Car stickers seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it's time to remove them for a sleeker look. Here's how. Watch all our Autoblog Details videos for more quick car care tips from professional detailer Larry Kosilla.
[00:00:00] Stickers are everywhere on cars, registration, inspection, car fleet numbers, bumper stickers, and my favorite, race car decals, but what happens when it's time to remove them? Find out today, on this episode of Details. My name is Larry Kosilla, and I'm a professional detailer. Together with Autoblog, we're creating the ultimate collection of quick car care videos. This is Autoblog Details.
[00:00:30] Here are the items you'll need for this task. If stickers are on glass, use a razor blade extension, and gently guide the blade under the adhesive. For old stickers that are very sticky, be careful when pushing hard to avoid slipping and damaging the surrounding areas and other stickers. When working on interior glass, be sure to use a light mist of glass cleaner on the sticker to help lubricate and gather the remaining adhesive.
[00:01:00] If stickers are present on interior rear glass, a razor blade cannot be used, as it will slice through the defroster lines. Use a heat gun and plastic razor blade or steam to carefully lift the sticker without damaging the delicate lines. When removing stickers from exterior painted surfaces, take notice of its placement. Is the sticker on plastic or metal? If the sticker is on plastic, use the heat gun carefully to avoid
[00:01:30] overheating the area and damaging the paint. Keep the heat gun constantly moving and leave your hand nearby to gauge the temperature. If you have to move your hand away from the surrounding area, then it's too hot for safe removal. Remember, unlike metal surfaces, painted plastic will burn and twist the paint much faster, yet, at the same time cools down quicker, giving you less time to work with the adhesive. So plastics can be a bit tricky. So if heat's not your thing, then lift the edge of the bumper sticker
with a plastic razor blade
[00:02:00] or your fingernail and spray WD-40 along the edge, and allow it to clean the adhesive as you pull. On older painted cars, pull the sticker in a horizontal direction
or along the paint to avoid pulling off the clear coat or the paint. Although rare, vertical or upwards pulling promotes paint damage in old or brittle paint jobs. So be careful. Lastly, if glue remains, use Goo Gone or adhesive remover with a microfiber towel. Allow the cleaner to sit for one to two minutes
[00:02:30] and then wipe clean. Stickers, decals, and vinyls are a great way to personalize your vehicle, and when it's time for a change, simply pull them off and start over for a whole new look. For more how-to car care videos, visit autoblog.com/details. I'm Larry Kosilla from ammonyc.com. Thanks for watching. [00:02:49]
[00:00:30] Here are the items you'll need for this task. If stickers are on glass, use a razor blade extension, and gently guide the blade under the adhesive. For old stickers that are very sticky, be careful when pushing hard to avoid slipping and damaging the surrounding areas and other stickers. When working on interior glass, be sure to use a light mist of glass cleaner on the sticker to help lubricate and gather the remaining adhesive.
[00:01:00] If stickers are present on interior rear glass, a razor blade cannot be used, as it will slice through the defroster lines. Use a heat gun and plastic razor blade or steam to carefully lift the sticker without damaging the delicate lines. When removing stickers from exterior painted surfaces, take notice of its placement. Is the sticker on plastic or metal? If the sticker is on plastic, use the heat gun carefully to avoid
[00:01:30] overheating the area and damaging the paint. Keep the heat gun constantly moving and leave your hand nearby to gauge the temperature. If you have to move your hand away from the surrounding area, then it's too hot for safe removal. Remember, unlike metal surfaces, painted plastic will burn and twist the paint much faster, yet, at the same time cools down quicker, giving you less time to work with the adhesive. So plastics can be a bit tricky. So if heat's not your thing, then lift the edge of the bumper sticker
with a plastic razor blade
[00:02:00] or your fingernail and spray WD-40 along the edge, and allow it to clean the adhesive as you pull. On older painted cars, pull the sticker in a horizontal direction
or along the paint to avoid pulling off the clear coat or the paint. Although rare, vertical or upwards pulling promotes paint damage in old or brittle paint jobs. So be careful. Lastly, if glue remains, use Goo Gone or adhesive remover with a microfiber towel. Allow the cleaner to sit for one to two minutes
[00:02:30] and then wipe clean. Stickers, decals, and vinyls are a great way to personalize your vehicle, and when it's time for a change, simply pull them off and start over for a whole new look. For more how-to car care videos, visit autoblog.com/details. I'm Larry Kosilla from ammonyc.com. Thanks for watching. [00:02:49]
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