Removing Decals and Bumper Stickers from Fiberglass

Anyone that has ever had a vehicle (whether it is a car, truck, or boat) has at some point or other in their life wanted to remove a bumper sticker or decal that was placed on that vehicle. We have all had difficulty removing these, especially from the new fiberglass bodies that are more popular in today's models. So how does one remove these pesky things while avoiding the more costly (and time consuming) hassle of damaging that fiberglass? This process is actually surprisingly easy. All that you need to do is follow these five simple steps and your problems will be taken care of.

1. Soften the adhesive or glue on the decal by using a regular hair dryer. This will generate enough heat to soften the glue on the sticker without actually damaging the fiberglass body of the vehicle. A few minutes of this should be all that is necessary—no more than three or four minutes should do it.
2. Spray or soak the sticker with some kind of lubricant or cleanser. The best kind to use is going to be a non-abrasive liquid such as Windex or WD-40. Spray the sticker (whether it is paper or vinyl) and let it soak for several minutes. Repeat this step a few times to make sure the decal is thoroughly saturated (if paper) or that the liquid seeps around the edges (if vinyl). This will help ensure easier removal. After the decal has been sufficiently wetted use a soft, non-abrasive cloth to wipe off the decal.
3. Use a plastic spatula to remove, utilizing a scraping motion, any glue or adhesive residue. The best spatulas to use are the "soft" plastic ones that you would typically use in your kitchen for baking a cake. This type of spatula is the best to use because it will reduce the chances of damaging the fiberglass body that the decal was on. Just be sure that you are not pushing or scraping too hard in this stage.
4. Using a soft non-abrasive cloth, soaked in Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, gently wipe the area where the decal or sticker was located. This removes and dissolves any remaining adhesive residue.
5. Wax and buff the area where the sticker was with your preferred brand of vehicle wax, to bring back the shine.

While it may be necessary to repeat a few of these steps a few times, this is the easiest and simplest way to remove stickers and decals from a fiberglass body without damaging the fragile material which could lead to more costly difficulties. This method will work, regardless of how long the stickers have been on the vehicle.