As a car owner, you must deal with many unpleasant messes. Sticky residue is the worst of them.
Glue, decals, stain, duct tape, bumper sticker, attachment tape, vinyl decals, and many more can leave a sticky or oily residue on the car’s surface.
If you find any, you will be desperate to remove adhesive residue from your car. Internet will serve many hacks and recipes to remove adhesive from your car surface. But, using an adhesive remover for your cars will work properly without damaging the car paint.
This article will present some of the best adhesive removers you can find. Also, we will show you how you can use them and what to consider while buying them.
Why Do You Need Adhesive Remover?
As we mentioned, you will find a lot of hacks regarding removing adhesive residue. They are free and homemade. So, you may ask why one should spend money on adhesive remover.
Let’s see why an adhesive remover is more significant than the hacks and why you need it.
To Clean Properly
Free and homemade hacks will not give you an accurate clean. An adhesive remover has essential elements or chemicals that easily clean a harsh sticky residue.
To Protect Your Car
Cheap hacks can damage your car. For example, acetone, nail polish remover, plastic scraper, razor blade, dish soap, heat gun, or hair dryer damage paint.
On the other hand, an adhesive remover will protect the car paint, surface, car window, and car interior.
To Be Professional
You need to deal with your car professionally. Professional care will increase your car’s life. Using an adhesive remover will serve you professional care and look.
Professional adhesive remover like 3M Adhesive Remover, Rapid Remover, Goo Gone Adhesive Remover, etc., will clean sticky residue from your car surface. Also, they leave no marks and protect the car paint.
5 Best Adhesive Or Glue Remover For Cars
Below we tried to present the five best adhesive removers. We considered removers that have multi-purpose and price-worthy usability.
You can compare them and choose the perfect fit for your car. Hence, you will save time and money.
1. Rapid Remover Adhesive Remover
The thing that sets Rapid Remover apart from traditional adhesive removers is its speed. It can remove sticky residue quickly without damaging automotive paint.
Clean the surface and spray the Rapid Remover. Wait a few minutes and wipe off the dirt with a paper towel.
Features
- Solvent-based adhesive remover
- Contains non-toxic chemicals
- Not hazardous to car’s health
- Cleans most types of adhesive
- Has natural & water-soluble formula
Pros
- Takes 30 to 60 seconds to clean
- It can be used on chrome
- Protect paint & metal surfaces
- Safely & easily Scrapable
- It can be used on both interior & exterior
Cons
- Not so effective on vinyl decals
- Tend to damage car’s interior fabric
- Direct chemical exposure is harmful
2. 3M Adhesive Remover
The 3M adhesive remover motto can be “removes the residue, leaves the paint.”
3M is mostly a standard adhesive remover in the commercial field. Professionals recommend this product because it does not harm vinyl, paint, or fabric.
Features
- Removes wax, tree sap, adhesive, glue, tar, oil, etc.
- Blend or uses non-abrasive solvents
- Safely usable on most automotive paint
- Wipe-on, wipe-off & ready to use formula
- Contains coarse silicon carbide abrasive
Pros
- Effective for removing stickers
- It can be used for removing surface contaminants
- Ideal for industrial or occupational use
- Protects from rust and splinter
- A small amount can do the work
Cons
- Aerosol formula is health hazardous
- Tend to damage plastic material
- Expensive in price
3. Goo Gone Adhesive Remover
Goo Gone is a well-known product for removing dirt, sticker, and messes from automotive parts. It gives back the painted surface its original form.
Spray the Goo Gone Remover and wait for a few minutes. Then clean it with car wash soap and water.
Features
- Formulated with Citrus agents & scents
- Cleans tough stains and sticky messes
- Offers line including Pro-power, Automotive, All-purpose, etc.
- Features easy-to-use and ready-to-use
- Takes 5 to ten minutes to clean
Pros
- Features effortless cleaning process
- Removes wax, tree sap, adhesive, glue, tar, oil, etc.
- Safely usable on most automotive paint
- Safely usable on home appliance
- Ideal for collectors, thrifters, parents & teachers
Cons
- Tend to damage rubber materials
- Not usable on fabrics
- Not suitable for industrial use
4. Permatex Adhesive Remover
Permatex is famous in the adhesive remover industry. With its fast-acting formula, you can use this product to eliminate any sticky residues.
Also, it is safe for windows, bumpers, auto body paint, vinyl, metal, leather, fabric, plastic, and wood.
Features
- Cleans most types of adhesive residue
- The fast-acting formula works quickly
- Does not contain any acetone
- Offers Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
- Contains a pleasant citrus scent
Pros
- Does not harm the car’s paint
- Usable on a wide range of surfaces
- It can be used on both interior & exterior
- Quick & effective cleaning process
- Does not affect regular use
Cons
- Not suitable for all fabric surface
- Takes time to perform
- Overspray can be harmful
5. Duck Brand Adhesive Remover
Duck Brand adhesive remover is mainly known for its pleasant smell. It can be used in automotive parts and home appliances too.
However, you can easily remove tapes, stickers, adhesive residue, labels, caulk, tar, gum, grease, and more.
Features
- Offers Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
- A multi-purpose adhesive remover
- Features a heavy-duty scraper
- Offers easy-to-use and ready-to-use
- The fast-acting formula works quickly
Pros
- Features a refreshing look & scent
- Takes less than a minute to act
- Can remove tough, sticky messes
- Affordable price (Not so expensive)
- Does not harm the car’s paint
Cons
- Takes time for harsh adhesives
- Complex for matte finish surface
- The smell may irritate some
Adhesive Or Glue Remover Buying Guide
Before jumping to a conclusion, you must have some basic ideas about adhesive remover. This knowledge will help you buy the right remover for your car.
The buying guide you need regarding adhesive remover includes
- Knowing different types of removers
- Choosing the right application method
- Knowing your car’s surface
Types Of Adhesive Removers
There are different types of adhesive removers in the market. Different brands use different formulas.
Knowing the types will give you options to choose the best one for your car. Let’s understand the types.
Solvent-Based Adhesive Remover
These removers contain strong chemicals like ethylbenzene, xylene, toluene, methanol, benzene, and naphtha. These petroleum-based removers are mainly used for metal.
So, solvent-based is the most potent remover available in the market. They can penetrate any adhesive substance and quickly soften them to clean.
However, according to the State of California, they can cause cancer and threaten the health and the reproductive process.
Soy-Based Adhesive Remover
The primary ingredients are propane and soybean oil. This remover is stronger than citrus-based removers. So, they are used professionally and industrially.
Soy-based removers can clean old tacky masses. It can easily remove glue or gum-like substance. However, it can take several minutes to soften the glue.
Citrus-Based Adhesive Remover
The primary ingredients of this type of remover are propane and citrus fruit extract. Also, they contain chloride, sulfur, halogen, and fluoride.
Citrus-based removers are suitable for ordinary household dirt. They are ideal for removing the tape, oil, stickers, etc.
Greener Adhesive Remover
These types of remover are still in their development. Increasing environmental concern is responsible for this. Many companies are now trying to develop adhesive removers which are non-toxic and biodegradable.
Adhesive Remover Application Methods
Knowing different application methods will help you in auto body repair. You need to select the right method before buying a remover.
Depending on the method, you need to choose the perfect remover. Let’s see which method you can follow.
Scraping
Sometimes, the residue is rigid and does not come off easily. You need to scrape the sticker residue from a hard surface like metal and glass.
If you have to scrape the residue, buy a specially designed scraper with the remover. Do not use any sharp edge to scrape the residue. It will damage the surface easily.
Spraying
When you have residue in a larger area, spraying is the best option. Spraying can cover a larger area in a short time. Also, you will get even result from this method. So, try to buy remover in a spray bottle.
When you are spraying, you need to take some safety measures. Try to wear goggles, a surgical mask, and rubber gloves.
Soak & Wipe
This method helps, especially during body repair. Also, it is helpful for interior car care. You can soak a paper towel or Q-tip into the liquid and wipe away the residue.
This method requires more close contact with the chemicals than other methods. So, you need to be more careful. Take the help of car care kits while soaking and wiping residue.
Understanding Your Car’s Surface
Try to learn about your car’s surface before buying an adhesive remover. It will prevent you from damaging the surface and car paint.
Bring out your car manual, where you will find the details. Try to learn about the material of your car’s surface. However, the manual will tell you if there is any chemical you need to avoid.
Also, before buying the remover, check out its manual too. It will guide you if any chemical is harmful to a certain surface.
If you have your can painted more than once, then try to contact the painter. They can help you choose the right glue remover without damaging the paint.
How To Use An Adhesive Remover
Using an adhesive remover is easy to follow. You will find the process in the manual. Again, we will show you the process to save your time.
- Clean the surface with soapy water
- Spray the remover lightly upon the residue
- Wait for the certain period
- Wipe off the area with paper towels
- Clean the surface properly
Necessary Precautions:
- Do not overspray the remover
- wear goggles, a surgical mask, and rubber gloves
- Do not wait more than the mentioned time
- Perform the task in a closed area
- Store the remover out of children’s reach
People Often Ask
Which Adhesive Remover Is Safe For Car Paint?
Adhesive removers with non-toxic chemicals are safe for car paints. You can choose from 3M Adhesive Remover, Rapid Remover, and Goo Gone Adhesive Remover.
Can I Use Adhesive Remover On Upholstery?
Using adhesive remover on the upholstery to remove residue is considered a hack. There are many upholstery cleaner available in the market for this certain task.
How To Remove Duct Tape Residue From Car Window?
Any good adhesive remover will do the job. It will soften & clean the residue. Spray the remover over the residue area, wait for a certain period and wipe off the surface.
What Is The Best Adhesive Remover?
It depends on the formula and the toughness of the residue. Citrus-based remover is good for mild adhesive residue, and solvent-based remover is for strong residue.
Is Goo Gone Safe For Car Paint?
Goo Gone adhesive remover is made of citrus agents, which are non-toxic. So, you can safely use Go Gone on car paint or any home appliance without any damage.
Have You Found The Best Adhesive Remover?
Finding the perfect adhesive remover is not that tricky. You need to remember things like remover types, their formula, and knowledge about the surface.
We have tried to deliver the details you need to know about adhesive remover for your car. Also, we presented the top five options for you. So, it will be a time-saver for you.
Though you will find quick DIY tips and tricks to remove adhesive residue from your car, they are not trustworthy. They are for one-time use as well as damaging.
As adhesive removers are made for cleaning adhesive residue from the car’s surface, using one will serve you the best result.
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