Best solvent to remove California CAV sticker residue?

[Pigwich]

Now, I know technically I can get extended red CAV stickers for my car, but I'm never single occupancy ANYWAY, and the white ones just turned in to pumpkins... Has anybody had any luck with getting the "VOID VOID VOID" sticker residue off the bumpers? I can say that denatured alcohol really doesn't do much. Of course it's pretty safe for the paint too. Lacquer thinner would do the job, but it would also probably eat a hole in the fender at the same time....

Thoughts on this?

 

[BoltEV]

I second the request!

Or is it better to just clean my old white stickers and apply the red ones over them?

 

[SparkE]

I read this elsewhere :

The only issue is removing the residue glue from the old stickers... What a workout, I used Goo Gone, Alcohol and a lot of elbow grease but I got it all out.

Removing the old stickers is trivial, if you briefly hit them with a heat gun. In my case, both layers came off at once, without activating the voiding on the sticker(s). There was a little residue that came off easily with a solvent based adhesive remover. I used a 3M product, but goo-gone will probably work just fine.

I realize most folks don't have a heat gun, but a handheld hair dryer will get you most of the way, with a little more patience.

I put my red decals right on top of the old ones, as suggested in the literature provided with the red decals. It was not difficult. If you choose to remove the old ones, be very careful when using heat or solvents to remove the decals: it is likely very easy to damage the painted plastic fenders and bumpers. Goo-Gone has a strong solvent in it that may attack the paint, but a very brief exposure may not cause any damage.

 

[JimFallstonMd]

Bug and tar remover should work and can be found at most auto parts stores. It also works well for bugs and tar.

 

[willk58]

Goo Off would probably work. Leave it on for 5 minutes before trying to remove.

 

[jfkBolt]

Hello there,

Goof off worked for me. I didn't let it sit, I just used some elbow grease and the white residue cleaned right off. Made sure it was clean/dry, and put my red stickers on.

Jim

 

[bolter]

3m markets a product specifically for removing adhesives. I have used it for various adhesive es on various surface3s; it always worked and never damaged the surface, but YMMV.

See https://www.amazon.com/3M-General-Purpose-Adhesive-Cleaner/dp/B00ZIM9XPI?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00ZIM9XPI

 

[BoltEV]

I finally got around to using the 3M product and it did a great job of removing the White stickers and the VOID remnants and replaced them with Red stickers.

 

[NeilBlanchard]

Goo Gone which is an orange based cleaner, is what I have used many times, with excellent results.

 

[sgt1372]

Heat is usually the best way to remove such stickers.

Not so much it will blister the paint but enough to loosen it. A hair dryer will usually work but a heat gun will be better. You can get one from Harbor Freight for $30. Just be careful how you use it or you'll could damage the paint.

 

[BoltEV]

Heat is usually the best way to remove such stickers...

Just be careful how you use it or you'll could damage the paint.

The 3M product worked fine with no risk of damage!

I returned the leased 2017 Bolt EV with the red HOV stickers (and the white HOV stickers removed) to my Chevy dealer on Tuesday.

 

[1934muriph]

Urethane clear coat is impervious to laqure thinner. I have removed many of these stickers from spark evs by wetting a paper towel with laqure thinner and gently rubbing and repeating until the sticker disolves away with no damage to the clear coat. Always test a small spot with a qtip in an inconspicuous spol first.

 

[nsayer]

I used GoBeGone and a Scrub Daddy on my wife's old Volt. Took effort and time, but came clean in the end.

 

[Bobolinko]

just use WD40! it's never harmed anything I've used it on. for paper labels just try to peel off the paper, then WD the remaining goo.

any kind of residual sticker goo, it also removes. It Won't hurt the vehicle's body finish either just don't do it on cloth or any fabric you would be unable to put in the washer later.