Why is isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) good for removing adhesives?

Question

Rubbing alcohol is often recommended as a way to remove the gunk left behind from peeling off stickers – what exactly is happening, chemically, that makes alcohol more effective than soap and water?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Soap is designed to bind and remove dirt and oil. Adhesives are neither of these.

Alcohol is more polar than water, so it dissolves the adhesive faster, assuming the adhesive is also polar. Which most are, cause that makes a stronger bond, making the glue stronger.