Good timing, just ordered a game yesterday with a sticker on it. Never removed stickers before, but the way you showed it seems very easy. Again good video and well explained
That Goof Off seems like it works well. Products I like to use when removing stickers off of brand new sealed games is 90% isopropyl alcohol, cotton balls, and Q-tips. On new games I don't like using my finger nail because sometimes after you get the sticker off picking marks can be seen on the surface of the plastic and I've learned the hard way a few times. I like how you tackled that Pokemon Red. My remedy for opened games that have many stickers on the case is to take out the artwork, remove the game and manual, then turn the tap water on hot, but not real hot. Then I soak the sticker underneath the faucet and then gently use my index finger to rub the entire sticker off. When the water is warm the sticker will dissolve quickly with minimal rubbing and with no finger nail picking at all. Next I put some 90% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton ball and rub the area where the sticker was to safely remove the sticker residue. 90% alcohol and cotton balls works well on sticker residue with a wider surface area and more fibers of the cotton ball. After a little bit of rubbing there is no evidence that a sticker was even there, takes it completely off. This is the only technique I use for opened games. For console boxes with thick cardboard if the sticker can't be taken off using my finger nail I will heat up a pot of water on the stove with a lid on it that has a small hole on the top so the steam is concentrated via the Venturi Effect to super heat the sticker and the glue holding it within seconds, without damaging the cardboard. When the steam starts rolling use your hand to find the correct distance over the steam hole where you are going to place that sticker, note the distance from your hand to the steam hole and how long it takes for you to remove your hand. It only takes a few seconds depending on the sticker. Once the sticker is super heated in a few seconds I take off as much as I can, repeat if necessary, next dry the box surface quickly, then I quickly transition over to a cotton ball with 90% alcohol to remove the sticker residue on the box, having that on standby is helpful. I don't use the steam method on plastic that has stickers, only cardboard.
Nice upload and love your contributions! I live in the Netherlands and for my sticker removals I am always using Label off 50 from the brand Kontakt Chemie. The big plus is that it doesn't harm the cart box when spilled, it dries up without leaving any damage. This stuff is also based on natural citrus acids. Used once and never stopped using it afterwards! 😎
Finishes cleaning tutorial then immediately slams game down haha, I had to rewind as I saw the goof off cap jump haha. But Greg I need this tutorial just without the cellophane next.
Hey great video. Just discovered the channel. I see you're mostly intro retro consoles, but still wanted to know if you tested goof off on sealed switch games? (The plastic can be of various thickness depending on publisher though)
You could also use Goo Gone which is a bit less harsh in general, but Goof Off should be fine for all seal types with Switch. I've used it on many different console seals over the years and the only one I've ever found issue with is a very thick type of seal found on Game Gear haha. But yea, Goo Gone is just a safer alternative that I probably should have made this video with.
If the cellophane has holes, cover them with some low strength tape before using the goof off, also, use tweezers to grab the sticker instead of your fingers
The hair dryer looked like it was warping the plastic? Not sure I would take that approach. I have a rare game coming in the mail that has a sticker so ill do the alcohol with a Qtip. I think that is the safest way. Great video
It will if the hangtab shows any discoloring/dirt/looseness etc. If it still appears fresh, it won't actually affect the grade and comes down to preference. I've always preferred my games to not have them.
@@GetTheGreg Okay i see. I've got a 9.8 A+ with the hangtag (not discolored) and was wondering if removing them would have bring the game to a A++ as stickers can affect the grade of the seal (if the hangtag is considered a sticker)
This guy knows what he's doing. I use pretty similar methods, actually. Have you ever tried Goof Off 2? It's better suited for plastic, although it's perhaps a little less effective. Still great for stubborn residue and even permanent marker on carts. I do use lighter fluid and it works pretty well, especially on cardboard boxes. I find it's surprisingly gentle on printed ink, and evaporates quickly before soaking into the cardboard. The hair dryer can be effective too, although it's better suited for more recently-applied labels. The longer a label stays on a box, the more it becomes a part of the box. Uh, great vid though!
I didn't realize Goof Off came out with a new model haha. Company must really be booming! I'll have to check it out as yes, Good Off is quite dangerous! Goof Off 2 causes no damage to cartridge plastic!? That's huge news.... I'm yet to experiment with lighter fluid but will be soonish as I do want better methodology for stickers on actual boxes, so that's really good to know.
Yep, GO2 is safe on (most) plastic, although it can cause ink to run or discolour some things. Recommend. Actually the way you describe Goof Off sounds like it behaves similar to lighter fluid, maybe there's not much difference there. You'll have to let me know if you try. Another little trick is to use paper towel to polish plastic... might sound weird, but it works well in certain cases. It's kinda like super-fine sandpaper if you apply a bit of force.
@@kidgabula yea, I'll buy some of that stuff soon then and start playing around! And for the plastic polishing with paper tower, you're saying paper towel with nothing else on it? What kind of plastics are we talking🧐
Just plain old paper towel, nothing on it. Just wad it up and use a bit of force in a circular motion. Your Charmin might work too. Works especially well on NES/SNES carts (I wouldn't try it on a laminated label though). I've tried it on some consoles, and it can help. If you have a cart where the finish has been dulled, sometimes just polishing it can bring back the lustre a little bit. I've noticed sometimes rubbing alcohol can cloud the finish of a cart, sometimes this can help with that, too. I wish I could show examples... I've been meaning to take before & after pics when I clean games. Next time.
Goo gone does wonders, much safer and gentler and any staining will dry in a day or two this disappearing 100%. Works on plastic and even cardboard safely. I used it on sealed vintage toy packages, vintage toy boxes, but bones and sealed games. Still 110% back it.
Can i use goo gone? Ive used it on none sealed games Also what is your strat on getting stickers from game boxes and also game manuals. Since i tried goo gone on a sticker that was on a 2ds box and it sunk into some cardboard. The box was very worn in the first place.
You can't touch actually boxes with goof off, it'll eat right through the paint/cardboard very quickly. Most people I know have good results using goo gone or Bestine, but it will take a few tries before you get it perfect. Working on the actual box or manual has much more room for error than working on a factory sealed game!
Greg-I have valuable n64 manuals with orange stickers on them that say “You will be charged if not returned.” These stickers have been on the manuals for c. 27 years. I haven’t yet discovered a way to remove the stickers without tearing the manuals, or leaving a discolored rectangle where the stickers had been. Heat gun was an epic fail. Un-Du got the stickers off but left the discoloration. Funny thing is, I can peel these same stickers off of snes manuals. My question there is how to remove residue that’s sometimes left behind. Any suggestions? Removing stickers from paper is, in my experience, really tough compared to removing stickers from cardboard or (it appears) shrink wrap.
I'm actually not a great with removing stickers from paper, either. I've heard lighter fluid and Bestine can be very effective with little danger of actually ruining anything (still have to be careful/deliberate with it). As for the discoloration from stickers being on for 20+ years, I'm not sure there is anything you can do about that...? I've also removed stickers and had the exact same thing you're talking about. I almost feel like it's inevitable once a sticker has been left on paper/cardboard for so long.
@@GetTheGreg Thanks. A can of Bestine is to arrive today, actually. I hope it’s something chemically different than Un-du. Un-du works great on most box stickers. But paper is another story. Will let you know.
@@GetTheGreg Greg-Bestine is a step in the right direction. If you apply it 3-4 times and let it soak into the sticker, the sticker will generally surrender (talking about removing a sticker from paper here). If you apply too much Bestine and it soaks through to the the surface of the paper, that surface will often rip and come right up with the sticker. The shortcomings here? Bestine removal seems always to leave a thick layer of sticker residue and that residue is hard to remove. It’s not terribly unsightly if the paper surface is the right (especially dark) colors. But you’re always gonna see a shadow on those yellow/Orange-ish n64 manuals. My next step is to see if anything will easily cut through the residue. I’ve yet to try WD40, lighter fluid, Goof Off, or 96% alcohol.
@mrmojorisen8752 HI, I'm curious, did you try anything else to remove that residue yet? Also, did the Un-Du cause discoloration while the Bestine didnt? Let us know if you tried any other methods to remove stickers. I might have to try my hand at some GBA box stickers soon and I'm not sure it's worth it if it will leave discoloration
@mrmojorisen8752 HI, I'm curious, did you try anything else to remove that residue yet? Also, did the Un-Du cause discoloration while the Bestine didnt? Let us know if you tried any other methods to remove stickers. I might have to try my hand at some GBA box stickers soon and I'm not sure it's worth it if it will leave discoloration
Doesn't the blow dryer damage the plastic wrap? I use many of these techniques (I use "un du" rather than goof off but they do the same thing) but only use blow dryers on cardboard boxes without shrink wrap. Would be great to use a blow dryer on some tuff stickers on plastic wrap, I just always assumed it would damage the wrap.
I've seen it possible for an actual flame to cause "shrinking" to the wrap due to intense heat, but in all of my years with the blow dryer, I've never caused any kind of damage!
really nice informative video. I am having a question though. What about games such as pokemon gold that have a shiny outside? Cardboard box. Hope you can answer if this method works or that I am better off leaving the sticker on, i dont want to damage it! thanks
If the seal is still on, it's all the same. If you're removing from the box itself, you'll need a softer substance like Bestine or Goo Gone, and you'll have to be very careful so as not to stain/damage it. Gold in particular isn't any more/less scary than other boxes
what about when you have a pokemon silver box not sealed and sticker on the actual box, i need to know as i have one im going to attempt to take off, please help
Definitely don't touch it with Goof Off. "Goo Gone" is much less corrosive and can have great results when used in actual cardboard. If you search RUclips, there's a video called "goo gone vs bedtime" which shows a good demo directly on cardboard!
Heyyy, so what if the sticker is removed but some of the glue outline from the sticker is still on the seal, will goo-gone still be able to remove it. (Havent tried, just saw a game on ebay with it, and was thinking of purchasing and cleaning it up). Thanks for any help!
Heyy I gots another question…those square stickers with the metal security lines in them (not sure how to describe them lol), do youu know is there a good way to remove them, I think I heard they’re sketchy to get off. I appreciate it man thanks
They are very sketchy to get off and can easily tear the wrap if you screw up. WATA does provide the service for $24 if you want to go that route. I personally use goof off and q tips, plus a lot of patience. I've also heard of people having great success using straight Zippo Lighter Fluid. Rubbing alcohol will do nothing. They can be removed, but yea, be VERY careful haha.
Ive had a lot of people suggest this so my next removals I'm going to go ahead and test out the other products! Hopefully they indeed work just as well without the risks
Speaking of which, I’d be interested in your strategy for getting rid of stickers on games without wraps, where it’s right on the cardboard. I recently got rid of a sticker on a sealed hey you pikachu using undu, but it felt so ineffective,
@@inasuma8180 that is still far more experimental for me too. I use a lot of hairdryer and friction rather than chemical in most instances, but it's a touch and go kind of thing!
I have been meaning to try it out as I know other people have had great results with it, but the more I got comfortable with Goof Off the more I kept putting it off. I'll be sure to try it next time I get some stickered games in!
@@GetTheGreg yeah I’m not gonna lie when I saw the can of GOOF OFF I assumed it was a prop for huge joke...I’ve always used Goo Gone! There’s even a specific Goo Gone for stickers and adhesive. It works just as good as the Goof Off without the risk. Also I use Goo Gone for Game Gear with zero issues
I use goo gone. I've even used it on the sticker residue left on strategy guides and had positive results... though you have to use it minimally and wipe off directly after application then rinse and repeat until the desired result is obtained.
What about an eb games sticker that's been removed poorly, now years later in have hard crusty residue that isnt sticky at all. Not sealed just on the case 3d dot game heroes. I Also have fire emblem radiant dawn with about 3 eb stickers on top of eachother still on it. I will try alcohol as that's all I have. Or goo gone but you have not mentioned that one
Definitely go with Goo Gone. From everything I've heard since making this, it's safer than goof off and very effective. Just make sure to remove the cover art from the case first. The sticker residue/old stickers should come right off without causing damage to the case/plastic.
Or just leave them on :P IMO the mark left by removing a sticker or hangtab is worse than just leaving it on there but to each their own. Usually I agree with using a hairdryer to remove stickers but not when it's on a plastic case. I've accidentally crinkled the plastic cover by doing so. YMMV but be cautious. Using a plastic razor blade will definitely help remove the stickers as well. As far as cleaning shrinkwrap, Windex or simply water usually gets the job done. What are your tips for removing those really nasty security stickers with the foil in them or those plastic tags?
Oh heavens no, the sticker is far worse than the imprint left haha👌 And oh yea, you can get away cleaning with other materials, but damn does goo gone get rid of everything without much effort haha. And for the metal security stickers: hairdryer + goo gone, and about 30 minutes of time. The same basic strategy, but once a lip is created, goof off can be continually applied to the metallic part as you slowly peel it up. You have to be very careful to not stretch the wrap so it's a super slow process
Mah the mark does defently looks worse ..lmao. i had one warioland moved the stikker and the mark left behind looks horrible even on a picture market for life
I bought a sealed Zelda twilight princess Wii u game and it has a faded Price sticker in corner i don't have access to goof off i live in Sweden so yes I paid 100$ for it I have never removed sticker before I've read on Reddit that a soft cloth water loses it idk The plastic wrap is in good condition no holes for water in
I wouldn't use water at all. Without an actual solvent, you could only worsen the situation. Do you have anything like Paint Thinner? Most products like that should help, but obviously a bit risky when you don't have experience. If you will be grading it eventually, you can have either VGA or WATA take care of it for you. Both companies offer the service for a small fee.
@@GetTheGreg i just asked my father to remove The sticker i thought he was gonna rip it Did it pretty Quick But it went well and I used microfiber cloth i put little bit with water and drained so nothing was drip and rubbed it on the plastic seal to remove glue i think it went well no water inside and no damage on seal took Few minutes
There is a goof off spray bottle that works great and is not as Poten as that hard can bottle goof off you are showing us. I’ve used it for years and protected all my games from damage
I’m fascinated that the grading companies won’t “doc” you for the wrinkles (the little square shadows) in the shrink wrap left after you removed the sticker. Doesn’t make sense to me. Glad of it, though.
They are taken into consideration for sure, but generally on their own they aren't enough to swing the grade by a whole deviation. Even stickers aren't generally an entire grade difference unless they are very large or something, but most people find them unsightly anyway.
@@GetTheGreg I’m going to be interested in how the sticker thing shakes out in 10-15 years. I get that some stickers are unsightly. But in I think in time a sticker off in a corner that shows the price and the name of an iconic, defunct toy store or department store will actually add value.
When you were peeling off the sticker on red were you nervous having equipment everywhere hindering your ability to be careful and precise or is that just the talent of an expert? Next time I want to see Greg peel stickers off using only a stick he found outside and some Kool aid.
@@GetTheGreg Yes..have to soak the stickers but the stickers come off and I usually let the box dry out for the day and looks good. I'd say about 95% of the time.
@@GetTheGreg in my opinion the safest way, especially if its expensive games. I also do it regularly with Sealed TCG Products. Over the past year I may have destroyed 1/1000 prodcuts. Especially if you handle a lot of games. Doining it with the Nail, only damages the Product even more. Also if you Employ people doing it in your business. They should all use a cutter or any similar tool.
Each collector is different. I have a love of silent hill games. I have multiples of each of the mains except Book of Memories on Vita, and the Gameboy advance game. I recently bought a copy of the PS2 Greatest Hits Silent Hill 2 DC factory sealed super cheap that is definitely getting graded. I have SH2 multiple copies on several systems so no biggie there. There's a chance my graded copy will make me many times the money I paid for it. Not saying it will sell for it, but a regular fac sealed SH2 is listed on eBay by a seller for $20,000 right now. Don't know about you but I'd like a shot at that kinda action.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Good timing, just ordered a game yesterday with a sticker on it. Never removed stickers before, but the way you showed it seems very easy.
Again good video and well explained
Not too bad so long as it's an easy sticker! If it's like a security sticker or something, definitely don't make it your first attempt haha
That Goof Off seems like it works well. Products I like to use when removing stickers off of brand new sealed games is 90% isopropyl alcohol, cotton balls, and Q-tips. On new games I don't like using my finger nail because sometimes after you get the sticker off picking marks can be seen on the surface of the plastic and I've learned the hard way a few times. I like how you tackled that Pokemon Red.
My remedy for opened games that have many stickers on the case is to take out the artwork, remove the game and manual, then turn the tap water on hot, but not real hot. Then I soak the sticker underneath the faucet and then gently use my index finger to rub the entire sticker off. When the water is warm the sticker will dissolve quickly with minimal rubbing and with no finger nail picking at all. Next I put some 90% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton ball and rub the area where the sticker was to safely remove the sticker residue. 90% alcohol and cotton balls works well on sticker residue with a wider surface area and more fibers of the cotton ball. After a little bit of rubbing there is no evidence that a sticker was even there, takes it completely off. This is the only technique I use for opened games.
For console boxes with thick cardboard if the sticker can't be taken off using my finger nail I will heat up a pot of water on the stove with a lid on it that has a small hole on the top so the steam is concentrated via the Venturi Effect to super heat the sticker and the glue holding it within seconds, without damaging the cardboard. When the steam starts rolling use your hand to find the correct distance over the steam hole where you are going to place that sticker, note the distance from your hand to the steam hole and how long it takes for you to remove your hand. It only takes a few seconds depending on the sticker. Once the sticker is super heated in a few seconds I take off as much as I can, repeat if necessary, next dry the box surface quickly, then I quickly transition over to a cotton ball with 90% alcohol to remove the sticker residue on the box, having that on standby is helpful. I don't use the steam method on plastic that has stickers, only cardboard.
This is awesome and super detailed! I appreciate you sharing your methods as it will help me out in the future, and I'm sure others as well!
@@GetTheGreg You're welcome. It really is an art to take stickers off of games without damaging the seal, game box, or case. Love the videos.
Nice upload and love your contributions! I live in the Netherlands and for my sticker removals I am always using Label off 50 from the brand Kontakt Chemie. The big plus is that it doesn't harm the cart box when spilled, it dries up without leaving any damage. This stuff is also based on natural citrus acids. Used once and never stopped using it afterwards! 😎
Ooo that sounds much more user friendly than the stuff I'm using haha
@@GetTheGreg 😁
Been waiting for this one :D
I'm happy to finally get it up!
DaGreenshiz sent me as you're the video game guy. Awesome videos. Can't wait to go through your whole catalog.
Cheers! Just followed you on IG too!
@@GetTheGreg appreciate that! Look forward to your content and learning more in this new hobby for me
Why doesn’t this video have more views or support? Thank you mate!
You're welcome man! Don't worry, I'll tackle this algorithm one video at a time!
update: finally got around to doing my game. it worked! thank you so much!
@@thebuzzing that's fantastic man! Great to hear👌🙌
Finishes cleaning tutorial then immediately slams game down haha, I had to rewind as I saw the goof off cap jump haha. But Greg I need this tutorial just without the cellophane next.
Hahah
"this looks like a VGA 85"
*Slams game*
"This looks like a VGA 80"
Hey Greg! Thanks for putting together this tutorial.
Did you ever find a way to safely remove stickers from Game Gear games?
How do you get the white strip plastic tags off a game? Make a video of that, please! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Absolute legend! You made the one I really need
Hope it works wonders for you!
I'm sharing this with everyone I know! You are a beast!!!💪💪
Great content! I'm actually preparing a new material on game studies and preservation, so your tips really helped! 🙂
Hey great video. Just discovered the channel. I see you're mostly intro retro consoles, but still wanted to know if you tested goof off on sealed switch games? (The plastic can be of various thickness depending on publisher though)
You could also use Goo Gone which is a bit less harsh in general, but Goof Off should be fine for all seal types with Switch. I've used it on many different console seals over the years and the only one I've ever found issue with is a very thick type of seal found on Game Gear haha.
But yea, Goo Gone is just a safer alternative that I probably should have made this video with.
@@GetTheGreg thank you! Will try goo gone :)
If the cellophane has holes, cover them with some low strength tape before using the goof off, also, use tweezers to grab the sticker instead of your fingers
using a hair dryer can it shrink the shrink wrap more? affecting the seal?
Hair dryer generally isn't hot enough to do that, but it is possible, yes
The hair dryer looked like it was warping the plastic? Not sure I would take that approach. I have a rare game coming in the mail that has a sticker so ill do the alcohol with a Qtip. I think that is the safest way. Great video
Does the hangtag affects the grade you can get? Is it worth to pay for a cleaning and ask to get it removed to get a better grade?
It will if the hangtab shows any discoloring/dirt/looseness etc. If it still appears fresh, it won't actually affect the grade and comes down to preference. I've always preferred my games to not have them.
@@GetTheGreg Okay i see. I've got a 9.8 A+ with the hangtag (not discolored) and was wondering if removing them would have bring the game to a A++ as stickers can affect the grade of the seal (if the hangtag is considered a sticker)
Yea, in that instance, extremely unlikely removing it would affect the grade.
@@GetTheGreg You're a legend, cheers
This guy knows what he's doing. I use pretty similar methods, actually. Have you ever tried Goof Off 2? It's better suited for plastic, although it's perhaps a little less effective. Still great for stubborn residue and even permanent marker on carts. I do use lighter fluid and it works pretty well, especially on cardboard boxes. I find it's surprisingly gentle on printed ink, and evaporates quickly before soaking into the cardboard. The hair dryer can be effective too, although it's better suited for more recently-applied labels. The longer a label stays on a box, the more it becomes a part of the box. Uh, great vid though!
I didn't realize Goof Off came out with a new model haha. Company must really be booming! I'll have to check it out as yes, Good Off is quite dangerous! Goof Off 2 causes no damage to cartridge plastic!? That's huge news....
I'm yet to experiment with lighter fluid but will be soonish as I do want better methodology for stickers on actual boxes, so that's really good to know.
Yep, GO2 is safe on (most) plastic, although it can cause ink to run or discolour some things. Recommend. Actually the way you describe Goof Off sounds like it behaves similar to lighter fluid, maybe there's not much difference there. You'll have to let me know if you try. Another little trick is to use paper towel to polish plastic... might sound weird, but it works well in certain cases. It's kinda like super-fine sandpaper if you apply a bit of force.
@@kidgabula yea, I'll buy some of that stuff soon then and start playing around!
And for the plastic polishing with paper tower, you're saying paper towel with nothing else on it? What kind of plastics are we talking🧐
Just plain old paper towel, nothing on it. Just wad it up and use a bit of force in a circular motion. Your Charmin might work too. Works especially well on NES/SNES carts (I wouldn't try it on a laminated label though). I've tried it on some consoles, and it can help. If you have a cart where the finish has been dulled, sometimes just polishing it can bring back the lustre a little bit. I've noticed sometimes rubbing alcohol can cloud the finish of a cart, sometimes this can help with that, too. I wish I could show examples... I've been meaning to take before & after pics when I clean games. Next time.
@@kidgabula this is all really good to know, thanks man!
Goo gone does wonders, much safer and gentler and any staining will dry in a day or two this disappearing 100%. Works on plastic and even cardboard safely. I used it on sealed vintage toy packages, vintage toy boxes, but bones and sealed games. Still 110% back it.
I'm going to start experimenting with it soon! Funny the stuff you can learn once you make a public video haha
Can i use goo gone? Ive used it on none sealed games
Also what is your strat on getting stickers from game boxes and also game manuals. Since i tried goo gone on a sticker that was on a 2ds box and it sunk into some cardboard. The box was very worn in the first place.
good gone seems thicker so maybe it could be watered down? Or should i just get some goof off.
You can't touch actually boxes with goof off, it'll eat right through the paint/cardboard very quickly.
Most people I know have good results using goo gone or Bestine, but it will take a few tries before you get it perfect. Working on the actual box or manual has much more room for error than working on a factory sealed game!
@@GetTheGreg ok thank you, I appreciate the good info my Man!
Greg-I have valuable n64 manuals with orange stickers on them that say “You will be charged if not returned.” These stickers have been on the manuals for c. 27 years. I haven’t yet discovered a way to remove the stickers without tearing the manuals, or leaving a discolored rectangle where the stickers had been. Heat gun was an epic fail. Un-Du got the stickers off but left the discoloration. Funny thing is, I can peel these same stickers off of snes manuals. My question there is how to remove residue that’s sometimes left behind. Any suggestions? Removing stickers from paper is, in my experience, really tough compared to removing stickers from cardboard or (it appears) shrink wrap.
I'm actually not a great with removing stickers from paper, either. I've heard lighter fluid and Bestine can be very effective with little danger of actually ruining anything (still have to be careful/deliberate with it). As for the discoloration from stickers being on for 20+ years, I'm not sure there is anything you can do about that...? I've also removed stickers and had the exact same thing you're talking about. I almost feel like it's inevitable once a sticker has been left on paper/cardboard for so long.
@@GetTheGreg Thanks. A can of Bestine is to arrive today, actually. I hope it’s something chemically different than Un-du. Un-du works great on most box stickers. But paper is another story. Will let you know.
@@GetTheGreg Greg-Bestine is a step in the right direction. If you apply it 3-4 times and let it soak into the sticker, the sticker will generally surrender (talking about removing a sticker from paper here). If you apply too much Bestine and it soaks through to the the surface of the paper, that surface will often rip and come right up with the sticker. The shortcomings here? Bestine removal seems always to leave a thick layer of sticker residue and that residue is hard to remove. It’s not terribly unsightly if the paper surface is the right (especially dark) colors. But you’re always gonna see a shadow on those yellow/Orange-ish n64 manuals. My next step is to see if anything will easily cut through the residue. I’ve yet to try WD40, lighter fluid, Goof Off, or 96% alcohol.
@mrmojorisen8752 HI, I'm curious, did you try anything else to remove that residue yet? Also, did the Un-Du cause discoloration while the Bestine didnt? Let us know if you tried any other methods to remove stickers. I might have to try my hand at some GBA box stickers soon and I'm not sure it's worth it if it will leave discoloration
@mrmojorisen8752 HI, I'm curious, did you try anything else to remove that residue yet? Also, did the Un-Du cause discoloration while the Bestine didnt? Let us know if you tried any other methods to remove stickers. I might have to try my hand at some GBA box stickers soon and I'm not sure it's worth it if it will leave discoloration
Can you use that product on plastic cases like Saturn games?
No, it'll eat the plastic. You'd have to try something less corrosive like Goo Gone
Great video G!
Doesn't the blow dryer damage the plastic wrap? I use many of these techniques (I use "un du" rather than goof off but they do the same thing) but only use blow dryers on cardboard boxes without shrink wrap. Would be great to use a blow dryer on some tuff stickers on plastic wrap, I just always assumed it would damage the wrap.
I've seen it possible for an actual flame to cause "shrinking" to the wrap due to intense heat, but in all of my years with the blow dryer, I've never caused any kind of damage!
@@GetTheGreg Thanks for the reply Greg. I will be sure to try it out.
Could I use goo gone as a substitute for goof off
Yes! It works (basically) just as well and is a bit safer overall
really nice informative video. I am having a question though. What about games such as pokemon gold that have a shiny outside? Cardboard box. Hope you can answer if this method works or that I am better off leaving the sticker on, i dont want to damage it! thanks
If the seal is still on, it's all the same.
If you're removing from the box itself, you'll need a softer substance like Bestine or Goo Gone, and you'll have to be very careful so as not to stain/damage it. Gold in particular isn't any more/less scary than other boxes
@@GetTheGreg thank you, i will look into those products and try them on other boxes and practise. Thanks!
Debating if I should remove sticker on a 1st print mint donkey kong country for snes
Imo, get rid of all stickers haha
My shrink-wrap is dusty and sticky. Is water with tissue ok?
yup, nothing wrong with a lightly damp cloth for a surface level clean. Might not help with stickiness, though
what about when you have a pokemon silver box not sealed and sticker on the actual box, i need to know as i have one im going to attempt to take off, please help
Definitely don't touch it with Goof Off. "Goo Gone" is much less corrosive and can have great results when used in actual cardboard. If you search RUclips, there's a video called "goo gone vs bedtime" which shows a good demo directly on cardboard!
May goo gone be used instead of goof off?
Absolutely! Works very well too!
I have a significant amount of sticker residue on the back of my sealed Halo 3. Will this method do the same for residue?
Yup! Goof Off/Goo Gone/lighter fluid are all super effective for residue. Use a q tip, be careful, and it'll come right off!
@@GetTheGreg Sweet. I'll try it out when I can. Thanks!
Heyyy, so what if the sticker is removed but some of the glue outline from the sticker is still on the seal, will goo-gone still be able to remove it. (Havent tried, just saw a game on ebay with it, and was thinking of purchasing and cleaning it up). Thanks for any help!
Yup, residue comes off the exact same! Generally very easy to do with either goo gone or goof off
@@GetTheGreg thank you, wow you are an amazing man
Heyy I gots another question…those square stickers with the metal security lines in them (not sure how to describe them lol), do youu know is there a good way to remove them, I think I heard they’re sketchy to get off. I appreciate it man thanks
They are very sketchy to get off and can easily tear the wrap if you screw up. WATA does provide the service for $24 if you want to go that route.
I personally use goof off and q tips, plus a lot of patience. I've also heard of people having great success using straight Zippo Lighter Fluid. Rubbing alcohol will do nothing.
They can be removed, but yea, be VERY careful haha.
Bestine/Un-Du works in the same way as Goof Off, but you don’t have to worry about damaging anything with Bestine or Un-Du.
Ive had a lot of people suggest this so my next removals I'm going to go ahead and test out the other products! Hopefully they indeed work just as well without the risks
How do you know there isn't a vent hole under the sticker? Is it just based on the pattern and spacing with the existing vent holes?
Yup that's exactly. The vent holes run in parallel patterns with very consistent distance between them.
Almost got bested by the child safety lock! Been there, Greg.
Hahah that was the proof everyone needed that this stuff means business!
Speaking of which, I’d be interested in your strategy for getting rid of stickers on games without wraps, where it’s right on the cardboard. I recently got rid of a sticker on a sealed hey you pikachu using undu, but it felt so ineffective,
@@inasuma8180 that is still far more experimental for me too. I use a lot of hairdryer and friction rather than chemical in most instances, but it's a touch and go kind of thing!
This is so cool to see
My anxiety at 20:39 when you threw that Goof Off covered tissue on the wood table 📈📈😅
Hahah it's all evaporated by then! 👌😉
"Goo Gone" might be a something a little less harsh to try vs Goof Off.
I have been meaning to try it out as I know other people have had great results with it, but the more I got comfortable with Goof Off the more I kept putting it off. I'll be sure to try it next time I get some stickered games in!
@@GetTheGreg yeah I’m not gonna lie when I saw the can of GOOF OFF I assumed it was a prop for huge joke...I’ve always used Goo Gone! There’s even a specific Goo Gone for stickers and adhesive. It works just as good as the Goof Off without the risk. Also I use Goo Gone for Game Gear with zero issues
Hahah I wish I had a big joke for it. From what I'm hearing, I need to go and grab a can of this Goo Gone stuff!
I use goo gone. I've even used it on the sticker residue left on strategy guides and had positive results... though you have to use it minimally and wipe off directly after application then rinse and repeat until the desired result is obtained.
What about an eb games sticker that's been removed poorly, now years later in have hard crusty residue that isnt sticky at all.
Not sealed just on the case
3d dot game heroes.
I Also have fire emblem radiant dawn with about 3 eb stickers on top of eachother still on it. I will try alcohol as that's all I have. Or goo gone but you have not mentioned that one
Definitely go with Goo Gone. From everything I've heard since making this, it's safer than goof off and very effective. Just make sure to remove the cover art from the case first. The sticker residue/old stickers should come right off without causing damage to the case/plastic.
Or just leave them on :P IMO the mark left by removing a sticker or hangtab is worse than just leaving it on there but to each their own.
Usually I agree with using a hairdryer to remove stickers but not when it's on a plastic case. I've accidentally crinkled the plastic cover by doing so. YMMV but be cautious.
Using a plastic razor blade will definitely help remove the stickers as well.
As far as cleaning shrinkwrap, Windex or simply water usually gets the job done.
What are your tips for removing those really nasty security stickers with the foil in them or those plastic tags?
Oh heavens no, the sticker is far worse than the imprint left haha👌
And oh yea, you can get away cleaning with other materials, but damn does goo gone get rid of everything without much effort haha.
And for the metal security stickers: hairdryer + goo gone, and about 30 minutes of time. The same basic strategy, but once a lip is created, goof off can be continually applied to the metallic part as you slowly peel it up. You have to be very careful to not stretch the wrap so it's a super slow process
Mah the mark does defently looks worse ..lmao. i had one warioland moved the stikker and the mark left behind looks horrible even on a picture market for life
I enjoyed the video! That being said I’ll still pay I don’t trust myself lmao
Haha just takes some practice man! I fully get just paying to have it done though!
I bought a sealed Zelda twilight princess Wii u game and it has a faded Price sticker in corner i don't have access to goof off i live in Sweden so yes
I paid 100$ for it
I have never removed sticker before I've read on Reddit that a soft cloth water loses it idk
The plastic wrap is in good condition no holes for water in
I wouldn't use water at all. Without an actual solvent, you could only worsen the situation.
Do you have anything like Paint Thinner? Most products like that should help, but obviously a bit risky when you don't have experience. If you will be grading it eventually, you can have either VGA or WATA take care of it for you. Both companies offer the service for a small fee.
@@GetTheGreg i didnt have paint thinner
@@GetTheGreg i just asked my father to remove The sticker i thought he was gonna rip it Did it pretty Quick But it went well and I used microfiber cloth i put little bit with water and drained so nothing was drip and rubbed it on the plastic seal to remove glue i think it went well no water inside and no damage on seal took Few minutes
@@GetTheGreg not Really look for grade my other sealed wii u games didnt have sticker
@@GetTheGreg would be cool to grade them But shipping fees from sweden Europe to us and get it back id be paying so much shipping id be homeless 😂
Bro put the goof off on his forearm lol. Great video though!
Thank you! :)
Is there way to remove scuff marks
Unfortunately, no way that I've ever heard of. Your basically have to sand them down in some sort of fashion, which would leave you with bigger issues
@@GetTheGreg thanks for the reply man love the Chanel just getting into graded games from trading cards
Love it man! Welcome to the wild world haha
There is a goof off spray bottle that works great and is not as Poten as that hard can bottle goof off you are showing us. I’ve used it for years and protected all my games from damage
That's awesome! I'll have to see if I can get that ordered in as I would like to step away from such harsh chemical (but damn it does work well haha)
I’m fascinated that the grading companies won’t “doc” you for the wrinkles (the little square shadows) in the shrink wrap left after you removed the sticker. Doesn’t make sense to me. Glad of it, though.
They are taken into consideration for sure, but generally on their own they aren't enough to swing the grade by a whole deviation. Even stickers aren't generally an entire grade difference unless they are very large or something, but most people find them unsightly anyway.
@@GetTheGreg I’m going to be interested in how the sticker thing shakes out in 10-15 years. I get that some stickers are unsightly. But in I think in time a sticker off in a corner that shows the price and the name of an iconic, defunct toy store or department store will actually add value.
When you were peeling off the sticker on red were you nervous having equipment everywhere hindering your ability to be careful and precise or is that just the talent of an expert? Next time I want to see Greg peel stickers off using only a stick he found outside and some Kool aid.
Red was the only one where I actually was super focused haha, that's when the stakes were raised!
Challenge accepted.
I just use solvent/paint thinner.. Less harmful and takes the stickers off flawlessly
Have you ever tried that on stickers on opened cardboard box games?
@@GetTheGreg Yes..have to soak the stickers but the stickers come off and I usually let the box dry out for the day and looks good. I'd say about 95% of the time.
That's huge to know. I'm going to have to start experimenting as I am pretty choppy with cardboard removals.
It feels like I'm watching art restoration or something LOL
I had success removing a sticker with vegetable oil, I'll have to give the goof off a shot some time
oh nice, I haven't heard of that one. Lighter fluid is another common substance people will use.
Space heater. Blow dryer. Warm glue, delicate removal. Video not required. :)
Sure, but then you have a pile of gooey sticker residue sitting on the surface that still needs cleaning/removal.
Bro do you have Instagram? I may have asked before, sorry if I already did.
Yea absolutely! Same name on IG
7:35 this guy is making it look so sensitive. I took it off with my nail with zero damage
The Pokémon seal isn‘t on the right position. So I mean the H-seam. :-/
The early print of both Red and Blue can have vertical seals or the regular H seams🙂
use a cutter to pick up the sticker not your fingers.
I personally don't want to risk using any kind of tool.
@@GetTheGreg in my opinion the safest way, especially if its expensive games. I also do it regularly with Sealed TCG Products. Over the past year I may have destroyed 1/1000 prodcuts.
Especially if you handle a lot of games. Doining it with the Nail, only damages the Product even more. Also if you Employ people doing it in your business. They should all use a cutter or any similar tool.
There are no cheap sealed games nowadays to practice on.
That's a good point, actually.... Make it something "relatively" cheap haha😅
ahh thanks to this you saved a 90 dollar nes game
in what way ahah!?😅
@@GetTheGreg some pretty ugly stickers that's what lol. But still as I said im a sticker guy and will never remove from sealed games.
Great tutorial but I am horrified by the amount of Goof Off you applied to your body 😖
Hopefully there's still time to apply Shower Off
Me watchin and i dont have any game sealed
WD-40 works Kiel a charm
Why do people pay more for graded games they can't even play it ?
Each collector is different. I have a love of silent hill games. I have multiples of each of the mains except Book of Memories on Vita, and the Gameboy advance game. I recently bought a copy of the PS2 Greatest Hits Silent Hill 2 DC factory sealed super cheap that is definitely getting graded. I have SH2 multiple copies on several systems so no biggie there. There's a chance my graded copy will make me many times the money I paid for it. Not saying it will sell for it, but a regular fac sealed SH2 is listed on eBay by a seller for $20,000 right now. Don't know about you but I'd like a shot at that kinda action.
lol, for wata grading, fuck that.