Bumper stickers are a great way to advertise your business, support a cause you believe in, or just show off your sense of humor. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates getting stuck behind a car with an unsightly sticker on the back bumper. If you want to be able to drive around without turning people green with envy, here’s how to remove that bumper sticker and get your car back to normal again. If you drive a standard transmission car, removing the bumper sticker will be much more difficult than if you have an automatic transmission. However, since almost all cars have standard transmissions, we will assume that’s what you have too. Removing the sticker from a manual car is actually pretty easy because once the bumper cover has been removed, there’s not much left to deal with – just the decal itself. The following instructions work for any kind of car.
How To Get A Bumper Sticker Off?
Soften the adhesive with heat
Before you try to peel off the sticker, you should soften the adhesive holding it in place. You can do this by placing a hot iron over the sticker, or by applying a hair dryer to it for a little longer. If you use an iron, be sure not to touch the sticker itself, as this will just make the adhesive more difficult to peel off. Likewise, make sure the iron doesn’t come in contact with the paint of your car, as this could result in discoloration. If you use a hair dryer, set it to the lowest setting, and move it around over the sticker. If a hair dryer is too imprecise for you, you can supplement it with a pot of boiling water. Just make sure the water isn’t coming into contact with the car.
Peel off as much of the sticker as you can
If you applied a little heat to the sticker, this should make it easier for you to peel off some of it. You can then use a razor blade to scrape off the rest of the sticker. The blade will help you cut through the glue, so you can get rid of it that much more easily. You can also use a putty knife (or a butter knife, if you don’t have a putty knife). If the sticker tears, as opposed to peeling off, it was most likely put on with a very strong adhesive. In this case, you’ll have to go to Step 3 anyway.
Scrape off what’s left with a razor blade
If the sticker is still stuck on, no matter how much you try to peel it off, you’ll have to scrape it off. Use a razor blade to do this. Razor blades are great for scraping things off surfaces. You can also use a putty knife or a butter knife. Again, if the sticker tears, you’ll have to go to Step 3 anyway.
Dab on some baking soda paste
If the sticker is still clinging to your car, even after you’ve scraped off as much of it as you can, you’ll have to use a stronger method. Baking soda paste is great for removing adhesives, so you should dab it onto the remaining sticker. You can make baking soda paste by mixing baking soda and water in a bowl until it has a slightly thick consistency. Smooth the paste out over the sticker and let it sit for about 20 minutes before you move on to Step 5.
Dab on some vinegar paste
You can make vinegar paste by mixing vinegar and water in a bowl. It will have a consistency similar to that of the baking soda paste. You can either use the same bowl you used for the baking soda paste, or you can use a new bowl. Once you’ve mixed the ingredients, dab the vinegar paste on the sticker. Let it sit for about 20 minutes before you go to Step 6.
Try an organic disc cleaner
If the baking soda and vinegar pastes aren’t strong enough to remove the sticker, try an organic disc cleaner. This is a special type of cleaner that is designed to remove bumper stickers. You can usually find organic disc cleaners at your local hardware store. Just pour some of the cleaners on the sticker, and let it sit for a few hours before washing it off with water.
Try some elbow grease and dish soap
If organic disc cleaners don’t work for you, you can try some elbow grease and dish soap. First, scrub the sticker with dish soap, then use a putty knife to scrape off what’s left of the sticker. You can use a straight razor, or another type of blade if you have one available. You can use a razor to scrape off the sticker, but it will likely dull the blade in the process. If you use a straight razor, it will probably get nicked in the process. If you don’t use a straight razor, it may be difficult to scrape off the sticker without damaging your car.
If all else fails, consult a car pro
If none of the methods above work for you, it’s probably best to consult a car pro. A car pro will be able to tell you what methods work best for removing a bumper sticker (and also what methods don’t work). Plus, they know how to do it in a way that won’t harm your car. A car pro can also show you how to avoid getting bumper stickers stuck to your car in the first place. If you don’t want bumper stickers on your car, and you don’t have the patience to peel them off whenever they get stuck there, consult a car pro to find out how to keep them off. When buying your car, make sure you choose one without any bumper stickers on it so you don’t have to go through this trouble. Bumper stickers are great for other people, but they can be really annoying when they’re in your own car. Luckily, even if you have one on your car, there are ways to remove it. Follow these steps, and you’ll be free of your bumper sticker in no time.
What Is The Different Type Of Bumper Stickers?
1. Window Bumper Sticker
A window Bumper Sticker is the type of bumper sticker that is stuck on the Windshield. The text is printed on a transparent sheet, which can be placed on the windshield.
2. Door Bumper Sticker
Door Bumper Stickers are printed on a transparent sheet, which can be placed in front of a car door. The text should be readable from inside the car. Sometimes, it may be difficult to read from inside the car because of glare, or because it may not be visible all the time.
3. Rear Bumper Sticker
Rear bumper stickers are placed on the rear window as well as the rear door of a car. They are also printed on a transparent sheet and they can be seen from all sides of the vehicle. This type of bumper sticker is very common in American cars and European cars too!
4. Front Bumper Stickers
Front bumper stickers usually have different designs than those for other parts of a vehicle such as windows or doors. Usually, they are bigger in size and they are used for advertising or promotion purposes only; whereas, other types of stickers should not obstruct vision or interfere with driving at all times (they should also not cause damage to your vehicle). Front bumper stickers usually have information about your business, or about political issues that you feel strongly about (e-g ‘No WMDs for Iraq’ instead of ‘No Weapons-of-Mass-Destruction in Iraq’).
What Are The Features Of A Bumper Sticker?
- Bumper Stickers are usually made of vinyl plastic sheets and they are applied on the vehicle’s bumpers.
- It is usually a rectangular sheet with text printed on it.
- The bumper stickers can be found in different sizes, shapes, and designs, depending upon the purpose of application or design of the sticker.
- They can be easily removed without any damage to your vehicle or its paint job (if you’ve chosen a sticker that is not too big).
- There are various types of bumper stickers that have been used throughout the years to advertise various products and services, such as ‘The World’s Best Car’, ‘The World’s Most Economical Car’, ‘The World’s Most Reliable Car’ etc.
- Some bumper stickers have become quite popular recently, such as ‘Vote for Bush’, ‘Gore 2000’ etc., which have become a permanent fixture on many vehicles around the country!
Conclusion
Removing the bumper sticker from your car is a pretty straightforward process. For manual transmission cars, you’ll need to remove the bumper cover before proceeding. Once you’ve exposed the decal, you can use a solvent, scrape it off or scrape it off with a razor blade. For automatic transmission cars, all you need to do is remove the decal from the bumper.
