7 Ways To Remove Sticker Residue From Your Car

Does your car have sticker residue and you are wondering how to remove it? Here’s how to remove sticker residue from a car quickly, safely and effectively. Have you removed stickers from your car and some gummy, gluey, sticky gunk has been left behind? Are you wondering how you can get rid of this gunk? This article has a solution.

How do you get sticker residue off of a car’s paint?

To remove sticker residue from car, you can use a plastic scraper to scrape it off, blast it with a hairdryer, rub it with alcohol, apply olive oil and wipe it off, rub it off using a rubber eraser, apply distilled white vinegar and wipe it off or use commercial cleaners.

In this guide, we will share some tips and solutions on how to remove sticker residue from car. So, if you have been trying to figure out how you can get rid of sticker residue from your car, the answers are right here.

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Overview

You may have placed some stickers on your car a couple of months ago either for advertising, to show support for a cause or for other reasons. But after continuous exposure to the elements, those stickers don’t look great anymore, and you want to remove them. Or, you may have purchased a car filled with stickers, and you don’t wish to keep them.

After peeling off the sticker from your car, some gummy, gluey gunk may be left behind, making your car look unsightly. You may be tempted to grab a metal blade or your pocket knife to scrape off.

Doing so may end up damaging the surface under the residue. Instead, there are other non-invasive ways, which you can use to remove sticker residue, without damaging the car.

How to Remove Sticker Residue from Car

Without a doubt, sticker residue will leave your car looking unsightly. How do you remove it without damaging the surface beneath the sticker? Well, here are a couple of methods you can use to get rid of sticker residue without leaving scratches or unpleasant marks.

Use a Plastic Scraper

As much as a metal blade may help you to remove sticker residue from a car, it will leave scratches or marks on the surface under the residue. And this is where a plastic scraper comes in.

A plastic scraper like a credit card, or even the blade of a plastic knife can be highly effective for removing sticker residue from a car. And unlike metal blades, plastic scrapers won’t leave those scratches or marks on your car. Hence, they provide a safe and effective means of doing it.

After you’ve finished scraping the sticker residue from the car, you should then wipe the area using a microfiber towel or sponge. Wiping the area will remove the sticker debris from the spot, leaving it clean.

Blast with Hairdryer

Applying heat is also a safe and effective means of removing sticky residue from a surface. Regardless of the type of sticker residue that may be present on your car, blasting it will melt it away. And for this method, you can simply use a hairdryer, if you have one at home. 

For this method, you will need to aim your hair dryer directly at the sticker residue. You will then turn the hairdryer on and blast it on the residue for a few minutes. By doing so, the heat from the hairdryer will melt the residue. From there, you can simply scrape it off and wipe the surface.

Alternatively, you can use hot water, in case you don’t have a hairdryer. It will work using the same principle. You will mix some dish detergent with hot water. 

From there, you will apply this solution to the residue and soak it using a microfiber towel, until it softens. Once it softens, you will then scrape away the gunk using a plastic scraper.

Rub with Alcohol

Another substance that you can use to remove sticker residue from cars is alcohol. Rubbing alcohol on the sticker residue will help to get rid of it, without damaging the surface, be it paintwork or glass.

For alcohol, you can use vodka. You simply need to wet a clean rag or paper towel with rubbing alcohol and then rub the sticker residue. The rubbing alcohol will lift off the sticker residue, leaving the surface spotless.

In the event of a stubborn sticker, you should soak a microfiber piece of cloth on the surface that has the residue, and allow it to sit on it for a couple of minutes. After a while, the residue will soften. You will then use that piece of cloth to wipe off any remaining residue.

Apply Olive Oil

Applying olive oil, canola oil or other types of cooking oil to sticker residue will help to soften it. And once it has softened, you can then scrape away the residue or debris using a plastic knife, your fingers or a plastic scraper. Also, you can use a clean rag to rub off the residue after it has softened. From there, you simply need to use a microfiber towel to wipe off the excess olive oil.

Use a Rubber Eraser Wheel

Another effective method of removing sticker residue from a car is by using a rubber eraser wheel. While there are numerous types of rubber eraser wheels on the market, the TCP Global rubber eraser wheel remains one of the best for this type of work.

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It’s designed to remove sticker residue from cars, without scratching or damaging the surface below. Also, this rubber eraser wheel is compatible with various rotary tools. Hence, you simply need to attach it to a drill or any compatible rotary tool you may have.

Once you attach the eraser wheel to a rotary tool, you will simply need to apply light pressure and the residue will come off your car. In short, it provides a convenient, safe, easy and effective means of removing sticker residue from cars.

Apply Distilled White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar is yet another household substance that you can use to remove sticker residue from the car. You will soak a paper towel or a rag in distilled white vinegar and then cover the sticky area with it. From there, you should allow it to soak for a couple of minutes so that the residue can soften. After that, you will then scrape off the residue and remaining debris.

Use Commercial Cleaners

There are several commercial cleaners on the market, specifically formulated for removing sticker residue. Some of the available commercial cleaners that you can use include Goo Gone and WD-40.

Regardless of the product that you choose, you should ensure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. But for most products, you will apply the cleaner directly to the residue, allow it to sit for a few minutes and then wipe it off using a clean microfiber piece of cloth.

Wrapping It Up

Removing sticker residue from a car doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Regardless of how stubborn the sticker residue may be, the tips and solutions we’ve shared in this article will help you to get the job done.