Tried Two Icy Hacks To Remove Stuck-On Jars Labels, And One Left Us Out In The Cold

From pasta sauces to jams to pickles and beyond, it feels like there's an endless supply of glass bottles in the pantry and fridge. While my family recycles, it still feels like such a waste to get rid of perfect containers when they're empty. Fortunately, there are many clever ways to reuse old glass jars around the house. The only problem is removing the glue residue and labels, which seem to shred and stick when I peel them off. Many online tips involve heat, like pouring boiling water into the jar or blowing a hair dryer over the exterior of the sticker. I wanted to try something different, and one website had an answer – instead of heat, use cold. 

Two methods were suggested online — put a jar into the freezer for a few hours with the lid off, or soak it in ice water to remove the glue and label. This seemed simple enough and didn't involve possibly burning my fingers. I decided to try them both. If I was successful, I could make myself a DIY flower vase, or kitchen storage container. Check out how my sticker and glue-removing experiment worked out.

To begin, I selected two glass containers from my recycling bin — a pickle jar and a smaller plum sauce bottle. I wanted to try both label and glue-removing methods, and I liked the idea of having two different-sized vessels so I could make two projects when I was finished. It seemed too good to be true to easily clean labels off of glass jars using nothing but water, but I started with the ice bath prep. I found a glass bread pan that was the perfect size for the sauce bottle and gathered two cups of ice from my ice machine. 

Next, I got ready for the freezer experiment. I cleared a space for the pickle jar on the top shelf of my standing deep freeze. I have a standard fridge-freezer combo in my kitchen, but I didn't want one of my kids to pull out a frozen treat and knock over the jar in the process. Using the basement deep freeze seemed safer. With the prep out of the way, it was time to start.

The beauty of this experiment is the simplicity of the steps. The freezer method was easy. I removed the lid, put the pickle jar inside, and closed the door. In the meantime, I got to work on the ice bath. This involved pouring two cups of ice into the glass bread pan, setting the plum sauce bottle inside, and pouring water around it. Once it was mostly submerged, I popped it into the fridge and waited for the magic to happen.

I left both jars in the cold overnight and was eager to check on them in the morning. To my surprise and delight, the ice bath bottle gave me no trouble. The label and most of the glue came right off in a single peel, and any residual glue scraped away easily. The pickle jar was another story. I tried removing the paper and glue while the glass was still frosted to no avail. Bits and pieces peeled off, but nothing substantial, and the adhesive remained clumped to the glass. I let it warm a little, hoping the condensation would help, but alas, I encountered the same issue. If you're looking for a brilliant hack that'll remove stickers from your glass decor items, the only ice method I'd use again is the water, but I have a few thoughts to share on that front.

In the ice vs. sticker glue battle, ice was tied against the labels 1-to-1. The freezer method was a total bust and not something I'd ever try again. Not only does it take up space and risk a glass jar falling out onto your floor, but it just doesn't work. As for the ice bath, I have my reservations. My overall thought is: Was it the ice or the water that did the work? Thinking of all those hot water sticker removal tricks on social media, I'm not convinced. If I soaked the bottle in lukewarm water could it have done the same thing?

Between these two methods, I would try the ice bath again, maybe without the cold to test my above theory. Whether it worked because of the low temps or the moisture, it still worked. So, if you're looking for ways to get rid of those pesky labels and residual glue from glass containers, give it a try. I'm off to transform a glass jar into an artsy decorative vase ... and recycle my sad pickle jar.