How to Remove Sticker Residue from Tumbled Crystals and Stones

I love supporting my local brick and mortar metaphysical shops.

Online shopping can be convenient and is often very affordable, but when it comes to browsing crystals and gemstones, nothing beats riffling through a bowl of stones until you find one that picks YOU.

Those darn stickers

But, one of the down sides to shopping local is that many shops put price tag stickers on the crystals and stones.

If you’ve ever purchased a picture frame with a price tag on the glass and tried to remove sticker residue, you already know what a frustrating experience that can be!

Now imagine finding a beautiful crystal that you adore and totally connect with… only to get it home and have it marred with sticky residue from the price tag you tried to remove.

Disheartening, yes?

How to remove sticker residue from tumbled crystals

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I’d like to share with you how to remove sticker residue from crystals and stones. But first, let me say that if you have an especially delicate crystal that shouldn’t get wet or that you think might break or crack, try this technique at your own risk. I’ve only used it on sturdy and/or polished stones.

I learned this technique from the book The Organically Clean Home by Becky Rapinchuk, which is a fantastic little book if you’re into making recipes for homemade cleaning products.

You’ll need only two ingredients — baking soda and your choice of carrier oil — along with a small bowl and an optional spoon or small whisk for mixing.

Step 1 – Measure out equal amounts of baking soda and oil

Place equal amounts of baking soda and oil together in a small bowl. How much of each? That depends on how many crystals have residue on them. If you’re removing residue from only one or two stones, a quarter to a half teaspoon of each should do.

Step 2 – Mix the baking soda and oil together

Using a small spoon or whisk, mix the baking soda and oil together until well blended. I often skip the utensil and just use my finger! :)

Step 3 – Rub the soda and oil mixture onto the residue

I also use my finger to rub the baking soda and oil mixture onto the stone. I dip my finger into the mixture and then apply it over the sticker residue, covering it generously. Then I rub… and keep rubbing. You’ll feel the baking soda acting as an abrasive and working with the oil to break down the sticker residue. If there’s not much residue, you’ll only have to rub for a minute or two. If the sticker residue is more stubborn, you may have to rub longer as seen in the video below:

Step 4 – Wipe away the mixture and admire your residue-free crystal!

Once you feel the sticker residue has been removed from your stone, wipe away the oil and baking soda mixture with a soft cloth. The oil polishes up most stones and crystals nicely, but if it’s too oily for you and you’re sure you can get your crystal wet, you can use a little soap and water to alleviate some of the oil on your stone.

Even though it may take a few minutes of rubbing to break it down, this method is by far the fastest and most frustration-free way I have found to remove sticker residue from my crystals. Again, I have only used this method on sturdy, tumbled crystals and stones. If you have a delicate crystal with sticker goo, exercise caution and try this method at your own risk!

What method have you found to be the best to remove sticker residue from crystals? I’d love to hear what works for you. Leave a comment here, or chat me up on Facebook or Twitter.