Adhesive remover is a substance intended to break down and remove glue and its remnants from surfaces.

Description

Adhesive removers are intended to break down glue so that it can be removed from surfaces easily. Formulations may be designed to remove a broad range of adhesives or to address a specific bond. Many general purpose removers are intended to remove residue from adhesive tape.

Formulations

Adhesive removers are often based on organic solvents, which can dissolve or soften many adhesive polymers that do not dissolve in water. They may also contain a gelling agent, increasing

viscosity The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness": for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Viscosity quantifies the inte ...

so that the product sticks to the area to be treated rather than running off. Common solvents used include -

limonene Limonene is a colorless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic monoterpene, and is the major component in the oil of citrus fruit peels. The -isomer, occurring more commonly in nature as the fragrance of oranges, is a flavoring ag ...

, aliphatic

alkane In organic chemistry, an alkane, or paraffin (a historical trivial name that also has other meanings), is an acyclic saturated hydrocarbon. In other words, an alkane consists of hydrogen and carbon atoms arranged in a tree structure in which ...

s, and

acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone), is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odour. Acetone is miscib ...

. Heptane is also used as an adhesive remover by stamp collectors. Since 1974, the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

has issued

self-adhesive stamp A self-adhesive stamp is a postage stamp with a pressure-sensitive adhesive that does not require moistening in order to adhere to paper. They are usually issued on a removable backing paper. Stamp collectors criticized the format, because the ...

s that some collectors find difficult to separate from envelopes via the traditional method of soaking in water. Heptane-based products like Bestine, as well as

-based products, have become popular solvents for removing stamps more easily.

References

Adhesives Cleaning products {{Product-stub