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Removing Stickers from the Car

From supporting political candidates, identifying proudly as an honor student’s parent, to showing your love for certain dog breeds, stickers on the bumper or window of your car can display whatever you want about who you are. City stickers, required by some local laws, are equally as important in how they’re displayed, but no matter the type, stickers are obviously easy to stick on a vehicle. However, removing those same stickers may not be so easy since many leave residue behind if they’ve been there for months or years at a time. Luckily, there are methods in place to help car owners remove stickers from their cars without making a mess.

Tools and Supplies

  • Box cutter or razor blade (if the sticker is on glass)
  • Hair dryer that has hot settings
  • Durable plastic card (credit card, library card, driver’s license, or frequent shopper card)
  • Two detailing towels or clean rags
  • Glass cleaning liquid (if the sticker is on glass)
  • Detailing spray
  • Tree sap removal solution

Directions for Removing Car Stickers

  1. Make sure both the sticker and the area surrounding it are dirt-free. Also, this process often works best after the car has been washed.
  2. Plug the hair dryer in, turning its settings up to hot, and then hold the hair dryer several inches above the car sticker. Note: Don’t directly place the hair dryer on the sticker or your car’s paint.
  3. Hold the hair dryer above the center of the area for several seconds, ensuring the blowing air is hot, before slowly moving the hair dryer around the sticker’s remaining area. Heat the sticker’s edges last to prepare for the following step.
  4. Now that the sticker is heated up, angle your plastic card and gently scrape under the sticker, using your fingers if necessary. If the area has heated up enough, the sticker should peel away as you slide the card underneath.
  5. Note: Repeating steps two and three several times could make older stickers easier to remove. Moving your plastic card back and forth while sliding beneath the sticker could help as well. For stickers on glass, use your razor blade or box cutter with a slight angle to avoid slicing, but don’t use either tool on car paint as this can cause damage.
  6. Continue pushing your razor blade or plastic card beneath the car sticker until it breaks away completely. There’s a chance the sticker will break apart while being removed.
  7. Once you’ve removed the sticker, repeat steps one through four to remove residue, which tree sap remover is great for—apply several drops on a detailing cloth or clean rag and then scrub. If there is residue on glass, scrape it off gently with your razor blade.
  8. When the car is clear of the sticker and any residue, polish the spot with a little detailing spray or glass cleaner.

Think you or someone you know is in need of Behind the Wheel Training? Training Wheels is a Margate driving school specializing in teaching new teen drivers how to stay safe on the road. For more information on our lessons, please click here.

Copyright: gunter_nezhoda / 123RF Stock Photo