Question: When putting decals on the visor of a football helmet, how do you remove the black decals that come on the visor?
Answer: If the sticker or decal on the visor is an easy-peel vinyl, it should come off easily, but if it’s a standard adhesive, it can be difficult to remove.
In this case, what you want to do is get a hair dryer and heat the decal up enough that it’s fairly warm, but not hot, to the touch. Once this is done, place a fingernail under one edge of the decal and slowly peel it away. Let’s hope it doesn’t leave any adhesive behind.
If it does leave some adhesive behind, you can get “orange peel” glue removers at the hardware store or possibly a larger grocery store as well. Apply to a soft cloth or paper towel, then dab the glue until softened, then rub until it comes off. Wipe remaining residue with a dry corner of the towel. This type of glue remover works well on most plastics I’ve used without dulling or tarnishing the plastic’s finish.
Question: I purchased a large decal to put on the rear window of my car and was wondering if there is a product that can be applied to the rear window to make the decal easier to remove, as well as protect the window at the same time.
Answer: Not that we are aware. Actually, the decal itself will protect the rear window of your vehicle quite well. And if you understand how glue works, you won’t have to worry about removing the decal again.
Of course, now I will tell you how to remove decals from your car windows or bumpers in the easiest way. Well, something easy.
Most window stickers of the exterior application variety will be printed on vinyl adhesive material or polyester decal material. The glue usually used is an acrylic adhesive that hardens over time and is more difficult to remove. If you’re buying decals in bulk to resell, it might be worth looking into removable adhesive decal materials that are becoming popular for this reason.
But it does not matter. In his case, he has already purchased a large decal for the rear window of his car and is concerned about damaging the window, either during decal application or later removal. In no case should you worry about the window.
When it’s time to remove the decal from your car or truck, get a heat gun or hair dryer to heat up the decal. If you’re using a heat gun, the lowest heat setting should suffice. If you are using a hair dryer, you may need to use the highest heat setting. With large decals, you may need to heat a small section of the decal and remove it section by section, especially if it has been on the deck for an extended period of time. Once you have heated a small area (about 100 square inches), begin peeling the vinyl using a slow but steady pulling motion at about a 45 degree angle. As you get to the end of the window/heated vinyl you will feel the vinyl getting more difficult to remove. Stop and heat another section of vinyl/glass, and repeat.
When you have removed all of the decal, you may find that some glue residue remains on the glass. You will need a good “orange peel” oil glue remover, available at many hardware stores, to apply with a spray bottle or a soft towel or soft paper towel to the glue. Allow the glue remover to soften the glue for a couple of minutes. You may want to apply a second application of the glue remover to the residual glue to further soften it, especially if the decals have been on your car for more than a year.
Once you’ve softened the glue enough, you can take a towel soaked in glue remover and gently rub the areas where the glue remains. Once you can visually see that the glue is gone, take a soft, dry towel and wipe the window again to remove any glue remover residue. If you need to apply graphics right away, you can use isopropyl alcohol to neutralize the glue remover, or if the decal was on a painted surface on your car or truck, warm soapy water may be preferable instead of alcohol, which could dull the finish of your car.
