How to Remove Detail Stripes from a Car
Detail stripes can customize your car to look sporty and sassy, elegant and refined, or make a personal statement. Both painted and vinyl detail stripes look good when new, but time and the environment can eventually cause chipping, bubbling, or peeling stripes to detract from the look of the car and require removal or replacement. Two options exist when considering removal of detail stripes: professional or do-it-yourself. Professional removal is a better choice to prevent scratching or damage to the paint finish, but with the proper tools, time and patience you can accomplish the project yourself.
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Things You'll Need
- Oven cleaner (original formula--not a self-cleaning oven formula)
- Glass jar
- Q-tips
- Rubber gloves
- Cold water
- pH neutral soap
- Wax
- Soft cloth
- Heat gun or hair dryer
- Scraping tool with a plastic blade or nonabrasive disc
- Adhesive remover
- Chemical adhesive remover (optional)
Instructions
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Do It Yourself Painted Stripe Removal
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1
Spray some oven cleaner in a glass jar. Be sure to wear rubber gloves to prevent injury to your skin if it should come into contact with the oven cleaner. Rub a Q-tip along the jar to coat it with oven cleaner.
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2
Rub the Q-tip along a small section of the painted detail stripe and let sit for approximately four minutes. You will see the paint begin to bubble and disintegrate. Do not overload the Q-tip and run the risk of damaging the clear coat finish on the car.
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3
Wash the area with plenty of cold water. Repeat as necessary until the detail stripe is no longer visible.
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4
Wash and wax the entire car after the project is complete.
Do It Yourself Vinyl Stripe Removal
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5
Prepare the area for stripe removal. Remove any hardware or trim surrounding the removal area. Wash and dry the removal area, taking care to protect the paint finish by using a pH-neutral soap.
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6
Loosen the underlying adhesive layer of the detail stripe with a heat gun or hair dryer. Work with a small section at a time, and use a "medium" heat setting to avoid damaging the paint finish.
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7
Begin peeling away the detail stripe. Use your fingers, a scraping tool, or a nonabrasive disc to peel away the stripe. Take your time and be patient when completing this step. If necessary, apply a little more heat and continue scraping.
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8
Remove any remaining adhesive coating with a soft cloth and an adhesive remover such as Goo-B-Gone; rinse the area and let dry.
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9
Wash and wax the entire car after the project is complete.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If the adhesive coating is difficult to loosen, commercial chemical removers are available.
Opt for professional removal if you feel uncomfortable with either procedure of if you do not have the patience or time to complete this project correctly.
Use gentle pressure when removing detail stripes. Pulling too hard can cause the stripe to tear and make removal more difficult.
Do not allow oven cleaner to encounter aluminum rims or accessories.
