Perhaps your aesthetic taste has changed. Perhaps you just don’t think that your favourite rock band is so cool anymore. Or maybe you need to sell your car. Whatever it is, you want to restore your vehicle to its virgin state and find yourself wondering, “how to remove car decals without damaging paint?” After all, what goes on must come off sooner or later. Show
You might be surprised, or annoyed, to find out that stickers are made to hold up over the long haul, through all kinds of weather, and they in fact stick far better than you want them to. Taking them off isn’t meant to be a simple task, especially when you risk ruining your paint job if not careful. Removing car decals the right way will save you a lot of money restoring your car’s exterior after the damage is done. Rest assured that it doesn’t have to be an all-day project, as long as you follow the correct methods detailed in this guide on how to remove car decals. It will include environmentally friendly methods and pro tips on removing stubborn and large decals that have stayed on for too long. Types of Car DecalsJust a few years ago, decal decorations or advertising on vehicles was limited to single color, vinyl typography and simple graphics. Nowadays, decals are only limited by one’s imagination, and can even extend to vehicle wraps, where the entire vehicle can be literally “wrapped” in full color graphics. In other words, vehicles of every imaginable shape and size can become colorful rolling billboards. Compared to small sized decals, full vehicle wraps surely require more effort and special tools to get the job done beautifully, all the while maintaining your precious paint job. How To Remove Car Decals: What You’ll NeedDepending on which decal removal method you might choose, here are some things you will need:
The Decal Removal ProcessRegardless of the type of decals you are removing, the process is generally as follow
Refer to our comprehensive library of maintenance tips for suggestions on how to upkeep your car’s paint job. How To Remove Car Decals On WindowsA razor blade can come in quite handy for removing unwanted decals from windows. However, note that you should never use one to remove a sticker on your car’s paint. Doing so can gouge and chip your vehicle’s finish, which is indeed quite expensive to fix. Nail polish remover is also a cheap yet effective method for removing stickers on glass, and is something you probably already have at home. Like razor blades, do not use this solution on anywhere else other than glass though. Various chemicals found in most formulas, such as acetone, can harm or remove your car’s paint. READ MORE
How To Remove Car Decals: Environmentally Friendly OptionsIn case you want to stay away from manufactured cleaning solutions for health or environmental reasons, below are the best way to remove decals from car for you. Blow DryingThis is one of the most convenient and safe ways to remove decals, stickers and pinstripes from your car, or from any smooth surfaces really. Rather than scratching or knifing it, make use of a blow dryer or a heat gun to loosen up the adhesive of the pinstripe. This is also something you should do before anything else due to its non-abrasive nature. An important note is while this method is excellent if done on old cars, it is no ideal if your vehicle is relatively new. Simply heat the surface of the decal at the lowest heat setting for 30-40 seconds. Keep the blow dryer at a distance of 5-6 inches from the car surface. Remember that very high heat is likely to chip the paint off. Now start peeling off the decal from a corner with the help of a rubber or silicone spatula. Never use any sharp objects. Peel slowly and repeat heating if necessary to take off the entire decal. Make sure that you wipe off the residue with some adhesive remover like Goo Gone or rubbing alcohol dabbed on a lint-free cleaning fabric. Best to top it up with some protective wax to restore your paint job to a glossy shine. An old credit cardTo peel a sticker off of a painted surface on your vehicle, take an old credit card or plastic scraper and place it under the edge to start peeling the sticker and adhesive away. Make sure it’s not a current credit card, as the process could damage the card that you can no longer use it. This should get the job done without damaging your car’s paint, given that you are not using something that is too sharp. Continue and work slowly until the entire sticker is removed. It’s common for the sticker to rip during this process, but that’s OK. After the sticker is peeled off, use a microfiber cloth and Goo Gone or another adhesive remover and give the area a final cleaning to remove any remaining adhesive. White vinegarWhite vinegar is a super versatile and affordable cleaning solution. You can get a bottle of vinegar enough for this decal removal project for less than two dollar. That’s much cheaper than buying a commercial adhesive remover such as Goo Gone or WD-40, and is much more environmentally favorable as well as hypoallergenic. Reach into your pantry for some white vinegar. Use a paintbrush or paper towel to soak the entire bumper sticker, and then wait a few minutes for the vinegar to penetrate and loosen the adhesive. The sticker should be easier to remove with a plastic card. If you find it difficult still, apply some more vinegar and let it sit some more. Boiling WaterSimply wet a cloth with boiling water and let it soak the decal for a minute or so. Just make sure that you don’t burn yourself. Try to peel off the decal from a corner. It should be easy hereon. You can also pour boiling water repeatedly over decals, just like you do for fixing car minor dents at home. This method might work well on newly attached decals. If it cannot fully remove an old decal, read on to learn how to remove car decals in case of stubborn decals. The basic idea behind all these methods to remove car decal is to safeguard the paint underneath the sticker. If you take care of the riders that we mentioned in the beginning, you can do the job without any damage at all. So, peel away. How To Remove Car Decals: Stubborn DecalsAdhesive removerAdhesive removers such as Goo Gone are ideal for the tedious task of removing a car decal, especially old or particularly stubborn ones. Goo Gone is a high quality and versatile automotive spray gel specifically formulated for the task. It also can remove gum, bird droppings, tree sap, spray paint, brake dust and asphalt. Apply a generous amount of Goo Gone to the decal and the area immediately surrounding it. Let the solution sit and penetrate for a few minutes. The longer you let it sit, the easier it should be to remove the sticker. Once the sticker is gone, simply clean the area with soap and water. SolventsIf you cannot find Goo Gone, you can opt for WD-40, another versatile and popular auto maintenance solution. Just pour a small amount on a clean cloth and start rubbing on the edges with moderate pressure. The decal will start coming off from the edges. Take it from here and slowly peel it off with your fingers. Wear rubber gloves if you have sensitive skin. As for the adhesive stains, continue to clean with rubbing alcohol. Kitchen CleanersIf the decals you are dealing with are not particularly old or stubborn, mild kitchen/dish cleaning soaps can do the magic if you let the diluted solutions soak into the decal for a few minutes. Shampoos and conditioners can also work. After you let the solution seep in for a short while, you can simply pull out the stickers. Just make sure that if you are using a kitchen cleaner, it is not too harsh as it can damage the car paint. Look for those with, for instance, “Mild dishwashing liquid” on the label. Electric DrillEquipment such as an electric drill or Dremel tools will be ideal if you are dealing with a large decal or full vehicle wrap. It can be the last resort for stubborn decals once you have tried another method. The greatest advantage of using this technique is quick, excellent results without too much hard labour. The Dremel or electric drill is designed to attach discs to its end for different purposes. We will be using a disc designed specifically for removing car decals, stickers and pinstripes. Step 1: Clean Before you start with the process, make sure that the car’s surface is clear from the accumulation of dust or dirt. This step is essential when it comes to securing the car’s paint. Clean the surface area of the pin striping first as well as the area surrounding it. You can use gentle car paint cleaners and specialized cloths to do the job. Step 2: Attach the disc to your electric drill Dremel tools or other electric drills allow you to connect different types of disc depending on the purpose. Make sure to connect the most suitable one for removing decals. An example is the “Stripe Off Wheel” from 3M. It is a disc attachment that you put on a low-speed drill. Use a blow dryer first to loosen up the end of the pinstripe. Once it loosens up, you can use the drill to make your way through its entire length, until it comes off completely. Take your time doing this to avoid doing any damages to the paint. Again, whatever method you choose to do, always use adhesive remover and wax after the whole procedure to keep your car paint looking shiny, new and scratchless. How To Make The Chore Easier Next TimeThe next time you want to decorate your bumper, there are a few steps you can take beforehand to make the removal process later on much easier:
How do you remove sticky residue from car paint?Dampen a cotton ball or rag in acetone or nail polish remover. Dab it on the glue until it starts to soften. (White vinegar may also work.) Wipe away or scrape away the softened glue with rags and a plastic scraper.
Does WDIf you want to get rid of super glue from your car within a few minutes and without affecting its paint, you can do so with the help of the WD-40 Multi Use Product. The liquid helps you deal with some of the nastiest residue stains and adhesives by breaking bonds between the particles and making them easily removable.
How do you remove dealer stickers without damaging the paint?Take a piece of dental floss or thin fishing line and wrap it around your hand. Then slowly pull the floss or line through the adhesive behind the emblem or badge. If you twist several strands of floss together, you'll have a more durable string and it will be easier to pull through the adhesive.
Does rubbing alcohol damage car paint?Using a ratio of 10%-15% rubbing alcohol to 85%-90% water mixture will not damage car paint, and is highly effective in removing grease, oil, and other stubborn stains from your car's exterior paint coat.
|