5 Ways To Safely Remove Bumper Stickers | The Seattle Times

You can cheer for your favorite sports team, beam about your honor roll student, show college spirit, display some mad love for your favorite band or express yourself in a multitude of other ways with bumper stickers.

But when life changes or you need to sell your car, you might need to remove those loud and proud decals. Thankfully, there are several straightforward ways to safely remove bumper stickers without messing up your car’s finish. Just follow these ideas below.

Blast heat at them

You might be surprised at how well blasting heat at a bumper sticker helps remove it. First, rub the sticker with a damp cloth. Then, plug a hairdryer into an extension cord near your vehicle, turn it on a hot setting, then blast it all over the sticker from about six inches away. Once the surface area is warm, start peeling it away with an old credit card (you don’t want to use a current card in case it gets damaged). Also, don’t use a knife or anything too sharp as it might damage the paint.

As pieces of the sticker tear away, handyman guru Bob Vila suggests you reheat the remaining areas and continue peeling.

Douse them with WD-40

Car enthusiasts and homeowners alike can appreciate the multiple uses of a can of WD-40. From scrubbing crayon marks off a wall to cleaning tile and getting gum out of the carpet, the popular, tried-and-true lubricant works wonders.

To use it on bumper stickers:

• Put on safety glasses.
• Douse the decal with some of the super lube.
• Let the solution sit for about five minutes.
• Start peeling it with a credit card or rubber spatula.
• For stubborn areas, spray some more WD-40 on them, wait a few minutes and peel some more until the sticker is gone.
• Clear any residue with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

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Rub them with white vinegar

White vinegar is another versatile household miracle solution. In this case, it’s better for the planet than WD-40, and it’s less expensive. Thoroughly wet a paper towel with the vinegar, then rub it across the entire surface of the sticker. As in the previous methods, let the vinegar soak into the bumper sticker for a few minutes; then, start peeling it away with a rubber spatula or credit card. Clear any residue with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

Use Goo Gone for autos

A list of sticker removal solutions wouldn’t be complete without a shoutout to the solvent that’s specifically geared for getting rid of sticky messes. Fortunately, Goo Gone even developed a formula for cars called Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel. The special, no-drip formula is surface-safe and ready to tackle all kinds of vehicle messes, including bumper stickers, tree sap, gum and bird droppings. Generously spray the gel all over the sticker, let it sit for several minutes and start peeling it away with a rubber spatula or credit card.

Try boiling water

Another environmentally friendly and free option is to simply boil some water, apply it to the entire bumper sticker, and start peeling as above. Be careful that you don’t burn yourself while you pour the water over the sticker. It might take several applications to achieve results, but it is less expensive than other options. Plus, you don’t have to make a trip to the store to buy Goo Gone, WD-40 or white vinegar if you don’t have any of those on hand.

Window treatment

To remove stickers or decals from your car windows or windshield, spray a liberal amount of window or glass cleaner on the sticker and then scrape it away with a razor blade. Don’t ever use a razor blade on the bumper or car body—it will damage the paint.

Ultimately, you can safely remove unwanted bumper stickers from your car with any of these simple, inexpensive methods.

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