How to remove stickers from car windows easily at home

If you’ve ever put a decorative sticker on your car window, only to regret it later, then you know how frustrating it can be to try to remove the sticky residue from the surface.

It seems like no matter what you do, it’s impossible to get that sticker off without leaving an unsightly residue behind.

That’s why today I’m going to be sharing with you my favorite trick for removing stickers from car windows easily at home. Let’s get started!

Step 1 – Apply glass cleaner to the window

First we need to clean the window. Apply glass cleaner to the window and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Step 2 – Use a Razor blade to lift and remove the sticker

Use a Razor blade to lift the sticker from a corner and peel with your hand. The stickers will come off leaving an adhesive residue on the window.

Step 3 – Use an adhesive remover for residual gum

To remove the adhesive the stickers are leaving behind, use an adhesive remover like Goo Gone. Spray this on to the window and use the razor blade to scrape the adhesive from the window.

Step 4 – Clean with Glass cleaner again

As the final step spray the glass cleaner again to the window and wipe with a microfiber cloth. That’s it. Now you’ve got a clean looking window free from stickers and adhesives.

Here’s the step by Step video

Alternative methods to remove car window stickers

USing Rubbing Alcohol

• First clean the window with glass cleaner or soap and water and dry it
• Apply rubbing alcohol over the sticker and wait for a minute
• Using a Razor blade or using your fingernails lift a corner of the sticker
• Peel away the sticker with fingers
• If the sticker leaves an adhesive residue, apply some more alcohol to the window and scrape using a razor blade

The adhesive will dissolve in alcohol and makes it easier to peel the sticker from window.

If you by accident scratch your window while using razor blades, you can see our guide on how to repair scratches on windshield to fix it easily.

Using Ice

Get a pack of ice and apply over the sticker for 2 minutes and try to peel off the sticker.

Ice will cause the adhesive to loosen making it easier to remove the sticker from the window.

Hot water and Soap

Mix small amount of liquid soap with hot water in a bottle and pour it over the sticker slowly. The adhesive will loosen and will become easier to peel the sticker from the windshield.

Use WD-40

If you have WD-40 at home you can use it to remove stickers on car windows. WD-40 is multi-purpose compound and can be used to loosen the adhesive and peel off stickers with ease.

Cooking oil with Baking powder Mixture

Mix 1 part of cooking oil with 1 part of baking soda and apply the paste over the sticker. Leave it for 2 minutes for the adhesive to loosen and try to peel off the sticker from the window.

If you’re thinking of getting rid of the window tint, here’s how to do it easily – How to remove car window tint

How to remove sticker residue from car window?

Most stickers will leave an adhesive residue when peeled off. You can use an adhesive remover like Goo Gone or products found at home like rubbing alcohol to dissolve this adhesive. Then using a razor blade you can scrape this sticker residue.

How to remove stickers without damaging the paint of the car

If you want to remove the stickers from your car without damaging the paintjob, there are ways to achieve it without leaving any traces and without causing damage.

In the case of windows, the problem is usually to get rid of the residual adhesives. When it comes to stickers on other parts of the car, special attention should be given not to damage the paintwork when removing them.

The process that can be complicated if the sticker has been attached for several years.

1. Clean with water

Before removing the sticker, it is a good idea to wash the area with soap and water to remove any particles that could scratch the paint when we remove the remains of glue. You can use a pressure washer for this if needed.

Warning! – If the sticker is made of paper, do not wet it, because that will make it difficult to remove it later. Instead of water, use a cloth to remove the dust.

2. Apply heat to the sticker

To avoid the problem of residues when removing the stickers, the best thing to do is to apply heat to the sticker to loosen the glue. Placing the car in the sun in the summer may be enough, but if that is not possible or not enough, use a hair dryer. Normally a wireless one will not have enough heating power, so it is recommended that you move the car closer to a socket in the garage or use an extension cord.

Place the dryer about 2 inches from the sticker and close to the edge that you are going to start peeling off. Do this for a minute or two to make sure the glue softens.

Warning! – Do not use other sources of heat such as an iron, a blowtorch or a heat gun. The reason is that the first can damage the paint if it touches it, and the second and third instances the temperature they generate is excessive.

3. Peel off the sticker

Car paint can be scratched very easily. Nothing more than a fingernail can leave a small groove, which will only be completely removed by polishing that part of the bodywork. Therefore, when you are going to peel it off, make sure that you are touching only on the sticker.

And do not use too hard or sharp objects to peel it off like razor blades.

If you want to minimize the risk of causing a scratch while making it easier to remove, wet the piece you use in a little soapy water to act as a lubricant.

4. Remove the adhesive residues

If the adhesive leaves traces of glue, the best way to remove them without using any product that will deteriorate the paint is cooking oil. Whether sunflower or olive, it will easily remove any residue.

You only need to keep two things in mind when applying it:

• Prevents it from dripping and coming into contact with any plastic part of the car. To do this, do not apply it directly on the car, wet the cloth you are going to use with oil and apply.
• When you’re done , wash the area with soap and water to remove any remaining oil.

You also can use other products such as Goo Gone, soap and water, a glass cleaner or a non-corrosive multi-purpose cleaner like WD-40 instead of cooking oil.

Never use other liquids such as gasoline, diesel, acetone or any other solvent on paint to remove this adhesive residue as they can damage the paint.