How do I fix this tea box?

What is the box made of? It’s hard to tell in the photo. Is it cardboard? Metal?

Have you tried GooBeGone? That may work on removing the sticky stain

if the box is metal you could use a small amount of WD40 on it to rub off the sticky stuff you could also use a small drop of Dawn liquid dishwashing soap and rub gently to remove the residue

Have you tried to remove the sticky with dish soap (Blue Dawn) and warm water, be careful to not saturate if it is wood. You don't want to pop out the grain. Or Goo Gone to lift the sticky residue?

This looks like wood or metal, but can't be certain from the looks from the photo. If cardboard, it is probably a lost cause.

Hello. Is it a wooden, ceramic or a metallic box? Knowing this might influence the adhesive removing solutions we wish to offer....if the box is porous.

My favorite sticky residue remover is lighter fluid, but I would only use this on a metal or sealed ceramic box.

Have you tried blotting it with a white vinegar and a soft cloth? That may work!

You could try using lemon essential oil

Hi Keira. You could use WD-40 to remove the sticky stains. That's what car dealers use to remove adhesive on car windows from price tags. I have also used it with good results. My son repaired a rip in his car seat and put Duct Tape on it. Years later he tried to remove the tape. The tape came off but It left a sticky residue. He tried a few other products with no good results. He tried WD-40 and finally got it off. Good luck Keira.

Thank you all for your replies and for being so helpful. I forgot to mention that the box is made of wood and the brown coating falls off very easily. The white stain on the right is the result of me scrubbing it with dish sponge and detergent. So cleaning isn't the only problem, I also want to make the color even (with whatever type of non-toxic coating). Or if that's not possible, is decoupage an option? How would that work around the Twinings sign and the hinges?

Additional information is very helpful.

Likely the white area may need to be restained —if it was bleached.

I wonder if the beeswax polish might clean and protect your box. They make beeswax food wraps now- so I believe it’s completely non-toxic. It might be something to research further. I hope you find the perfect solution to restore your box. Its frustrating cleaning fragile vintage items your inquiry and concern and researched cleaning ideas should have optimal results. Good luck!

If it's a sticky substance, you could try peanut butter to remove it. I tried it on wood this weekend and it worked like a charm. Here's a peek. https://www.exquisitelyunremarkable.com/2020/09/vintage-surfboard-tray.html

it would be nice to know what is this box made out of ? Can you repaint it ?

What type of material?

Hello there,

Use Dish Wash Soap and hot water to remove the sticky problem.