Removing cartridge labels

[smbaker]

What's the best solution for removing the label from a cartridge? I sorta did it using hot water, soap, and my fingernail, but have remnants of sticky glue left on the cartridge. I assume there's some solvent that will work (goo gone?) but want to make sure whatever I pick up would not discolor the plastic itself. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[Omega-TI]

I used water and an SOS pad on the last ones I did. If you are going to cover it up with another label anyway, you'll never see the micro scratches.

[Wyluli Wolf]

Ack. These can be a real pain. Hot water and soap. Then the remaining residue with goo gone. (be aware that some goof off solvents will MELT the plastic. The citrus one seems to be ok)

Scrub, rinse, repeat until nice and clean.

[+pboland]

There's a good topic about this in the 2600 area of the forum:

 

Cleaning and Relabeling Atari Cartridges

 

I highly recommend that topic.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Was going to say I know the stuff I used called De-Solv-It that I pick up in a spray bottle from wal-mart doesn't hurt or discolor the plastic that I've seen. But it will eat the adhesive. If I have a label to remove, I just spray it around the label sides and make sure to saturate as much as possible. Then let it sit for like 10 - 15min and the label will usually start to slide off at that point for me. But sometimes I might have to start to peel it up and spray a bit more under it to get it in there.

 

You have to rinse the cart shells in warm water for a bit as the stuff I use is oily and will cause the water to bead up when rinsing but it works for me...

 

Looks like true value caries it too. I use the smaller 12oz size bottles and they last me quite a while.

 

https://www.truevalue.com/cleaner-citrus-12-6-oz-spray?ctplacement=814012-44622122499&cid=gooshop

Edited July 19, 2018 by -^Cro§Bow^-

[Lord Thag]

You are all doing this the hard way. Take a hair dryer, turn it on high, and melt the old glue. It takes a bit but it will eventually get all gooey, and the whole label just peels off. Easy.

[+pboland]

You are all doing this the hard way. Take a hair dryer, turn it on high, and melt the old glue. It takes a bit but it will eventually get all gooey, and the whole label just peels off. Easy.

 

 

And that's what I suggested over in the 2600 topic about the same thing. That is my preferred method as well. With that said, you sometime will still have some sticker residue left on the cart and that cleans off with a little goo gone. I have had a couple cart that the hair dyer trick didn't work. The adhesive had dried rock solid, but it was only a couple carts.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I have tried the hair dryer method as well and like pboland stated, you get some that just have this rock hard crap stuck on the cart. The stuff I use eats through all of that...allows the label to essentially peel off if you leave the stuff on long enough to get in there and only requires a bit of rinsing with some water to get it all off in the end. I end up with a very clean cartridge afterwards and for good measure, will do another quick wipe with some IPA and cotton pad across the surface where I will apply the replacement label to be sure it is totally free of anything that might prevent good adhesion.

 

There are several ways to go about it. The op asked and we are providing the methods we have used.

[xefned]

Heat gun to remove the label.

Naphtha to dissolve and remove any remaining residue.