How can I remove decals without removing the paint underneath?

http://www.joesmodeltrains.com/Paint%20and%20Decal%20Remover.htm

heat? hairdryer? depends on the type of decal, but some do respond well to heat, so the stickiness of the decal becomes more pliable.

so far everyone here is wrong again. the best. and also the cheapest way is use karosene. soak a rag. then get the decal good and wet. let it sit for a few mins and it will com right off. gas works but is more likely to fade the paint so use karosene. i guarantee you this will work

Goo be Gone is good....

WD40 will soften the adhesive but not harm the paint.

First, try Formula 409. Put a drop on the decal you want removed, and wait several minutes. You will see the decal wrinkle and eventually come off.
If that doesn't work, try Walther's decal remover, available from their web site. This stuff is strong...and sometimes will remove the paint as well, so be prepared to work fast and wipe off the decal before it attacks the paint.

Yes I have been facing the same problem of removing decals without removing the paint underneath and I was really helpless until a friend of mine gave me a suggestion to go through a decal remover website http://decalstickerremover.com/. It worked really well and is a great way to remove decals without leaving any mark or scratches as well as with the least possible time.

Hi,

There are a few ways to remove decals without damaging the paint. Depending on the size of the surface, i would recommend either a plastic or rubber tool ¿i would avoid metal razor blades as its easier to scratch the surface?.

The two ways I would recommend are;
1 - Plastic razor blade - it would scratch the surface and is good for small surface areas
2 - Rubber wheel for large areas such as on cars, trucks, shop windows.

There is a demonstration of how this works at www.decalstickerremover.com

If you need to remove the adhesive or glue that can be left on the surface, a cheap / trade secret is eucalyptus oil. You can buy it from most supermarkets - plus is smells refreshing

Regards,
Peter

Decal Removal/De-identification Methods
• Flame Torches, brush burners, heat guns applied at intervals to bring vinyl to pliable condition to peel/pull for removal.
• Vinyl Removal Chemicals: paint and varnish removers, patented “vinyl off” specialty products and adhesive removers sprayed or wiped on then pressure washed, peeled, scraped or heated for removal.
• Steam Utilization: saturated vapor, wet saturated vapor, dry saturated vapor, super heated vapor, high pressure steam and low pressure steam (continuous and non-continuous) directly applied to substrate to bring vinyl to adequate temperatures for pliable removal.
• Friction Removal Tools: Wonder Wheel, 3M Stripe Off Wheel and other Grinder/Buffer “Eraser” accessories applied to vinyl with hi speed friction for removal.
• Heat Technologies: Induction Heat Systems (Electromagnetic, Low-High Frequency), Infrared Heat Systems (Heaters, Coils, and Furnaces) and Radiant Heat Systems (electric, hydronic, and steam) directly and indirectly applied to substrate to bring vinyl to adequate temperatures for pliable removal.
• Surface Color Blending: just paint over the darn thing with paint that matches substrate color.
De-identification Manpower
• Outsourcing: Sub-contracting to Vendors who specialize in Decal Removal & Installation, Pressure Washing, Body Shop and Truck/Trailer Repair. Competition and Demand for added services in the freight industry has encouraged vendors to compete with On-Site/Mobile services that travel to your location or wherever the units are located. Historically Fleet managers charge back costs to deliver & retrieve units for service.
De-identification Materials
• Scrapers: Metal (Plaster knives or Razor Blades), Plastic (Razor Blades, Lil’ Chizzlers, ScrapeRite, Wonder Blade, etc...)
• Adhesive Removers: Ether based (aerosols and liquid), Natural Based (d-Limonene, Soy oils, Water Based)
• Elevating apparatus: Ladders (step, extension, mobile/rolling), scaffolds, mechanical lifts and platform structures.
• Consumables: Water, Propane, Natural Gas, Kerosene, Diesel, electrical supply, Filtration process materials.

The magic combination is a matter of experimentation and quantifying service costs. This information reveals our 20+ year knowledge of the Best Practices & Management of De-identification Costs for Commercial Carrier Corporate Resources.
 Contributing Factors:
o Precedence or Time Constraints; How quickly the unit/s need to be done to contain daily costs of units to remain in active inventory. Are the targeted units being sold, converted or returned to leasing entity?
o Age of Vinyl & Square footage; this is the most pivotal factor for determining the most efficient method for removal.
o Type of Vinyl;
o Quantity & Location of Units

Our first choice of method to remove vinyl decals is Vapor Steam application and adhesive removal with a pressure washer. On many small jobs we minimize equipment and use a propane torch or heat gun then adhesive remover and scrape with plastic razor blade.

For additional Technicle help try http://www.decal-removal.com

Richard Clos
Steam Slingers
Decal Removal Experts