Sticky Labels

Surely the labels are designed to be (carefully) peeled off?

Leave the label in soak overnight then carefully remove.
Any residual gunk can be shifted with your wife's nail polish remover. Just don't let her catch you

Eucalyptus oil

After a bit of thumbnail work to lift one edge, I've just peeled off, in one piece, a round £3 price sticker from Alan Partridge Alpha Papa. No great drama! If, however, your labels are more recalcitrant, then since the labels do not show when the DVDs are on the shelf, is it really that important anyway?

CPC stock a label remover, it neutralises the label's adhesive backing apparently. It's priced at £3:59p for 200ml. Order code SA0188987. Free uk delivery on orders over £5 so may be better buying two

Warm the label with a hair drier first. A drop of fairy rubbed in with a finger will remove any glue residue.

Cheers thanks everyone.

Spray furniture polish works well to remove everything after scratching at the label.

Also White Spirit is good...

I tried to clean the gunge off a Nirvana CD case, then I realised it was grunge.

Be careful with nail varnish remover it contains acetone.

It will dissolve a lot of things.

Apparently two tablespoons of vegetable oil mixed with three tablespoons of baking soda does the trick.

I've bought stuff in the past that have been disfigured by the residue left behind off the label, which picks up the dirt and looks awful.

I've used all of the above to try to get them off to no avail.

Petrol as a last resort usually works.

That's before you give up trying to coax it off and get out the angle grinder.