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best way to remove sticker/decal residue?

2K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  Sven Hoek 
#1 ·
well, since my EX is now several different colors, the time is coming to paint her up, ONE color hopefully. anyhow, i went about removing the stickers off the stock '90 front fairing, and of course it kept breaking and leaving a ton of residue on it. any helpful hints as to how to remove this without totally trashing the paint underneath? i don't want to have to do a bunch of body filling because it's all scratched and dinged up from having to remove some stupid stickers.
 
#3 ·
I'm intimately familiar of removing sticker adheasive residue...

use a product from Turtle Wax called Bug and Tar and Remover that is labled Tree Sap too. It worked slicker than **** on my 2004 when i had to remove the hidious sticker the apartment complex grounds keeper slapped on my tank...

The whole story was on ex500riders.com for those who remember.
 
#6 ·
I like Goo-Gone too. I also use naptha and acetone, just don't rub too hard and go thru the clearcoat! Keep water on hand to rinse the surface of solvent.

Lighter fluid works too (especially useful for removing stickers from Asthma Hound Chihuahuas like Ren Hoek.)
 
#8 ·
thanks fellas! looks like i'll be hitting up some goo gone, and as a second try, the turtle wax dealie. i've heard many many good things about goo gone. i'll let y'all know how it goes!
 
#9 ·
Frog said:
I used Goo Gone gel, orange flavor. In the spray bottle.

Let it sit on the goo for a couple of seconds and wipe it off :)
So did I. It sucked and did absolutely nothing. Glad yours worked. Maybe I'll try the lighter fluid trick.

I tried goo gone, leaving it for any amount of time from 30 seconds to 30 minutes. It just wiped off and took nothing with it. I scrubbed HARD on it and it still did nothing. I drenched it and let it sit in WD40 and nothing happened. Only thing I got to work was lots and lots of friction, which wore my hand out and didn't get finished. I used a razor blade and it wouldn't bite on anything either. At this point I just left it because I got too pissed off to care anymore.
 
G
#10 ·
WD-40. better than Goo Gone. seriously. i use it at work all the time.

im a custodian at a school, so i use it to remove the sticker residue inside the kids lockers, every damn summer.
since WD-40 is also a lubricant, the area will be oily feeling, so be sure to clean it up with any regular cleaner.
 
#15 ·
Jsvob03 said:
charcoal lighter fluid worked wonders for me..

actually, i give all my cars (and bike now) a rub down once yearly with charcoal lighter fluid. this removes all wax and residue from the prvious years. the vehicle shines like crazy!
This is probably some decent advice.... but wow. I don't think I could ever see myself rubbing lighter fluid all over my car. I'll stick to Cleaner Wax...

And as far as this whole post goes, I took all the stickers and decals off my S-10 when I was in high school with a product that JUST escaped me. As I was writing, wow, holy sh!t. Ok, well just go down to your local car-paint store nd they'll point you in the right direction. wow, i seriously just forgot and can't think of it...
 
#16 ·
The adhesive residues usually break down with petroleum based products. Just use the gasoline that's in your tank and scrub it with a toothbrush. We all have these in our homes. It's quick and simple and all you gotta do is get off your ass to try it. :)

What ever happened to the good ole days of using gasoline for everything? Too expensive?
 
#18 ·
if all your having trouble with is the residue of the sticker rubbing compound works great. i use turtle wax rubbing compund with my car to get all the gunk out followed by a nice coat of wax. i must be doing something right cuz i always get compliments on how shiney it is. my car is a 94' with no clear coat because of the previous owner
 
#19 ·
Independentfool said:
WD-40. better than Goo Gone. seriously. i use it at work all the time.

im a custodian at a school, so i use it to remove the sticker residue inside the kids lockers, every damn summer.
since WD-40 is also a lubricant, the area will be oily feeling, so be sure to clean it up with any regular cleaner.
I use WD for many applications and removing sticker glue is one off them
 
#21 ·
hmm, good thing i didn't waste any time/money going to the store. i'll give the WD-40 a go, i had thought of that before, and was going to do so this morning. unfortunately, i spent the morning shinin' up my 250 - after i dicked around for 3 hours for no reason at the house my dad is building... he was expecting a drop-off of appliances, but instead i waited for nothing. awesome. anyhow, hopefully tomorrow the weather will be a little better too, and i'll move a couple bikes and get to work on the EX.

thanks fellas!
 
#22 ·
donkeyman said:
The adhesive residues usually break down with petroleum based products. Just use the gasoline that's in your tank and scrub it with a toothbrush. We all have these in our homes. It's quick and simple and all you gotta do is get off your a$$ to try it. :)

What ever happened to the good ole days of using gasoline for everything? Too expensive?
Hey , on a side note did you know the toothbrush was invented in West Virginia ? Any where else and they would have called it the teethbrush :eek:
 
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