9 Ways Not To Remove Bumper Stickers (+ The Correct Way)

There are various techniques to use when removing a bumper sticker from a car. However, not all approaches are the best.

This is because employing certain techniques to remove bumper stickers from your vehicle has the potential to harm its surface.

Before we dive into this article, would you like to know the bumper sticker rules car owners must follow?

1. Using Sharp Objects

Using sharp objects such as knives or razor blades to remove bumper stickers can damage or scratch the paint of the car.

These objects can ruin a car’s finish or gouge the chrome and scrape off body paint, even when owners are careful enough.

It can also be dangerous for the person using it, as it can cause injuries if there is a mistake.

Instead, employing a soft instrument, such as a rubber or plastic spatula, can help protect the surface of the car. To do this,

• Clean the area of the sticker with soap and water
• Using low heat, use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat the sticker

Then, use the rubber or spatula to pry up one corner of the sticker slowly, without scratching the car surface. You can then peel it off slowly without harming the car’s surface.

Here is what bumper stickers with number means, in case you’ve been wondering.

2. Applying Harsh Chemicals

Harsh chemicals can damage a car’s surface by negatively affecting the paint and clear coat. The clear coat serves as a covering for the paint, guarding it against oxidation, fading, and environmental deterioration.

However, where the clear coat and paint react with certain abrasive substances, it can cause

• Corrosion
• Discoloration
• Bubbling, or
• Peeling of the car body

Some of the harsh chemicals are available as strong acids or alkalis, such as those found in household cleaners or commercial solvents.

Using these products can remove paint and clear coat, leaving the car’s surface looking dull or uneven.

Overall, harsh chemicals can cause some materials in the car to crack, fade, or deteriorate.

Instead, we recommend owners only use safe products that manufacturers specifically created for car use, for example, Goo Gone.

Car owners can ensure this by reading the label of the product and by paying attention to the manufacturer’s instructions.

We also recommend that before using a product on a large surface, owners should test it first in a small and discrete area of the car to look for any changes or reactions.

Find out if bumper stickers are still popular today as they used to be.

3. Using a Power Washer or High-Pressure Hose

Using a power washer or high-pressure hose to remove bumper stickers can damage the surface of your car, by scratching, denting, or chipping the paint or clear coat.

This is because the force from the washer or hose can remove the protective layer and expose the paint to the environment.

The pressure of the water can also push dirt, debris, and other impurities into the paint’s surface, which can cause micro-abrasions or marks that can reduce the finish’s sheen.

Over time, this may cause the car to appear dull.

For the safe removal of bumper stickers, we recommend car owners employ a washer and hose with a low-pressure setting.

However, if any adhesive residue remains on the car, cleaning it with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol or a commercial adhesive should remove it, not a power washer or high-pressure hose.

4. Scrubbing the Sticker With a Wire Brush or Abrasive Pad

Scrubbing a bumper sticker with wire brushes or an abrasive pad can harm the surface of a car, especially the paint.

Wire brushes or abrasive pads are too harsh as manufacturers made them for tough cleaning tasks, thus can leave deep scratches or markings on the paint’s surface.

This exposes the surface to certain toxic environmental elements that can speed up degeneration, as a result, causing the paint to appear drab, faded, or uneven.

The wire brushes or abrasive material can also cause small ridges in the paint’s surface, trapping dirt and debris and making cleaning the car challenging.

Over time, trapped dirt with moisture can also cause the metal underneath to corrode or rust.

We recommend removing bumper stickers using a plastic scraper or spatula to peel the sticker off slowly, in order to protect the surface of the car.

Employing glue removal products should remove any adhesive residue the sticker might have left on the car. 

Also, you can explore some effective ways of removing baked-on bumper stickers.

5. Spraying the Sticker With Paint Stripper

Spraying paint stripper on a bumper sticker may have several negative effects on the car’s surface.

However, factors such as the

• Type of paint stripper
• The length of exposure, and
• The type of automobile surface majorly influences these effects

Overall, these negative effects include surfaces with raw metal or plastic that are vulnerable to rust or damage after the paint remover removes the clear coat and paint from the car’s exterior.

It can also cause discoloration as the paint stripper can cause the paint to fade or alter its color, especially if owners have exposed the car to sunshine or weathering.

Note that there is also the risk of stain if the paint stripper leaves residues that can discolor the surface.

Prior to applying paint stripper on a surface of a car, we recommend car owners seek advice from a specialist or review the directions on the bottle.

You can test the stripper on a small and discreet area of the vehicle as well to see the reaction. 

Where there is doubt, we recommend safer methods like hair dryers, and WD40, among others.

6. Pouring Hot Water on the Sticker

Pouring hot water on a sticker might make it easier to remove it, but this can also endanger the surface of the car in certain ways.

One of these is the possibility of making the paint on the surface of the car softer, thus increasing the likelihood that it will peel or flake.

If the sticker is also very difficult to remove with hot water, you might have to wipe or scrape it excessively, which might harm the paint even more.

There are also certain situations where owners might have exposed the car to sunlight or weathering.

This might have left behind a residue so that when hot water touches the surface of the car, it could cause staining or discoloration.

However, it is significant to note that many factors can influence how hot water will affect the surface of a car. These include the water’s temperature, the hours of exposure, and the type of car surface, among others. 

For safer removal of bumper stickers, car owners may consider using a steam cleaner to weaken the glue instead of hot water.

Depending on the size of the sticker and how strongly owners glue it to the bumper, direct steam from a steam cleaner for 30 seconds to 1 minute will soften the adhesive.

This will make removal easier to remove by peeling it off the bumper gently.

However, would you like to know the reasons you should not add bumper stickers to your car?

7. Using a Blowtorch or Lighter

Removing a bumper sticker using a blowtorch or lighter could seriously harm the car’s surface and pose a safety risk. Some dangers could arise.

A blowtorch or lighter creates an open flame that could ignite surrounding flammable substances like paint thinner or gasoline.

This could spark a fire, which could severely damage the car and possibly endanger neighboring residents.

The powerful heat from these products can also melt or distort the car’s surface, leaving behind ugly blemishes that may be challenging or impossible to remove.

Also, the release of hazardous chemicals when burning the sticker can endanger both the person doing the burning and anybody close.

These chemicals can induce headaches, respiratory troubles, and other health problems when inhaled. Note there is a serious safety risk that accompanies this method as well, as they can cause severe burns to skin or clothing.

There are safer and more efficient techniques out there, such as using a heat gun or a hairdryer with low heat. 

8. Forcefully Ripping the Sticker Off

Ripping a bumper sticker off a car with force is risky because it can harm the automobile’s finish.

Some major dangers that could arise are dents and scratches, particularly if the sticker has been on the car for a while.

During the process, the sticker can also leave behind a sticky residue that is challenging to remove if it has been on the automobile for a long time.

This can cause the clear coat or paint to peel when owners try to remove it using force, creating an ugly mark.

Complete removal is not always possible when removing a bumper sticker using this method.

This can leave behind a part of the sticker that is considerably harder to get rid of, disfiguring the car’s look where owners leave it on the car.

Overall, we recommend employing a less abrasive technique, like utilizing a plastic scraper or a heat gun when removing a bumper sticker.

Before attempting to remove a bumper sticker, it is also essential to seek advice from a professional or read the sticker’s instructions if you are unsure of the best manner to do it.

9. Removing Bumper Stickers in Cold Weather

We recommend car owners don’t remove bumper stickers in cold weather because freezing temperatures make the sticker’s adhesive more difficult to remove.

In most cases, attempting to remove a sticker in cold temperatures can cause the sticker to break into tiny fragments, leaving residue and complicating the removal procedure.

Also, the exterior of the car may be more vulnerable to harm during removal in colder climates.

This is because extreme cold may make the paint more fragile, which could cause paint chipping or cracking if force is used to remove the stickers.

We recommend removal during warm temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Owners can use a heat source, such as a hairdryer or a heat gun, to weaken the adhesive before carefully peeling the sticker off.

It is also possible to use a commercial adhesive remover if the sticker is difficult to remove.

For more information on the best ways to remove bumper stickers, we explored the best methods in this article. 

Sources

Dos and don’t when removing bumper stickers | The Providence Journal

How to Remove Car Decals Without Damaging Paint | Accurate Signs

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