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Removing stickers, labels, decals, glue, sap...

2

Comments

  • ktekte Member Posts: 1
    These tips will come in very handy - great discussion topic.

    Thanks!
  • sebargesebarge Member Posts: 50
    Hi,
    Don't know if this is the correct place to post, but it does deal with sticky stuff. We have a '92 red Nissan Kingcab w/ 103,000 miles on it. I had kept up with this truck religiously since day 1, so that the paint still looked like new; people were surprised to learn it was a '92.
    Well, we have 2 newer cars now that get the priviledge of the garage, and our poor truck has sat outside for a year now underneath pine trees. (There is no other place to park it.) It looks so bad! There are white spots all over the red paint from the pine sap dripping down on it. I thought clay was a miracle bar, but it doesn't do the trick w/ this sap. It just kinda smears it, although I get a wonderful Christmas pine scent going on.
    Any tips on how to remove pine sap? I should've gotten a cover, but have never had pine trees so close to the house before this one. Now, a cover seems like a waste as the paint is already bad looking.
    Thanks in advance!
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    I haven't let any sit for a year, but put some peanut butter or peanut oil on the globs 'o' goo and give them time to soften. this has worked in the deep north woods well.

    I have had very good luck with mineral spirits in removing stuff like double-stick tape, bummer stickers, and ink ruboff onto the ABS interior of my vehicles.

    if/when you get the crud off, a nice two layer wax job is always a nice thing to do to protect the paint until a dozen carwashes go by...
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    If you use gasoline as a solvent, smoking is discouraged, and I might suggest a little ventalation. I know it sounds like common sense, but if it weren't for idiots, ceilidh wouldn't have the problem with warning labels he's got.

    (Are those labels silk screened on? The warnings on my Ford's visors are. If so, it will be like the design on the front of a T-Shirt. Looks like a sticker, but kinda rubbery, and wont peel off. Can go through washer/Dryer. Silk screening actually deposits a layer of dye on top of the materiel, rather than through it, although it is VERY permanent. As I said earlier, I feel the only way to get rid of visor warning labels is to have the visors re-upholstered.)
  • packman2packman2 Member Posts: 13
    I use W.D. 40 on most stickers,,,it is safe for paint,,just spray it and let it soak the paper,,and pick at it with your fingernail,,it will dissolve the glue..
  • kalwoodkalwood Member Posts: 17
    I'm considering taking off the 4x4 decal from my new Silverado. How long before there will be a difference in the paint from where the decal was and was not? I've had the truck for about 7 weeks but really have no idea how long it sat on the dealer's lot.
  • guitarzanguitarzan Member Posts: 873
    There should be no noticeable difference if you remove it now, if you get all the glue off. A hair dryer should solve this. You might have to clean the whole vehicle, because that spot will be ultra clean. But, it would be a year, two, or more before any fading of the paint would be noticeable.
  • alotawattsalotawatts Member Posts: 44
    Naptha (lighter fluid) on any material.
  • rooba10rooba10 Member Posts: 38
    Someone suggested using Mother's back to black. I tried it long time ago on our old Mazda MPV. It works well for a while, then once you go to carwash, the gray look comes back.

    The best method to wax a car is to use 1 to 2.0" wide masking tape and cover the black area, and do not use too much wax in the area close to black trim.
  • girlwithtoolsgirlwithtools Member Posts: 26
    Here's a thought. . .the dealer places his logo on your car for advertisement. Since you likely purchase the vehicle - would they be willing to rent the area on the car you own as advertising space? We passed that thought onto our local dealership and the logo was professionally removed by their staff before delivery into our hands.
  • megasuvownermegasuvowner Member Posts: 64
    does anyone know if you can take off the actual companies' logo such as ford,honda, jeep writing and logos? or would i have to take it to a customizing shop to have that done? thank you
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    That would depend on the script attachment method. Pressure sensitive adhesive logo's can be removed with a hair dryer. Logo's with tabs through the sheet metal and speed nut or clip attachment from behind will require a body shop to fill the holes and paint as required.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Best stuff ive used in the body shops ive worked in. works great and leaves no marks
  • lspanglerlspangler Member Posts: 102
    I used to own a Chevy pick up that i removed the huge metal CHEVROLET from across the entire tailgate, I also removed all of the black molding down the side of the truck and I removed the SILVERADO badges from the B-pillar. All this was done with a heat gun. Afterwards, I used some paint prep to remove the wax lines and then I put a good coat of wax over the newly exposed surfaces. The paint prep is a clenaer meant to remove all contaminents from the body so it can be painted. It will remove all wax, tar and adhesive.
  • markuliesmarkulies Member Posts: 12
    ok, from what i have gathered the best way to remove the dealer's logo sticker they snuck on when i was in finance, is to heat it and use dental floss?/
  • gitarzangitarzan Member Posts: 66
    I just removed the dealer's ugly plastic logo badge this afternoon.

    1. I took some dental floss and it flossed right off. I was suprised how quickly it went right through it. I used J&J Reach Cinnamon Waxed Floss, if that makes any difference!

    2. I took the wifey's hair drier and put a little heat on the remaining foam tape. I then rolled the tape off with my fingers. I was able to roll off about an inch at time. It took about 3-4 mintues to get it all off.

    3. I then wiped it down with Turtle Wax Bug & Tar remover and that removed any residual gum.

    It looks Mah-Velous. So much better. I hate advertising for free. I also removed the license plate covers with the ads on it.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    Dave, nice job. The dental floss will also help with the nasty tartar build up in the oil pan, hehe! Try the mint floss next time, awesome stuff!
    ;-)

    Larry
  • desaljsdesaljs Member Posts: 24
    In order to remove stickers use a product called GOO GONE. This is available in all sorts of stores like Wal-Mart etc. This is a citrus based product and works great. Remove what you can of the sticker, then apply it to the glue residue and wait a minute or two. Revove slowly and continue to re-apply until the glue is dissolved. I have used this on loads of things (including CD cases) and it never damaged anything. I now have no fear about putting stickers on anything since I know this product will remove them. I have treated stains on clothing and even removed gum from carpet with this stuff. I usually use a paper towel to apply and remove the product.
  • dwassondwasson Member Posts: 4
    I just used the Hair Dryer & Dental Floss dealer sticker removal method and it worked wonderfully. No Goo-Gone was necessary only a little water and a sponge. I used Oral-B mint dental floss and it left my car with a clean minty taste. To the person who posted this method thank you.
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    If you want to get the Pine tar off easier try using Rain-X. After I wash my car I sometimes (3x a yr) I will take a piece of imitation wool (strictly for this purpose) add put a coat of Rain-X on my car.

    There are 2 real good reasons for this.
    1. Water runs off alot faster than wax, but clears off really fast after it's been waxed and rain-xed. Plus, you can just spray your car with the garden hose to clean it off quickly.
    2. Pollen, Goose-poo, Bird-poo, Any-poo, and Pine tar don't stick as much

    Odie
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    Goose poo? Where do you park your car? Any poo, you really cracked me up with that post!

    -Larry
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    I'm in the Northeast, and come Fall/Spring when the Geese are migrating (bombs Away).
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    ice cold water!!
  • gonzo0903gonzo0903 Member Posts: 7
    You should go to an auto body supply store and get some Dupont Prep-sol or similar automotive solvent. Detailers and auto body shops use it to remove old waxes, road tar and other contaminants as part of the detailing process. Apply it to a soft terry cloth and rub gently Depending on the how thick or hard the sap is, you may have to go over an area a few times to totally remove the sap. You didn't say what kind of sap it was. Pine tree sap is highly acidic and can etch into the paint finish. Tree sap should be removed as soon as possible to eliminate the problem!
  • bretfrazbretfraz Member Posts: 2,021
    They make a couple of great products.

    One is a general purpose adhesive cleaner. That stuff takes off anything.

    Another is a specific product for tree sap and road goo. Comes in a pump spray.

    3M stuff is easy to find - try your local NAPA auto parts. Or you can order online from 3M's Online store.

    good luck!!
  • homer2000sseihomer2000ssei Member Posts: 159
    wouldnt a clay bar product be useful for that? I would think as long as they are small (tiny) spots - it should deal with it.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    peanut oil works great on pine sap slop. easy and painless on the paint. butter and peanut butter (more abrasive) are also useful, as is good old mineral spirits.
  • cheerfulcheerful Member Posts: 31
    I have a sticker on the bumper for several month. When I removed it, some glue stuck to the bumper.

     

    Alcohol does not work. Nail polish remover (Acetone) sure works but I am concerned it may damage the paint.

     

    What is the proper way to remove it?

     

    Thanks!
  • guestguest Member Posts: 770
  • cheerfulcheerful Member Posts: 31
  • macman60macman60 Member Posts: 1
    how can I get LocTite glue off the plex-glass,black plastic trim around speedometer, and the blue vinyl dash as I tried to glue the black plastic and dashboard back together instead the sun has heated it and caused it to fog up my plex-glass and looks terrible on the dash and black plastic trim and it seems that the sun has backed it onto the surfaces. I have tried the solvent used to clean wax etc off the outside of your vehicle to prepare it for new molding and used goof off, orange hand cleaner, finger nail polish remover on the dash and black plastic not the plexi any ideas this is the only blemish to the 1997 Ford Taurus :cry:
  • carter4carter4 Member Posts: 1
    Several days ago I inadvertently ran over a can that had fallen out of a work truck. The contents of the can are unknown, but I now have splatters of a glue-like substance on the side of my car and tires. I don't care so much about the tires, but am trying to find a way to clean the substance off the paint on the side of my car. I've tried rubbing compound and WD-40. Does anyone have any suggestions?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Do you know a good body shop? They deal with this kind of thing a lot. The problem is finding something that removes glue but not paint, so while I might try a few tricks on my own car I hesitate to recommend them to you.
  • lastc4lastc4 Member Posts: 12
    Bigfur - just purchased a 1996 C4 Vette. Previous owner put mirror strips on the gills. Looks like ther are on w/ epoxy. Will your 3M Stuff work for a condition like this.

    LAST C4
  • tarbabytarbaby Member Posts: 1
    New to the forum-
    Just bought a 05 Toyota Prius- LOVE IT - But seems impossible to get the UGLY air bag sticker off the visors. (Visors are cloth) I have tried hair dryer, attempted to peel it off, and then tried using damp white cloth on sticker and ironed on medium setting. Nothing has worked so far, and am scared I will damage the visor.- PLEASE HELP -----
    tarbaby
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    find something else to cover 'em up, they put those stinkers on to stay now. look like they debossed the fabric and painted 'em all on that I've seen for a while. you could get a bumper-sticker printing kit for your computer and make up something like:

    WARNING: AIR BAGS NOT RATED AS FLOATATION DEVICES

    How about a nice Sodium Azide punch? ( sorry, P&G hawaiian punch brand )

    SPACE FOR RENT. Lisa Visor, 888-666-0000

    whatever. they're on to stay.
  • frovsfrovs Member Posts: 1
    DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET OFF THE FACTORY DODGE DECALS ON MY NEON? WILL A NORMAL HAIR DRYER WORK?
  • xysterxyster Member Posts: 1
    I have removed the pin stripping from my truck using a pressure washer then used goof off to remove the sticky residue left over. It seems though that there is still something left looks the same as the paint just like the paint is a bit higher under where the pin stripping was, can I just sand it down and if so what grade sand paper or is there any thing else I can use??
  • twinrottstwinrotts Member Posts: 161
    Just had new tires installed on my factory 17" alloy wheels. Original wheel weights left what appears to be a heavy adhesive residue. :cry:
    Tar and bug remover did not touch it nor did WD-40. Any suggestions??
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    mineral spirits. it shouldn't attack any paint or coating
  • jeep1988jeep1988 Member Posts: 40
    I have a plastic decal with an adhesive foam tape by ProMark on the back of it. It has my beloved Ohio State logo. I keep reading that taking these things off will be ok, but, is it realy ok to put one on yourself, and are there any tips, so, when it :confuse: wears off or I want to remove it, I will not damage the paint. Thanks.
  • jeep1988jeep1988 Member Posts: 40
    The 3M paint safe adhesive tape, is it really safe for my car? :confuse:
    I have seen anything mentioned about this in the forum.

    Thanks.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Looks like this is almost dead. Does that mean everyone has gotten the stuff off their cars? we can only be so lucky i think.
  • kittytwist66kittytwist66 Member Posts: 1
    NOOOO!! I'm dying to find out how to get the half that didn't come off OFF for good. I called my Jeep dealer today to see if they carried those stickers. They said they are part of the whole visor which would run me $150! I have 11 months before my lease is up and I need to fix this. I don't think they will notice if that sticker is gone when I turn the car in but they will notice half a sticker. Help.
  • bigfurbigfur Member Posts: 649
    Where is the sticker? whats it of. Always a way to get it totally off.
  • kw_carmankw_carman Member Posts: 114
    I recently bought an '02 Civic from a young lady. I rec'd an excellent deal on the car, but the one thing I'm puzzled over is how to remove the Jesus fish on the back. Although I attend services, etc. I realized that I probably wasn't setting a good example w/ my driving habits.

    Is there any way to get this off without leaving a lot of residue?
  • 1racefan1racefan Member Posts: 932
    heat it up with a hair dryer, then stretch out a piece of fishing line (one end of the line in each of your hands, and pulled tight), then slide underneath the plaque. The residue can be removed with a rag that has a little WD40 sprayed on it. If the residue becomes hard to remove, reheat it, the residue then becomes easier to wipe off with the rag. When done, wax over the area.
  • swschradswschrad Member Posts: 2,171
    lots of alternatives like the "ixnay" or the "cat" at http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/emblems.html... or if you mess up the Jesus-fish removal, you can hide it with another one ;)

    not all are polite, so use that criteria in deciding whether to view. none are really awful.
  • moto2moto2 Member Posts: 1
    Not sure how to remove them, but if anyone needs to know how to apply them, there is an article at http://www.modernimage.net/html/articles/car_graphics_application.html
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
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