How To Remove Fly Paper Glue

There's no denying it: Fly paper and other sticky fly traps are gross. They work well, but they're not much fun to look at when they're full of fly carcasses. They're even less fun if you or your pets bump into one and pick up some of the sticky glue. Thankfully, there are ways to remove any fly trap glue that gets where it shouldn't. The method you choose will depend on the surface.

If you're on the internet looking for ways to remove fly glue from hair, you might say that "a friend" embarrassingly walked into one of these sticky traps. Your pets can also sometimes come into contact with fly paper glue. The procedure for removing the glue is the same in both cases, starting by rubbing oil over the glue. It doesn't matter what type of oil you use. Mineral oil, baby oil, vegetable oil, and olive oil will all work, as will butter in a pinch.

Once you or your pet are slathered in oil, allow the oil to sit for at least five minutes. It's a good idea to confine your dog or cat while you wait so they don't spread oil all through the house. After soaking in the oil, shampoo your hair or your pet's fur. Any high-quality shampoo will do the trick, and dish soap also does an excellent job of cutting through the oil. Ask your vet before using dish soap on an animal, however.

A word to the wise is necessary here. If you've ever tried to bathe a cat, you already know it's on par with trying to herd them. Some cats will give you an emphatic "no" when you try getting them in the tub or sink. In that case, you'll make your life a lot easier if you take the cat to a groomer.

After bumping into an adhesive fly trap, you may find some of the glue on your clothing. The fix for this is pretty easy, but it may take a little time if you need to repeat the process, which you likely will.

Begin by placing a protective towel or paper on your work surface. Spread the garment out and generously apply peanut butter to the glue with a knife. Hold the garment taut while using the knife to scrape the peanut butter off the clothing. The fly glue will come with it. If not all of the glue is gone, add more peanut butter and repeat the process.

After treating the glue, wash your garment in the hottest water you safely can. The heat should soften and remove any additional glue remnants. Check to make sure it has, however, before you put the clothing in the dryer. The dryer often sets stains and makes them much harder, if not impossible, to remove.

If you notice fly paper adhesive on your skin, wash it away with warm, soapy water. If the glue is being stubborn, soak the affected body part in a basin of soapy water if you can. A good soaking should remove the glue. If it doesn't, or if you're in a hurry, acetone-based nail polish remover will wipe the glue from your skin easily and quickly.

Perhaps you unrolled a fly paper strip but then were interrupted, absent-mindedly setting the open strip on the kitchen counter. Now your counter is sticky. To solve this issue on countertops, tables, walls, and other hard surfaces, grab your hairdryer and use it to soften the glue. You can then use a plastic scraper to peel the softened glue off the surface.

If that fails, soak the glue in oil and then scrape the surface again. Remember to rinse the surface when you're done to remove any remaining oil.