Overview
The sale of a car or any vehicle with stickers becomes difficult since most of the people show their interests for neat and clean cars. They want to apply their own creativity with stickers etc.
You can witness vehicles with stickers on-road and find them very easily. For instance, the bumpers have stickers; the parking permits stickers and dealership decals. It should be remembered that stickers are not for every other next car. Sometimes, the cars look dirty or better to say overloaded too. The simpler the car, the prettier, and neat it will look.
Effect of Stickers on Potential Buyers
Nevertheless, cars with stickers push away potential buyers. It really does not matter for what reasons you have placed the stickers on the car, but it does matter how it will affect the buyers when you want to sell it.
It becomes difficult and trickier taking off the stickers without any preparation especially the painted area of the car as compared to the glass windows. We have listed down some tips and steps that can help you pull off the stickers easily.
Steps to Remove Car Stickers Safely
Following steps must be followed in order to smoothly remove stickers off of your car:
- Assemble the tools
- Application of heat
- Find a loose corner
1. Assemble the Tools
In this process, you will need a few materials:
- Hairdryer or heat gun
- Robust plastic card or other unused cards
- Clean cloth rags
- Cleaning spray
It is too easy to find them around at home because these materials are the ones used on a daily basis.
Where to find a heat gun or hairdryer?
Now, you need to take a hairdryer just to give hot air to a sticker. This helps to loosen the glue of the sticker. If you do not have a hairdryer, you can utilize a heat gun in this process.
You can find a heat gun in the hardware stores. This is more effective for stubborn bumper stickers than a hairdryer.
What can be used as a robust plastic card?
Next, you need to find a robust plastic card. It can be an expired library car or unused ID card or something sharp which can be used just like a scrapping tool. This robust plastic card helps in the removal of the sticker such that it helps to peel off the sticker.
Why do we need a neat cloth rag?
Lastly, you would need neat cloth rags which can be used to clean off the residue of sticker’s glue with the soap solution or any cleaning spray.
2. Application of Heat
The application of heat is indeed the most important part of the whole process.
Setting and Positioning of Hairdryer
You need to turn on your hair dryer or heat gun whatever you desire to use. Place it in a high setting and keep the hairdryer or heat gun a few inches away from the area where you want the sticker to be pulled off.
Avoid placing the hairdryer where the paint is already made
Notably, do not keep the face of the hairdryer at the point where the painting is already made, it can make the section look worse. Thus, it is important to keep the hairdryer at the high setting and a few inches away from the sticker.
Keep the Hairdryer moving
Worthwhile, keep the hairdryer moving while beginning from the middle of the sticker. Now, while moving the heat gun or hairdryer go on toward corners. The sticker’s corners are the last section to pull off since they will help you remove the sticker easily. The corner is the last part you are giving heat but the first part to pull off.
3. Find a Loose Corner
The last step is to find a loose corner of the sticker. This just comes after the immediate heating of the sticker. Now, lodge or fix your scrapper or robust plastic card at the loosest corner most probably under it. Slip it in between the glass and sticker. Here, you need to be patient and operate smoothly. The whole sticker will not be peeled off at once. Take the loose end and try to peel it off smoothly and gradually.
Now when the sticker is removed, the residue would be remaining still. For this, you need to use the soapy solution with clean cloth rags. It will clear the stubborn residue easily.
Tips for Further Help
Following tips can help you remove stubborn stickers and avoid removing paint along the way:
- Problematic stickers need creative solutions
- Avoid the paint next time
1. Problematic Stickers Need Creative Solutions
It is not always essential that the hairdryer or heat gun should work properly for the removal of the sticker. You can have other options to try in relation to this issue.
Solution 1: Using hot water and a sponge
Firstly, get yourself a bucket full of hot water and a sponge. Use that sponge to soak the sticker. Further, this will assist you to remove the sticker easily since the soaked sticker will release its glue. If you think that mere water is not helping then use the white vinegar. This is a basic solution which helps in removal simply.
Solution 2: Utilizing WD-40 Spray
In the same way, if you can’t get a loosen corner then utilize WD-40 spray. Spray it in the area between the car’s surface and bottom ends of stickers. When the whole sticker is peeled off then use it again to remove the residues.
Solution 3: Using Goo Gone Spray
In addition, there are other spraying products such as Goo Gone spray which is utilized for the removal of stubborn stickers. You can rub it all over the sticker and its corners. Let the spray sit for 10 minutes and again use a scraper for removing the residue or sticker.
Conclusively, you need to assure the cleaning of the surface with the soapy solution and clean cloth rags while applying any of the methods.
2. Avoid the Paint Next Time
You might have come to know that removal of the sticker from the car is easier than peeling off the paint. You can probably use a razor and heat gun at the same time since it does not damage the base material.
In case, you want to apply any sticker on the bumper then use a magnet beforehand since it sticks to the car’s metal body panel. Later, it will be easier for removal.
Conclusion
There are numerous other ways and tactics to apply in order to remove a sticker. If you want to sell the car then you need to have good preparations in order to remove the sticker. It will not let your potential buyers run away.