Are remnants of old car stickers and bug stains tarnishing the finish of your car? These stains can be extremely difficult to remove without actually scratching the car’s surface if you’re using traditional cleaners. But with just a little bit of ingenuity and a few kitchen staples, they’ll be gone in a matter of minutes! So don’t get discouraged by these pesky stains and learn of 4 genius hacks that will help you remove them fast and effortlessly!
1. Cooking Spray
It turns out that cooking spray is not only for cooking. In fact, the spray-on oil is excellent at dislodging bugs stuck on the grill of the car and the oily finish will also make sure there are no scratches. Simply spray on some cooking spray on the area of concern, wait for a minute, and simply wipe away with a paper towel. Don’t use a damp cloth to clean away the cooking spray - oil and water don’t mix and it will result in a mess, so always use a dry cloth or paper towel to wipe away the oil. Repeat as needed.
2. WD-40
Most people know WD-40 as a solvent or rust dissolver, and use it to clean up grime and rust, but you can also use this cleaner to prevent bug stains - simply spray on some WD-40 on the grille and roof of the car, and the bugs will slide right off the car’s surface. Since WD-40 has lubricant properties, it will no allow the bugs to stick onto the car, no matter how fast you drive.
You can also use WD-40 to clean up stickers from your car - simply spray it on the sticker, wait for a few minutes, and wipe away with a damp cloth.
3. Vinegar
Bumper stickers can definitely make your car more unique and give it personality. They can even be quite hilarious, as we’ve shown in a previous article! However, they’re not damage-proof and will eventually fade and wear away, leaving those pesky glue stains on the surface of your car. If you want to get rid of those glue stains or an entire sticker you no longer like, go to the kitchen and pick up the trusty bottle of vinegar (both white or apple cider vinegar will do the trick).
Without diluting, saturate the sticker with the vinegar and wait 10-15 minutes. In this time, the vinegar will eat through the sticker, and all you’ll have to do is use an old gift card or an expired credit card to scrape off the sticker. Repeat as needed until no glue residue remains on the surface of the car.
4. Hairdryer and Rubbing Alcohol
For especially annoying and persistent stickers, try the hairdryer method. To follow this method, simply plug in the hairdryer, turn it on hot, and gently heat up the glue holding the sticker by hovering and moving the hairdryer just a few inches above the sticker. Avoid putting the nozzle of the hairdryer directly onto the sticker not to harm the paint. After a few minutes, take any old plastic card and scrape away the sticker. Then soak a clean cloth with some rubbing alcohol and use it to wipe away any glue residue.
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