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How do you clean plant labels?

(20 Posts)
lixy Mon 25-Apr-22 15:05:33

I have inherited some white plastic plant labels that have been written on with a marker pen. I'd like to clean them so i can use them again.
I've tried fairy which didn't move anything, White spirit has had a fairly good result but took quite a lot of scrubbing too and left a shadow on some.
Any bright ideas anyone?

FannyCornforth Mon 25-Apr-22 15:24:22

I’ve heard that if you go over the writing with a indelible pen, (eg a Sharpee) it will sort of ‘melt’ the original writing, and you can wipe off all of the ink.

Casdon Mon 25-Apr-22 15:34:04

I use nail varnish remover pads on mine, which must be about 20 years old. As long as the pads have acetone in, it’s very quick.

lixy Mon 25-Apr-22 15:43:16

Thank you both - I'll give them a go.

SpringyChicken Mon 25-Apr-22 23:23:39

Magic sponge?

SuzieHi Tue 26-Apr-22 08:22:29

Cif works

merlotgran Tue 26-Apr-22 08:32:24

A good old fashioned Brillo pad and elbow grease.

Jaxjacky Tue 26-Apr-22 08:42:19

With you merlotgran did a load like that a few weeks ago.

Trisha57 Tue 26-Apr-22 08:48:50

I use The Pink Stuff and a scouring pad.

MerylStreep Tue 26-Apr-22 09:30:08

Fine sand paper.

LadyGracie Tue 26-Apr-22 09:33:53

DH writes on his labels with indelible pens and they fade rapidly, we have a couple of trays of seedlings with ‘either/or’ identities. He’s even tried lolly sticks.

J52 Tue 26-Apr-22 09:38:06

I have very few plastic ones now, but write over mine with a sharpie, seems to work.
Now I only buy wooden lollipop sticks, from the craft section, very cheap. This year I’ve found giant wooden spatulas from The Works. These are great, writing on them can be large and easily read. They are large enough to be broken into two parts, so economical.
I was surprised to see Monty using plastic plant labels.

merlotgran Tue 26-Apr-22 09:46:44

Trisha57

I use The Pink Stuff and a scouring pad.

Pink stuff is good!

lixy Tue 26-Apr-22 09:49:33

I use lollipop sticks too J52 and find they last well enough even in the garden.
The plastic ones were a gift so I'd like to reuse them. I'll have fun trying out the suggestions above; it's just a question of what I already have as I don't really want to buy something especially for this. I'll write on them in pencil once they're clean so it shouldn't arise again!
Thank you everyone.

merlotgran Tue 26-Apr-22 09:50:30

LadyGracie

DH writes on his labels with indelible pens and they fade rapidly, we have a couple of trays of seedlings with ‘either/or’ identities. He’s even tried lolly sticks.

I use a carpenter’s pencil but any pencil will do. Better than any marker pen and easier to clean off.

LadyGracie Wed 27-Apr-22 15:21:33

Thank you merlotgran, DH says he used to have a 'special pencil' but mislaid it, nothing unusual. But he does have a carpenters pencil, somewhere.

BlueBelle Wed 27-Apr-22 15:30:40

I find even with permanent pens they come off in the weather and I usually have lot# of unknowns but a bit of vim or the cream equivalent should get it off

Jaxjacky Wed 27-Apr-22 15:33:09

J52 Monty probably reuses them, I’ve had some of mine for 8/9 years.

NanTheWiser Thu 28-Apr-22 17:21:27

Nail polish remover works very well - it is a solvent which dissolves the permanent marker. I grow a LOT of cactus plants, and always have lots of outdated old labels, so this is what I use.

Grantanow Fri 29-Apr-22 11:16:13

Never do.