Before I used an online, mail order pharmacy, I used to peel the labels off all of them, rip them into tiny pieces, and put them in separate trash. Not sure at all if that was necessary, but it made me feel better.

Since I've gone through a mail order pharmacy though, it's been a lot easier. All of my standing meds are in rolls of packaged meds based on date and time of day. The only part that has any identifying or prescription info is the paperwork attached to the outside of the bag and that's very easy to rip off and shred.

The only ones I get anymore that come in a bottle with a sticky label are my prns for anxiety and sleep. And even those I get 30 day supplies and it usually takes at least a few months to get through before I need another one, so peeling the labels isn't really a big deal.

I never tried soaking them, but I found a razorblade or sharp knife handy. I don't really have fingernails, so sometimes it just took getting it going. Other times I had to carefully shave the label off completely.

Obviously don't do it if you don't have steady hands and/or are clumsy with sharp things