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Thread: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

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    Newbie YepYep's Avatar
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    Default How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    I have some old sticker on the side skirts and doors for my hatchback for some years already... I am going to remove them and apply the new stickers. And I found the adhesive stains from the old stickers is just a nighmare!!

    After searching, it looks the 3M 38983 adhesive remover is the best product for this purpose without hurting the paint on your car...

    And I don't know why, no shop is carrying this product in here... And I ordered one can from ebay, the shop owner just refunded me 2 days later after accepted my paypal payment... I am asking the refund reason... and want to know anybody here has the experience in this or knows where can I buy this product locally...

    Thanks a lot in advance! It's much appreciated! I just have about 1/3 of the stickers removed, and the car just look ugly now....

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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    cheap way is put some gas on a cloth and wipe it until all sticker residue is gone... that's what i did when i removed the vinyl on my side mirrors... worked like charm... goo gone is also a good option..
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    Jr Member sube's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Quote Originally Posted by YepYep View Post
    I have some old sticker on the side skirts and doors for my hatchback for some years already... I am going to remove them and apply the new stickers. And I found the adhesive stains from the old stickers is just a nighmare!!

    After searching, it looks the 3M 38983 adhesive remover is the best product for this purpose without hurting the paint on your car...

    And I don't know why, no shop is carrying this product in here... And I ordered one can from ebay, the shop owner just refunded me 2 days later after accepted my paypal payment... I am asking the refund reason... and want to know anybody here has the experience in this or knows where can I buy this product locally...

    Thanks a lot in advance! It's much appreciated! I just have about 1/3 of the stickers removed, and the car just look ugly now....
    I found this product a month ago at Crappy tire Heron Rd Ottawa, they only had a couple of cans and i know my neighbor also bought one of them.If I was able to get it at a local Crappy tire I think it would be possible other branches would carry it.

    Pat.


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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Quote Originally Posted by MickiWasHere View Post
    cheap way is put some gas on a cloth and wipe it until all sticker residue is gone... that's what i did when i removed the vinyl on my side mirrors... worked like charm... goo gone is also a good option..
    No no, cheap way is a heat gun and some patience haha as well as something to rub it off with. However most people don't have this sort of patience.

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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    What about trying goo gone Automotive ? Or clay bar ?
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Use the easier.... You can buy it at Napa and it works awesome for situations like this ... It connects to your cordless drill





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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Rubber wheels are a great, but messy and usually used on large, dried out decals. Is this adhesive residue or a "stain/ghosting"? If it's residue, Kleen Sol, Goo Gone, 38983, gas will work great for a small job. Best of luck!

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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    If its still sticky, a clay bar works well.

    If it's kind of just a film I'd try hot water followed by a cleaner wax and elbow grease.
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    The easiest way is to use heat gun/ hair dryer and aim at the sticker, then peel it off slowly.

    I did that to remove my old vinyl hood and roof; not just any sticker. Also, it didn't leave any residue for me.
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    There are a few good options people have recommended.

    You can also use gas line anti freeze as an alternative to the gasoline.

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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Quote Originally Posted by FD22 View Post
    No no, cheap way is a heat gun and some patience haha as well as something to rub it off with. However most people don't have this sort of patience.

    Quote Originally Posted by S.F.W. View Post
    What about trying goo gone Automotive ? Or clay bar ?
    +1 for heat gun and goo gone
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Goo gone is a really good option. The large bottle is actually on sale at Canadian Tire this week. I've been using that and it works like a charm.
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Thanks guys!!

    Where can I find the Goo Gone? I noticed this name while I have the search result of the 38983, because people after use the 38983 all said it's much better than the Goo Gone... but if the 38983 is really that hard to find locally in Toronto, I think I can try the Goo Gone first anyway~

    And thanks for the suggestion of the heat gun~ I knew this too. Actually it's a must have on every sticker removal job ^_^...

    I don't know how to define the residence of the stain after remove the sticker. Because it's not vinyl or film, it's the reflective sticker, so actually you can't just peel it off as one piece. While you try to peel it off, it will just break into very small piece, mm to mm size and with the glue on the paint....

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    Newbie YepYep's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Quote Originally Posted by nigvlb_ View Post
    Goo gone is a really good option. The large bottle is actually on sale at Canadian Tire this week. I've been using that and it works like a charm.
    LOL~~ You posted the answer before I asked the question~~

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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    Quote Originally Posted by YepYep View Post
    Thanks guys!!

    Where can I find the Goo Gone? I noticed this name while I have the search result of the 38983, because people after use the 38983 all said it's much better than the Goo Gone... but if the 38983 is really that hard to find locally in Toronto, I think I can try the Goo Gone first anyway~

    And thanks for the suggestion of the heat gun~ I knew this too. Actually it's a must have on every sticker removal job ^_^...

    I don't know how to define the residence of the stain after remove the sticker. Because it's not vinyl or film, it's the reflective sticker, so actually you can't just peel it off as one piece. While you try to peel it off, it will just break into very small piece, mm to mm size and with the glue on the paint....
    That is what is usually left by most decals, the glue/adhesive. Cheaper decals, and reflective films, generally do not use 'removable' adhesives so will leave the adhesive after you peel the top layer of vinyl off. Goo Gone is good but expensive compared to using any sort of solvent available to most of us(ie, gas, varsol, acrisol).

    **Be VERY careful when using an eraser wheel on plastic painted parts. The plastic bumpers, skirts on the MZ3 don't dissipate the heat generated well when using the wheels resulting in burning through the paint. Believe me, I know. They are good on painted metal parts but not the plastic.

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    Default Re: How to remove stains from the old stickers? 3M 38983?!

    We use our steam cleaner...works like a charm, without any traces left behind.

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