How to remove decals and adhesive from your car without scratching the paint

Maybe you applied the decal yourself, or maybe you bought a secondhand car that came kitted out with racing stripes or Tinkerbelle, and it’s just ‘not you’.

Decals are permanent but they can be removed. Better, they can be taken off without damaging your car paint, if you’re careful and the paint is in good condition. 

There’s always a risk you might mark your car paint or lacquer but, even if you do, there’s a fix for it in the form of a touch up paint pen, mixed to your original colour. 

Decals use different types of glue but this method should get a good final result.

Your tools

• Car washing accessories - sponge, shampoo, warm water, chamois
• Hairdryer
• Old credit or debit card
• Polishing compound
• Wax

The way to remove decals without scratching your car

1. Clean your decal

Make sure the area on and around your decal is free from grime, dust, grit and anything else that might cause you problems. Even minute particles can cause damage to your paintwork, so be liberal with a sponge, warm water and car shampoo. Dry with a chamois.

2. Heat up your decal

You need to get the adhesive that sticks the decal to the car to soften up - this means warming it up. A hairdryer is ideal - anything stronger might scorch your paintwork. Depending on how large your decal is, you might have to work in stages. Don’t neglect the edges.

3. Peel off the decal

While your decal is still warm, use your old plastic bank card to lift the edges (a scraper or knife will undoubtedly damage your paintwork). You need to loosen up enough of the decal for you to be able to firmly grip it and begin to peel it away. If it’s a large r decal or it cools too quickly, you might have to reheat it in stages and peel back a little more each time. 

4. Remove the glue

Depending on what type of adhesive was used, the removal of your decal might have left residue behind. You can probably remove this with some white spirit vinegar from the kitchen - apply it to a soft microfibre cloth and rub it gently across the area. If the adhesive won’t shift, try a good adhesive remover.

5. Wash, dry, polish & wax

Remove any final residue from your paintwork with soapy water and a sponge. Dry with the chamois so you don’t get any water spots and you can have a final check that all the adhesive is off. We recommend using a polishing compound like our Professional Scratch & Scuff Remover to blend in any colour inconsistencies that have resulted from the decal being in situ. Finally, apply a layer of wax for superior shine and protection.

What to do if you scratch your paint while removing a decal

It happens and, unless you’ve actually taken a gouge out of your bodywork, it’s fairly easy to put right.

You can use a car touch up paint pen or bottle to fix a shallow scratch created by removing a decal. We recommend touching up the lacquer too for a professional, longer-lasting finish. 

If you’ve scratched more deeply and can see metal (not white, but silver), then you’ll need to apply primer before the paint. 

You can order a pen in your car’s original colour using its registration number! If you've never done it before, follow our guide to using it.