I received a Criterion Collection DVD from SwapaDVD that had been a former rental copy. (Previous rentals are eligible for posting to the site though I would personally appreciate the ability to bypass them.) It had a sticker on the artwork insert that said “Silent Movie” that I wanted to remove as it was covering the Criterion series number on the spine. Rather than trying to use a solvent to remove it, which would have almost certainly further ruined the artwork, I instead pulled out my hairdryer. After removing the artwork from the DVD case I aimed the dryer at the sticker and allowed it to run on high for a few seconds. This loosened the sticker’s adhesive just enough to allow me to pull it off to find: yet another sticker underneath! Of course, I then had to repeat the process and the end result was a legible spine number with a bit of ghosting around where the labels had one been. It did leave a small bit of sticky residue behind that I did not feel comfortable about removing with a solvent as I was sure it would stain the paper. I had to leave it there and slip the paper into the case which has effectively “sealed” it in there as the paper is now stuck to the plastic of the case. As long as I can read the number on the spine though, this is acceptable to me. There was a secondary metallic label on the front of the artwork as well that I attempted to remove with the hairdryer. However, this one did not cooperate and as you can see in the photo below, I was forced to leave it in place.
As a collector of many things (including books) over the years I have used many different things to clean up my finds and make them more appealing. The hairdryer is my favorite method to remove almost any sticker (even from a page or uncoated paper) as it usually enables me (with a bit of patience and perhaps an overly-heated digit or four) to remove an offensive label without leaving behind any damage or residue.
For coated surfaces (like plastics or a shiny dust jacket from a book) I alternate between Goo Gone and Goof Off. Goo Gone is an oil based solvent that smells like oranges. I’ve found it at hardware departments and places like Target or K-mart. It’s less harsh than Goof Off but also not quite as strong. It is pretty safe to use to clean the plastic cases that DVDs come in as long as you don’t leave it on too long. Goof Off is a harsh chemical that smells like paint thinner or nail polish remover. Used carefully (one drop at a time or on a clean cloth) it will quickly clean up the residue from a sticker or label and even remove some ink marks and stains from non-porous surfaces. If left on the plastic of a DVD case for too long it could eat a hole in the plastic or cause clouding, creating more extensive damage. I usually test an area first using a clean rag with just a drop or two to see if it will fix my problem or not.
