More in physical privacy space than the usual post. Whenever I get mail, I shred it before disposal. Whenever I get a package, I black out the label.
But my method for blacking out the labels is basically turning on the gas range and holding the label over it until it turns black. It’s not even that good of a method, because I can still see a black-on-black print.
So, I’m wondering if anyone has any better ideas for this sort of thing.
Most high volume printing (like shipping labels) is done with thermal printers where the heat turns chemicals on the paper black. These chemicals usually can withstand water but not alcohol so spraying with pure alcohol and wiping off usually will blank the paper entirely.
I peel the label off, put the sticky sides together and shred it. If it comes off in parts I just stick those to other documents that will be shredded as well, and shred. The trick is to not gum up your shredder. And remember to oil it often.
I just put a bunch of them under tap water for a few seconds and squeeze them into a ball.
How do you deal with those labels that want to tear themselves into ribbons? This is part of the reason I leave them on the box and heat them in place.
I use a box cutter to to cut a shallow square around the label, then tear it off. It’s much easier than peeling it off with your fingers.
Not sure what kind of labels you mean… If a label doesn’t come off simply by tearing it off, I take a small knife and cut out the part with my personal data.
Why didn’t anyone mention burning it to ashes?
Because many people would take that suggestion and simply light the paper on fire and let it burn. This produces large pieces which are still usually quite legible.
To make the paper burn to ashes as you’ve said, you have to burn it in an existing fire long enough for it to turn to white ash, and then it’s often still required to stir the ashes to break up any remaining large pieces. At that point, yes, it is thoroughly destroyed.
Drop the black requirement and you could pulp them. Put the labels (as long as they’re paper based) in a solution of water and bleach and leave it there. Keep adding new labels as they come in, and stir the mixture like daily or something. They will start to break down into a mush. At that point you can pull out any mushed blobs of pulp and leave any larger pieces to keep breaking down.
How to dispose that pulp then?
With either burning or pulping, you can simply flush the remains down the toilet.
If burning, you should use an accelerant and make sure they are fully incinerated, and then stir the ashes to break up any large pieces of charred paper. Stacks of paper are notoriously hard to burn on their own, but if left in an existing fire long enough they will burn to ash just like wood.
For pulping, an alternative I just saw on another site would be to mix the slurry in a blender to chop the pieces. That would certainly be faster than what I said previously.
Does a clothes iron get hot enough? Since it can make direct contact it might work better
