How to Remove Stickers From Your Car

Co-authored by Chad Zani

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 References

Bumper stickers or any type of stickers are often applied to a motor vehicle. Not everyone knows how to remove stickers from your car. Once applied it is difficult to remove bumper stickers completely. Sometimes only part of the sticker can be removed and other times the sticker itself can be removed but residue is left behind. The following directions will tell you how to remove stickers from your car.

Steps

1
Set a bucket of soapy water next to your car. Dip a wash rag into the soapy water, and wash over the sticker several times. Make sure to wash the area surrounding the sticker as well. This action will soften the sticker.
2
Spray the sticker and the surrounding area with a tar removal substance. Be liberal with the application. This will help to break down the glue on the back of the sticker. Wait 5 minutes or more before proceeding to the next step. This allows the tar removal substance to soak through the sticker.

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3
Lift one corner of the sticker using your fingernail. This step to lift the sticker is the first true attempt in how to remove stickers from your car.
4
Slip your plastic spatula under the lifted corner of the sticker. Slowly slip the plastic spatula further under the sticker until you have removed the largest portion of the sticker that you can. Use your other hand to guide the spatula carefully underneath the sticker. Remove as much of the sticker as possible.^{[1]
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5
Wipe the soapy wash rag across the entire area where the remaining section of the sticker or the residue of the sticker remains. Do this thoroughly. Try again to wipe off what is left behind using the plastic spatula.^{[2]
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6
Apply a small amount of the tar removal substance to whatever pieces of the sticker have not come off yet. Continue to scrub the area with your soapy rag until every last bit of the sticker is removed, leaving nothing on your motor vehicle.^{[3]
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Community Q&A

Question

Do these instructions apply to window decals only? Would it damage the paint if decal was located there?

Community Answer

Any decal affixed to a painted area would carry a risk of damaging the paint job if removed.

Warnings

Do not use 2 different types of tar removal or glue removal substances on your motor vehicle during one attempt to remove a sticker. The combination of different substances could cause damage to the car's paint or create an unwanted chemical reaction.

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