Sticker problem

photographix · 03-10-2013, 12:27 AM

Got a problem with stickers that the PO put on the van. Hoping for some suggestions to get the last one off....

The PO was sticker crazy, putting souvenir stickers on the bottom of the PH bed and the rear barn doors...on the paint no less, not the glass. Sheesh.

Many were vinyl, and came off safely, some easy, some with a lot of elbow grease and solvents.

I've gotten them all off except for one. And it is one stubborn SOB.

I've tried Ronson lighter fluid (contains naptha, which usually cuts most adhesives like nobody's business and seems safe for clear coated paints), WD-40, and Goo Gone. None of these cut the adhesive at all, not even the Goo Gone. I'm using a soft plastic putty knife to scrape at the edges, but I can only get the sticker to come off in little flakes. I've put solvents on it and let it soak, but nothing seems to work.

The sticker has no image left. The weather must have worn it off, and what is left behind feels like paper, but has an extremely thin layer of celluloid or something like it under the paper. Tried teasing it up a little to try and peel it by grabbing it with tweezers, but it is so brittle it just breaks into flakes.

The sticker is an oval, originally probably about 4x6 inches in size. After over an hour of working on it this afternoon, I probably was able to remove about 1/4 of inch of sticker at the top.

I would be grateful for any ideas.

**daveb** · 03-10-2013, 12:45 AM

Did you try heat from a hair dryer?

shenrie · 03-10-2013, 06:54 AM

i used to take all those same steps, then someone told me about the eraser wheels. its just what it sounds like, a bigass eraser on a bit that allows you to put it in a drill and basicaly burn stuff like stickers and pinstripes off paint.

it has the ability to burn paint if you leave it in place too long, so be careful, but I have used the same wheel to remove crap off of 10+ cars now. has paid its self off tenfold and i have yet to ruin any paint.

either way, good luck. poorly placed stickers can be a bitch. stickers can be evil in the wrong hands...

jage · 03-10-2013, 08:04 AM

2nd the hairdryer and follow up with Goo Gone (essentially orange oil).

Use an old (or don't tell the owner) hairdryer and slowly heat the sticker and the area. Take your time getting closer and checking the warmth. After a few minutes I wind up 2cm from surface, always moving the flow around but in smaller areas. Once a corner of the sticker comes up* pull gently at 90º from the surface while heating up and down the growing line of removal on the sticker side. If you're not burning your fingers while pulling at the sticker, you're not hot enough (wiser people would bring a tool or wear gloves!) and the whole area should be warm to hot from the initial slow approach, so you're only heating the removal line over the edge.

Whatever is left can be removed with multiple applications and soaking with the Goo Gone, rubbed off between applications with a bit of old towel.

*Plastic scrapers, body kits and plastic "grout removal" tools each help, but the idea is not to scrape the sticker off.

I just did several stickers off my Tacoma this way- paint, glass and interior. Only one on the paint required soaking of the Goo Gone before the residue would come up.

photographix · 03-10-2013, 08:34 AM

Great instructions on the hair dryer technique! I'll see if maybe a new bottle of Goo Gone will help, mine was pretty old and didn't smell like oranges. I'll check out the eraser wheel if that doesn't work.

I'll see if I can liberate the wife's hair dryer from its bathroom prison this afternoon and give that a try.

Thanks, all!

Ford_6L_E350 · 03-10-2013, 10:43 AM

Hair dryer works, but for some reason I prefer hot water. Boil water in a kettle, pour it slowly over the sticker. The heat will soften the adhesive and allow removal of most stickers. Maybe I like because I don't need an extension cord.

Frequently, parking with the sticker in direct sunlight will soften the adhesive enough also.

Mike

photographix · 03-10-2013, 12:56 PM

Finally! After 1.5 hours of soaking with boiling water (thanks, Ford_6L_E350!), Goo Gone (used a whole 4 oz can!), rubbing with a paper towel, and sitting in the sun, I got the sticker off.

Once I had gotten the celluloid/plastic/whatever it was softened and peeled off in small spots, the adhesive came off pretty easily.

What a job!

All for a stupid $2 sticker.

buckkiller · 03-11-2013, 10:39 PM

Heat gun works best....removed Tyson graphics In a few hours
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Aldercrest · 01-24-2015, 10:51 PM

My Sportsmobile stickers were peeling and looking pretty ragged. I pulled them off today, but there is still a lot of residue from the adhesive. Any tips for how to get that off? Hot water, alcohol, goo gone, citric degreaser? A combination?

photographix · 01-25-2015, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldercrest

My Sportsmobile stickers were peeling and looking pretty ragged. I pulled them off today, but there is still a lot of residue from the adhesive. Any tips for how to get that off? Hot water, alcohol, goo gone, citric degreaser? A combination?

I would try the solvents you mentioned in order. If those don't work, try lighter fluid with naphtha (Ronson is easy to find at drug stores). You might also want to try Simple Green Degreaser, available at Home Depot and probably Lowe's. A bug and tar remover might help, too.

Don't get frustrated and resort to a razor blade! You'll ruin the clear coat.

When you do get the glue off, wash the area with warm soapy water and rinse to get rid of the solvent, then apply a good car wax.