Bumper stickers are quite popular among different car owners because of how they are capable of conveying certain messages that the driver wants other people to read or see.
That said, when you are sticking bumper stickers on your bumper, you need to understand that these stickers use adhesives. So, can these bumper stickers ruin the paint of your car when they are placed on anything other than the bumper?
Do bumper stickers ruin the paint of your car when placed on bumper?
There are bumper stickers that can ruin paint, especially if they were not designed to be placed on any part of the car other than the bumper. However, bumper stickers will not necessarily damage the car’s paint because the method of removal is what determines whether or not the paint will indeed get damaged.
Bumper stickers can indeed make your car look good, especially when they are placed on strategic spots on the vehicle. However, you need to understand that these are bumper stickers and are not always designed to be placed on any part other than the bumper.
But, then again, the way you remove the sticker can also make a difference.
Related:
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Do bumper stickers ruin paint?
When it comes to adding customized designs to a vehicle, bumper stickers tend to be quite popular among different people. Mostly placed on bumpers because of how bumpers tend to be inconspicuous, there are now bumper stickers that are being added on the different parts of the car.
And bumper stickers are quite popular because of how they are capable of allowing car owners to not only improve the car’s aesthetics but also send a message.
Whether you are putting a bumper sticker on your car to show your political views or to celebrate things that you love in your life, you are free to do anything you want with the bumper sticker.
But the problem is that there are some people who might not want to use bumper stickers even though they want to. And the reason why they want to stay away from bumper stickers is the fear of damaging the car’s paint.
So, do bumper stickers really ruin paint?
What you should know is that, yes, bumper stickers CAN ruin your car’s paint.
This is especially true if you put the bumper sticker on a spot not meant for it such as any other spot other than the bumper. That is because there are some bumper stickers that only work well on the plastic part of your bumper and will not do well when placed on car windows or on any other painted part of the car.
This is why it is important that you need to look at whether or not the bumper sticker was designed to be all-around in the sense that it can be placed anywhere. Of course, never use any other kind of paper sticker because that is going to damage your car. Only go for the stickers that are marketed as decals or bumper stickers.
Another thing to take note of is that the way you remove the bumper sticker can affect whether or not it will damage the car’s paint. That is because bumper stickers are made using a very strong adhesive that can withstand rain, car washes, and other weather conditions without getting removed or suffering any sort of damage. As such, simply peeling the bumper sticker off will most likely damage the car’s paint because of how strong the adhesive is.
As such, it is important for you to know that the method of removal that you use is what will ultimately determine whether or not the car paint will get damaged.
If you are not careful such as when you simply rip the sticker off rather quickly, you will damage the paint. And, of course, using sharp objects such as razors or knives will undoubtedly cause damage as well.
How do you get bumper stickers off without damaging the paint?
Now that you know that bumper sticker can damage your car’s paint, how do you get the bumper stickers off without damaging the paint?
Well, there are several methods that you can use, and we will go by them one by one:
Using heat
Using heat is one of the safest ways for you to remove the bumper sticker without damaging the paint. Most of the time, people use blow dryers for this method because of how gentle the heat is and how it won’t end up damaging the paint.
- Wipe the bumper sticker with a clean piece of microfiber cloth or a soft paper towel. You can use a cloth that is dry or damp, depending on how dirty the sticker is. The reason why you should clean the sticker first is that doing so will allow the heat to reach the adhesive faster. For those using a rag or a towel, it is best to dip it in lukewarm water first.
- Use a hair dryer to blow hot air onto the bumper sticker. This is the best and easiest heat tool to use because of how it doesn’t necessarily produce enough heat to damage the vehicle. Of course, you can also use a heat gun, which is one of the most common tools that people use whenever they want to remove stickers.
If you are using a blow dryer, make sure that you put it on the hottest setting to allow more heat to penetrate through the sticker, and make sure that you move it back and forth so that the heat won’t end up damaging the surface of the vehicle. Holding the hairdryer too close to the sticker can burn the sticker or even melt your car’s paint. Keep the hairdryer on the sticker for about a minute.
Meanwhile, those using heat guns should use them around a foot away from the sticker to avoid causing damage to the car’s paint. And make sure that you don’t hold it for more than three seconds. Wait until bubbles form on the surface of the sticker.
- There are some people who use steam instead of a hair dryer. If you have a clothes steamer, this can work to your advantage. Hold the steamer about half a foot away from the sticker and keep it there for 30 to 60 seconds while moving it around steadily to make sure that every part of the sticker is penetrated.
- For those who don’t have heat tools, using boiled water can also work. Simply bring about 2 to 3 cups of water to a boil and then pour it directly over the bumper sticker to loosen the adhesive. This will allow the sticker to peel off, especially if you poured the water over the edges as well.
- After that, you can use a simple plastic scraper or an old credit card to peel the sticker off. This will allow you to safely peel it without scratching the surface of the paint. You can simply slip the scraper under one of the edges of the bumper sticker. After that, move it gently to peel the sticker slowly without damaging the surface of the vehicle.
- From there, clean off any remaining adhesive residue on the surface of the vehicle using rubbing alcohol. Dampen a microfiber towel with alcohol and then gently wipe the surface to remove any of the remaining residues.
Using adhesive remover
Using a commercial adhesive remover is the other remedy that you can use. Of course, this requires that you spend a bit of money, which isn’t usually the case when you simply use heat to remove your bumper sticker.
- First off, you don’t always need to use a commercialized adhesive remover because you can also use white vinegar. Simply apply white vinegar on the sticker by dipping a paper towel in the solution and then saturating the bumper sticker with it. You can also use a spray bottle with white vinegar in it. The acidity of the white vinegar should be able to counteract the adhesive on the bumper sticker.
- You can also use WD-40, which is a water displacement solution. The purpose of this is to displace the moisture on the adhesive from the surface of the car so that it will be easier for you to remove the sticker. Read the instructions on the product carefully to make sure that you are not using more than the recommended amount.
- There are some hardware stores that sell commercialized adhesive removers. You can simply buy these removers and then follow the instructions carefully. The best thing about these adhesive removers is that they are specifically made for the purpose of removing any kind of adhesive. Goo Gone should be a good product to use if you can find it in your local hardware store.
- Allow the adhesive remover or solution to sit for about five minutes after saturating the sticker with it. This will allow the remover enough time to penetrate through the adhesive and make it easier for you to peel the entire sticker off later on. However, if you are using a commercialized remover, it is best to read the directions on the label first.
- After that, you can use a simple plastic scraper or an old credit card to peel the sticker off. This will allow you to safely peel it without scratching the surface of the paint. You can simply slip the scraper under one of the edges of the bumper sticker. After that, move it gently to peel the sticker slowly without damaging the surface of the vehicle.
- From there, clean off any remaining adhesive residue on the surface of the vehicle using rubbing alcohol. Dampen a microfiber towel with alcohol and then gently wipe the surface to remove any of the remaining residue.
