Here are a couple of labour saving tips for removing stubborn price and labels, prior to sale:

Paper products

Flimsy Paper – When removing dried and hardened labels from flimsy and brittle paper you have to be very careful.  Any kind of scratching or rubbing will quickly create a tear.  Neither is the use of solvents a good idea, as the wet paper will weaken the paper even further.  Under these circumstances I have had great success using a hair drier on a low to medium setting.  The built up of heat in a concentrated area will soften the dried glue of the label, allowing you to carefully remove it by hand.

Thicker Paper – For heavier and more robust paper e.g. magazine grade paper, or polished card, I would recommend a quick spray of furniture polish – Tesco’s cheapest brand works just fine.  Leave the wet polish for about one minute and then carefully try to nudge the edge of the stubborn label.  Hey presto, you will find that most times labels will almost slip off by magic.  Then give the whole area a quick rub with a tissue to remove any final sticky residue and you’re done.  For more stubborn labels, simply leave the wet polish for a little while longer before starting the removal process.

Rigid Plastic Products

When removing dried-on labels from rigid plastic products e.g. CD, VHS Video or DVD cases, you can first try the ‘wet polish’ method.  If this does not work, possibly because the glue on the label has almost bonded to the plastic surface, another solution would be to rub the labels gently with a soft cloth lightly soaked in white spirit.  To avoid breathing in strong fumes, buy the ‘low odour’ liquid alternative.  Use the white spirit sparingly to avoid soaking the product, as this can sometimes dull the sheen of the plastic under the label.

Good luck!