How to Remove a Bumper Sticker
I've recently seen several cars that either have ragged remnants of bumper stickers on them or gummy spots where the stickers used to be. It made me wonder if the drivers didn't know how to remove them, or if they just didn't want to take the time to do it right. To address the former possibility, I thought it might be helpful to share my method for completely and cleanly removing bumper stickers. This will work on window decals as well chrome or painted bumpers.
To do this, you will need a hair dryer, mineral spirits, rubber (or latex) gloves and a rag. Because you will be working with mineral spirits, remove the sticker in a well-ventilated area. If your car is outside, that won't be a problem. If, however, your vehicle is in the garage, open the door.
First, heat the sticker with a hair dryer. Keep the dryer at least six inches away from the sticker and keep it moving slowly back and forth. Heat for about ten seconds, and then try to lift a corner of the sticker (which is a lot easier if you don't put on the gloves yet). If the corner doesn't come up easily, heat for another ten seconds. If it comes up easily and the sticker feels supple, turn the hair dryer off (so you don't burn your hand or something else) and continue pulling off the sticker very slowly. If you meet some resistance, heat the sticker for a few more seconds and try again. It should come up pretty easily if you do it slowly. I only advise turning the hair dryer off when you are pulling on the sticker because if you are paying attention to the sticker, you are not paying attention to where the hair dryer is pointing. Although hair dryers are not likely to ignite things as easily as, say, a heat gun, it's best to be on the safe side.
Once the sticker is off, there will likely be some gummy marks. Even if the marks aren't visible, the surface will probably still be sticky. If you don't clean it, this gummy spot will gather and hold dirt, making it more obvious and ugly with time. To clean it, put on your rubber gloves, put some mineral spirits on a rag and wipe the spot until it's clean. Then wipe the surface with a dry rag to remove any remaining mineral spirits.
That's it. You now know something that many others apparently do not, and your car will look much better because of it. Now for the customary caveats: Remember to use the hair dryer with caution. It's unlikely that it will harm the paint unless you point it at one spot very closely for a long time, but be on the safe side. If you're not absolutely confident that you can apply heat to the sticker without damaging the finish or your skin somehow, don't.
