February 23, 2006
View Comments | Post CommentIKEA's Achilles Heel
I purchased approximately 79,400 things today at IKEA. It's like Wal-Mart for the literate. Everything is stylish, efficient, cheap, and Swedish. There's one about twenty-five minutes away (or fifteen minutes away when I'm in Bethesda) in College Park, Maryland. It's huge. It must have its own police force, fire department, and city hall. The mayor is the blond girl from ABBA. Because every Swede gets an honorary leadership position at an IKEA somewhere in the world.
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IKEA is renowned for its functional but stylish design. They constantly receive design awards for their products. Literally. They've received seven design awards since you started reading this post. Every product is just perfect, and is crafted in such a way as to be fabricated, shipped, and stored with the best utilization of energy, space, and materials. But here's one thing IKEA hasn't yet figured out:
Stickers suck. Note the sticky residue left on the bottom of cups whose stickers don't come off properly. And don't tell me that I just didn't do it right. I tried every method of peeling known to man. If there were an Idiot's Guide To Peeling Stickers, I would have exhausted its knowledge. If there were a Professional Sticker Peeler's Guide To Peeling Stickers, I would be able to contribute tips.
Yes, that's right. IKEA's UPC stickers can suck my tender Swedish meatballs. IKEA can furnish an entire house with furniture, appliances, and decorations, all assembled with just a small hex tool, but they can't keep the bottoms of my cups from being sticky? Come on, IKEA. I demand that you address this problem. No more sticky stickers leaving sticky stuff on my shit.
Maybe in Sweden everyone keeps rubbing alcohol handy. I don't know. Anyone know if vodka can be used instead of rubbing alcohol? Corollary: Anyone know if one can drink vodka with sticker glue dissolved in it?
Posted at February 23, 2006 6:57 AM | Comments (10)
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a) I found you!
b) Tape works well to remove stickers (as learned during my stints in retail) or adhesive remover (as learned from handy-around-the-house ex)
Posted by: Nicole at February 23, 2006 10:53 AM
dish soap works, but it's a little messy, hence defeating the point of eliminating the initial mess.
i have a love/hate relationship with ikea. never go to an ikea in new jersey. i think the one i went to is the only dirty ikea with disgruntled employees in america. or elsewhere.
Posted by: meredith at February 23, 2006 11:10 AM
My fool-proof sticker removal method: spray the stubborn thing with Windex, preferably the non-drip kind (I don't know why, but it works better), until it is utterly soaked with some standing fluid. Let it sit for a few minutes, then it should rub right off.
Good meeting you last night.
Posted by: Kathryn at February 23, 2006 2:59 PM
Windex contains alcohol. Like I said, rubbing alcohol works quite well. There ought to be a drink called a "Sticker Glue Remover":
3 oz. top-shelf vodka
1 oz. orange juice
1 oz. windex
splash of paint thinner
garnish with a scrub brush.
Posted by: David Barzelay at February 23, 2006 3:03 PM
Your blog is good
Posted by: DCB at February 23, 2006 4:26 PM
Goo Gone man. Works wonders.
Posted by: Mark at February 23, 2006 7:55 PM
i know how to do it but i can't tell you. it's an ancient swedish secret.
Posted by: sarahthustra at February 24, 2006 6:17 PM
peanut butter. i'm not kidding.
put a small amount of peanut butter on the sticker residue, then rub it in, in a circular motion with a dry paper towel. then wipe off peanut butter/residue mixture and wash with dish soap to get rid of the peanut buttery scent that will remain.
ta da!
p.s. only use peanut butter on non-porous surfaces. it leaves oily stains on surfaces such as paper, etc.
Posted by: mh at February 24, 2006 10:12 PM
use the sticker itself to remove any errant gunk. peel the sticker as neatly as you can, then reapply it any persistent residue. the residue will adhere to the sticker. a few dabs, and you're good.
KEvron
Posted by: KEvron at February 26, 2006 4:04 PM
I agree with the Goo Gone statement. Buy a bottle, and it will change your sticker-removing life. Alcohol works, but Goo Gone is a "squirt and wipe" kind of amazing product. And it smells citrus-y.
Posted by: Cara at February 26, 2006 9:00 PM
