How to Remove Decals From Furniture

Remove all kinds of decals from furniture -- whether the furniture is wood, metal, plastic or some type of laminate -- using a scraping tool, a blow dryer and, if necessary, a citrus sticker remover. Find a corner or edge that peels up a bit when picked to get the cleaning process started.

Get Pickin'

1. Pick at the corners or edges of the decal until the decal starts to lift. Shove a plastic scraper beneath a lifted edge of the decal while pulling on a loosened portion of the decal if it is difficult to remove with your fingers. Continue scraping and peeling until you've removed as much of the decal as possible.

Tip

If one corner pulls up and you can get a good grip on it, position your hand above the decal and peel the corner, folding the decal back toward itself. With a good grip, you may be able to remove the entire decal in one piece.

Rub, Rub, Rub

2. Rub your fingers over any remaining decal residue, applying pressure as you rub the residue. Sometimes this pressure is enough to make the decal remnants stick to themselves and come up easily. Continue rubbing until you've removed as much residue as possible.

Moisture Treatment

3. Remove stubborn decal remnants by wetting them with a damp paper towel. Set the paper towel over the decal area for several minutes, then remove it and rub the area with your fingers again. The goal is to wet the decal and its adhesive without soaking the furniture. Skip this step if you feel even a slight amount of moisture may damage the furniture.

Heat Things Up

4. Remove a stubborn decal by heating it up with a blow dryer set to a low-heat setting. Warm the decal -- loosening the adhesive beneath it -- by holding the blow dryer 4 or 5 inches away from the decal, blowing warm air over the area for 30 seconds or so at a time. Scrape the warmed decal with a plastic scraper, or roll your fingers over remaining gooey adhesive once it cools slightly to help remove it from the furniture.

Citrus Treatment

5. Clean off any remaining residue by dabbing a citrus-based sticker remover over the decal remnants. Wipe the area with mild dish soap and water, followed by just water, afterward. If the furniture is made of wood or if it may be damaged by moisture, use as little water as possible. Dab the area dry with paper towels or a lint-free white cloth.

Warning

Test the citrus liquid in an inconspicuous area first to ensure it does not affect the furniture finish.

Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.