You just bought a great used car that you love, but it has stickers on it that you can't stand. You can't be seen driving around with these eyesores, and you need to know how to remove them safely. The adhesive can damage the paintwork, especially if you start scraping the sticker off. Here are four tips to remove a sticker from your car without damaging it.
Clean the Area
Start by cleaning the sticker and the part of the car around it. Any dirt can get into the adhesive and cause further damage to the paintwork or glasswork.
Heat the sticker up with a hair dryer. The heat will help to soften the adhesive, making it much easier to pull away from the paintwork without any damage. As you work at the sticker, the adhesive may cool. Keep your hairdryer to hand, so you can reheat the area when you need to.
Use a Credit Card to Peel
Don't invest in a scraper for this job, an old credit card, bank card or even store points card will work. If you're removing the sticker from the paintwork, only use plastic to avoid scratching the paint. If you're working on glass, however, a razor blade could be used as well.
Starting with one corner, slowly and carefully work the sticker away from the surface of the car. If you find one corner gets too tough, work on one of the others. Don't peel away with your fingers or try to scrape with your nails. The card will do less damage to the paintwork.
Dampen to Soften
If heating the sticker isn't loosening the adhesive, you could use a damp cloth to moisten it. Clean, warm water will work to soften the sticker, and you can use the credit card again to pull it up.
After removing the sticker, you may find that there is still some adhesive on the car. Use the warm water to soften and scrape this off with the card.
Wash and Polish
Now that you've taken the stickers off, it's time to wash your car and give it a polish. This will give you a clear view of any remaining adhesive. If there is any left, you can use some adhesive remover to get rid of it all.
This will work with all types of stickers, no matter how long they have been on the car. Be patient with it and use as much heat as needed to keep the glue soft. If you are worried about damaging the paint on the vehicle or if you'd like more tips on how to remove the stickers, an auto dealer like Western Avenue Nissan may be able to help.
