How to remove car stickers

If you want to remove the stickers from your car , there are ways to get it without leaving any trace and without causing damage. You will not be the first nor the last to have problems with adhesives, whether on glass or on paint .

In the case of windows, the problem is usually more well to get rid of the happy remains . A problem that occurs with some frequency due to the stickers of the ITV or environmental adhesives. In the case of sheet metal, the difficulty of not damaging the paint of the car is added, since this can be scratched even with the nail.

Stickers in the paint

The objective in this case is to remove the adhesive without causing any damage to the paint or the enamel that covers it. A process that can be very complicated if the sticker has been attached for several years.

The first thing is cleaning

Before removing the sticker, it is best to wash the area with soap and water to remove particles that may scratch the paint when we remove the glue residue. A soaking with the pressure water guns would also be worth it.

Warning : If the sticker is made of paper, do not wet it , because that will make it difficult to extract it whole later. Instead of water, use a cloth to shake off the dust.

Warm the stickers

To avoid problems when peeling off the stickers, The best thing to do is to heat up your glue . It may be sufficient to place the car in the sun in summer, but if that is not possible or is not enough, use a hair dryer. Normally a wireless one will not have enough caloric power, so it is recommended that you approach the car to a socket in the garage or use an extension cord.

Place the dryer about 5 cm from the sticker

strong> and near the edge that you are going to start to take off. Do it for one or two minutes to make sure the glue softens.

Warning : Do not use other sources of heat > such as a plate, a torch or a thermal decapador. The reason is that the first can deteriorate the paint if it touches it, and the second and third because the temperature they generate is excessive.

Care when taking off

Car polish It can be scratched very easily. Nothing but the nail can leave a small groove, which will only be removed completely with the polishing of that piece of the body. That's why, when you're going to take it off, make sure you're touching only the little step of the sticker.

Warning : Do not use too hard or sharp objects to take it off. No blades for glass ceramic or cutters .

In principle it should be enough with the nail. If you want to minimize the risk of causing a scratch while facilitating peeling, wet the piece you use in a little soap and water to make lubricant. Do not wet the sticker directly because the lubricant will keep you from pulling hard.

How to remove debris

If the adhesive leaves traces of glue, the best way to remove them without using any product that deteriorates the paint is the cooking oil .You only need to consider two things when applying it:

• Prevent it from dripping and get in touch with any plastic part of the car. To do this, do not apply directly on the car, wet the cloth you are going to use.
• When you finish wash the area with soap and water to remove any remaining oil.

Warning : You can use other products such as water and soap, a window cleaner or a non-corrosive multi-purpose cleaner. Never use other liquids such as gasoline, diesel, acetone or any other solvent .

Stickers on the glass

Como the glass is much more resistant to scratching than paint, you do not have to be so careful . If necessary, you can use a glass ceramic blade, as long as you use it correctly, that is, flush. You can also use other stronger products such as those of the KH7 type or similar.

If the stickers are inside the glass , remember not to damage other parts of your car. A strong cleaner can damage your dashboard, so copper the area with some plastic if you see that something can fall on it. The oil would also be problematic inside the car, so extreme precautions and then clean it thoroughly with soap and water.

Advice when changing the sticker of the ITV

If you are going to pass the ITV take what you will need to remove the old sticker. Although if you pass it when you have not yet expired, you can perform the process without haste when you return home. Do not fall into the mistake of pasting the new one with the remains of the old , because you will accumulate fences and glue, which are increasingly difficult to remove.

Images - Ryan Hyde, Arvid Rudling, Jocelyn Kinghorn and Ben Hosking